Grace’s quick confession wrapped up the case, and both she and Sophia were detained by the police under charges of endangering public safety. They were given a thorough lecture, though whether Grace was listening was another story. After hours of stern education, the young officer was exhausted. He downed a large cup of tea and sighed, “You were once family, right? Couldn’t you all just sit down and talk things through? And you, you’re in your fifties or sixties now. Why haven’t you taught your daughter anything good?” Grace forced a smile, embarrassment clear on her face. “Our situation is complicated. It’s not something that can be explained in a few words. Sure, I was wrong to set the fire, but there’s always a cause for everything. I was forced into a corner. You saw it when you came to arrest us, didn’t you? My daughter and I used to live well, but now we’re reduced to cleaning in nightclubs. I used to be a wealthy lady!” The young officer, with little experience and easily swayed, started feeling a bit confused by Grace’s story. Could there be more to this than it seemed? His sense of justice flared up, as it often does with those new to the force. After all, the mother and daughter did look rather pitiful. And then there was Miranda—dressed in expensive clothes, clearly from a much better background. It was hard not to feel sympathy for the underdog. With Sophia sobbing quietly beside her, the officer’s compassion began to show. His voice softened. “Well, regardless, setting a fire is illegal, and that’s the bottom line. You’ll be detained for five days, but once you’re out, don’t do anything like this again. If you’ve been wronged, you can take legal action. The courts will handle it.” Hearing this, Grace realized the officer was starting to waver. She quickly shifted gears, wiping away a tear and sniffling pitifully. “I’m just a cleaner. How can I fight against people like that? Even if I win, she has so many ways to retaliate against us…” Grace’s display of vulnerability seemed to work. The officer felt even more sympathetic. He hurried to bring them both cups of hot water, comforting them, “Here, drink some water and rest. In the future, if you face difficulties, turn to the law for help.” Grace’s heart leaped with joy at the officer’s words, though she maintained her teary, grateful expression. She clung to his hand, her face full of appreciation. “You’re such a kind person. What should I call you?” “Oh, just call me Carol,” the officer replied, looking a bit flustered by her gratitude. “Thank you so much, Carol. You have no idea how much this means to me. I wanted to confess at first, but you saw her, right? That woman is terrifying. She backed me into a corner with just a few words. I’m not scared for myself, but I don’t want my daughter to suffer because of me…” Carol wasn’t an experienced officer, but he wasn’t stupid either. He had been present throughout the entire conversation and couldn’t shake the feeling that there were still unanswered questions. After settling Grace and Sophia, he decided to search for the name that had come up during their exchange: Emily Carter. Her name had been mentioned several times, and from the sound of it, everything seemed to revolve around her. In the tiny holding room, Grace casually wiped away her remaining tears and sat down, her demeanor calm once more. Yet doubt gnawed at her mind. Sophia, on the other hand, could no longer contain her nerves. Now that they were alone, she leaned closer to Grace and whispered anxiously, “Mom, who was that woman?” Grace scoffed. “She’s no friend of ours, that’s for sure.” “But she knows too much,” Sophia said, trembling. “It’s like she knows everything about us. For a moment, she even reminded me of Emily. But her appearance and voice were completely different, and her style—Emily was always so casual, in jeans and a shirt, but this woman wore high heels and makeup. And Emily… she’s been dead for three years…” Grace’s eyes narrowed. “You really think she resembled Emily?” “Yes!” Sophia insisted. “Especially when she was grilling you earlier. That look in her eyes—it was filled with so much hatred. I’ve only ever seen that kind of look in Emily’s eyes. We haven’t wronged anyone else in the past few years. If we have any enemies, it would only be Emily. Mom, do you think this woman could be one of Emily’s close friends or classmates? Maybe that’s why she hates us so much.” Grace thought about it for a moment before dismissing the idea. “No, it’s not that.” From what she knew, Emily didn’t have many friends. She had little time for socializing, and she rarely interacted with her classmates. “Sophia, did Emily have any close friends back then?” “There was one,” Sophia replied. “The daughter of the Taylor family. Olivia.” “I know Olivia. But other than her?” Sophia shook her head. “She never mentioned any other friends to me.” After a moment of thought, she added, “Though I wouldn’t know if she made new friends after I went to college.” Grace nodded in understanding. Whoever this woman was, she clearly harbored deep resentment toward them. Grace sighed. “Let’s not dwell on it for now. The house we burned wasn’t worth much, anyway. Even if they make us pay, it won’t be much. Besides, Bert’s now a homeless man—we’ve already won.” Sophia nodded vigorously, then glanced around the small holding room, seeming pleased with their current situation. “Mom, there’s heating here! This is way better than the room we stayed in at the nightclub. We’ve got food and shelter here, and we don’t even have to work. Maybe we should just stay until spring and save on heating costs.” Grace chuckled and playfully scolded her, “You’ve got no ambition. This is the police station, not a hotel.” “I know,” Sophia grinned. “But it feels so good to be warm. And now you don’t have to mop floors or wash dishes anymore.”