Ch. Lock Me In The Basement? 7 Lock Me In The Basement? 7

Chapter 7 

The police arrived quickly and dispersed the crowd. 

“What the hell is going on here? You think this is a street gang? Beating someone in broad daylight?” 

The moment they saw the officers, the crowd fell silent. 

My father and I stood covered in blood. 

“Officers, it’s not our fault-she ruined our company’s investment deal. We lost everything because of her!” 

“Exactly! She deserves worse than a beating!” 

The officers looked from their furious faces to our injured ones. 

“No reason justifies assault. What, you think there are no laws anymore?” 

Madeline stepped forward and tugged on the officer’s sleeve. 

“Officer, please don’t blame them. The company meant everything to us, and Sloane deliberately sabotaged the investment. Everyone just got a little emotional.” 

The officer yanked his arm back and snapped, “Stand straight and speak properly. You beat someone to this extent-if the medical report confirms serious injury, you’re all looking at jail time.” 

Panic flickered across their faces. 

“It’s not that serious… Sloane’s an old friend. We were just worked up. It was… playing around.” 

“Yeah, just a misunderstanding!” 

Blood from my father’s head dripped onto my clothes. My chest ached with fury. 

After countless sleepless nights and endless hustle to win projects, this was the thanks I got-betrayed by a bunch of ungrateful assholes. 

I glared at them, my voice cold. 

“Officer, I’d like to press charges.” 

Gavin immediately stepped forward, lowering his voice. 

“Sloane, enough is enough. We’ve known each other for years. Don’t make this ugly.” 

Where was this talk of friendship when they locked me up and beat me? 

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I shoved him off and stared him down. 

“Get lost. I’m not just pressing charges-I want to see you behind bars.” 

“Gavin, you didn’t just hurt me-you hurt my mother. I won’t forgive you!” 

His face visibly changed at my public outburst. 

“What are you even saying? When did I ever hurt your mother? She showed up acting crazy and dragged us 

into it.” 

“If you keep this up, I’m calling off the wedding!” 

Madeline sneered, chiming in, “Honestly, Sloane, you and your mom love playing the victim. Like mother, like 

daughter.” 

I was shaking with rage, eyes burning holes through them. 

“There’s nothing between us anymore, Gavin. You both will get what’s coming.” 

Out of nowhere, Gavin’s mother rushed over, grabbing my father’s arm with a fake smile. 

“Come on now, she’s a grown woman-still acting like a spoiled child. You need to talk some sense into her.” 

But my father, for once, didn’t back down. He turned coldly to her. 

“Whatever decision Sloane makes, her mother and I will support her unconditionally. Frankly, we don’t think that wedding should happen either.” 

Gavin’s mother froze, stunned by the sudden change in his tone. 

My throat tightened. The memories from my past life rushed back. I had been burned alive, and my mother had died of a heart attack alone at home. 

My father looked like he’d aged ten years overnight, the grief etched deep into his face. 

He couldn’t understand why everything went so wrong. He had gone to confront Gavin, only to be mocked by Gavin’s mother, who’d told him Gavin had only proposed to me out of guilt. 

That he should have some dignity and stop clinging to their family. 

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