?<strong>Chapter 527:</strong>


    “I’m sorry, but we couldn’t reach the contact number listed in the passport.”


    “How is that possible?” Joelle asked, catching the self-satisfied look on M’s face.


    She immediately realized something.


    The entire sequence of events, from their stolen belongings to Adrian’s baseless arrest, had been orchestrated by M. Given her familiarity with the area and her connections here, M had the means to manipte the situation.


    Holding the sleeping Aurora, who was exhausted from the ordeal, Joelle could only ept this silent defeat.


    The officer conveyed a message from Adrian.


    “Mrs. Watson, it’s best you and your child return to the hotel for some rest. I will update you tomorrow if there are any developments.”


    Aurora, still so young, needed her rest. Left with no other option, Joelle decided to return to the hotel with her.


    Meanwhile, the police called Adrian and M to a separate room for questioning.


    M yed the victim perfectly, sobbing and trembling.


    Niko, visibly upset and seeking justice, shouted, “This ispletely uneptable! Officer, you must ensure justice is served!”


    Adrian remained calm. When asked if he had anything to say in his defense, he retorted sarcastically, “Look at my wife. How could she possibly be less desirable than M? Why would I foolishly jeopardize our rtionship for M?”


    M’s attorney then pointed to her injuries. “Are you saying these injuries weren’t caused by your violent actions?”


    Adrian eyed the handprint on M’s face. His looks were undeniable. M might not consider herself a beauty among women, but she couldn’t deny Adrian’s striking appearance. His indifferent stare was both arrogant and defiant.


    Despite her resentment, M felt shy under Adrian’s intense gaze.


    With a touch of regret, Adrian said, “I should have hit harder. Clearly, she can take it.”


    Niko stood up furiously. “That’s crossing the line!”


    Adrian ignored them. “Please present any solid proof—be it video, recordings, or eyewitnesses—that suggests any misconduct on my part. If you do, I’ll face whateveres. Otherwise, I’ll consider filing a defamationwsuit.”


    He stood up, carrying himself with calm confidence, despite being brought in as a suspect. M was momentarily speechless.


    Adrian wasn’t overly concerned, as he had been updating Can on his safety every twenty-four hours back home. Since more than twenty-four hours had passed since Adrian lost his phone, Can was probably already on his way to find him.


    Yet, Adrian kept this thought to himself, worried that M might take extreme actions against Joelle during his detention. For the moment, he needed to maintain the illusion that M was in control, to prevent her from further targeting Joelle.


    At the crack of dawn, Joelle rose, her mind weighed down with worry for Adrian. Sleep had eluded her almost entirely through the long, restless night.


    The crux of the issue was that Adrian had struck M, and with no surveince in the hotel room, her usations ced him at a clear disadvantage.


    Joelle couldn’t simply sit and wait. After quickly preparing herself, she hurried to the police station, eager to understand the situation.


    As the elevator doors slid open, she took hold of Aurora’s hand and stepped inside together. The elevator halted after descending only a single floor.


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