A frosty look appeared in Vera Xavier’s eyes. "You’re saying I forged this? Please, spell it out for me. What part of it is fake?"

After speaking, she glanced at Susan Caldwell. "They’re both student IDs. Why is hers considered real and mine fake?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Director Lewis sneered. "That’s because she’s from Veridia. I’ve never met a bad person from Veridia."

He finished speaking and sized Vera Xavier up from head to toe. "With a vixen face like yours, it’s obvious you’re no good. Even if you’re not a drug dealer yourself, you must be a drug dealer’s mistress!"

Vera Xavier was exceptionally beautiful, but hers was a cold, Sheila-like beauty. This was the first time she had ever been called a vixen.

Two police officers reached out to handcuff Vera Xavier, but Alistair Forrest barked, "Hold on!"

Seeing him get involved in Vera Xavier’s affairs again, Susan Caldwell felt a flare of irritation but kept a smile on her face. "Mr. Forrest, you’re from Marinus. Relations between the mainland and Marinus are a bit delicate right now. I’d advise you not to meddle, to avoid attracting unnecessary trouble."

Alistair Forrest completely ignored her, instead turning to Chief Lewis. "She’s my girlfriend. She came here with me to gamble on stones. I know her background, and I can vouch for her on behalf of the Forrest Group. She is absolutely not a drug dealer."

Vera Xavier hadn’t expected him to stand up for her, but she wasn’t exactly pleased with him suddenly declaring her his girlfriend.

’If Nathaniel Nathan heard this, he’d probably skin me alive.’

Chief Lewis’s brow furrowed, and he instinctively glanced at Susan Caldwell. Her gaze was sharp, and he immediately knew what to do.

He said at once, "I don’t care whose girlfriend she is. She’s the prime suspect right now, and I have to take her in and open an official investigation!"

He finished speaking and lifted his chin smugly. "I am always impartial. I’ll never wrong an innocent person, but I won’t let a single criminal get away, either! Mr. Forrest, are you *sure* she’s your girlfriend?"

Alistair Forrest frowned. Vera Xavier was just about to step forward and say, "He’s not my boyfriend."

But before she could get the words out, a cool, deep voice came from the doorway. "She isn’t."

The door was pushed open again, and Nathaniel Nathan walked in.

He had changed into a clean set of clothes, and it looked like he had also showered and shaved. He was infinitely more handsome than he had been earlier, when he was covered in dirt and soot.

Vera Xavier froze when she saw him. Then, recalling the look he’d given her when he left, she felt a wave of intimidation and instinctively wanted to hide. But he shot a look her way, and she immediately froze in place, not daring to move.

Meanwhile, she was complaining internally, ’Isn’t he supposed to be on a mission? Shouldn’t he be leaving now that it’s over?’

’And why did he get all cleaned up and handsome like this?’

It was a good thing Aaron Cheney was still resting inside; otherwise, his eyes would have gone wide, and he would have shouted excitedly, "Nathaniel!"

Vera Xavier had barely reacted, but Susan Caldwell’s eyes were already shining. She recognized him as the man who had fired three consecutive shots to take down the hijacker. In her view, he had to be here because of what she’d said to Scott Sullivan earlier.

’I knew it,’ she thought. ’What man on earth could possibly refuse me!’

She immediately walked toward him with a smile. "Hello, sir. Thank you for saving all of us."