Minutes turned into hours, word got around the school about what happened to John early in the morning, and his mother was called to the police station right away.
The meeting with him allowed his mother to hear his side of the story and confirm her suspicions that her son had been dragged into a dangerous Honeytrap.
But what if she realized it?
Knowing that there was always a powerful backer supporting these crimes, she felt helpless.
Otherwise, a regular bargirl wouldn't have had the courage to attempt this alone.
Helpless, she could only find the bargirl after getting her contact information from the police, trying to settle this matter outside, and not let it reach the court.
However, the bargirl only gave her one answer.
"Give me 100,000 USD, and I will take my case back."
"Y-You... how could you do that? Don't you have any humanity left? John's just a kid."
"Are you serious? Your "child" raped me, so bring the money, or if you can't, don't bother me."
Click!
Beep! Beep!
The sound of the call ending rang in her ear, and John's mother fell to the ground, her legs feeling as though they had lost all strength.
"No, I can't let my son rot in prison because of something he didn't even do, he's the only thing I have left."
100,000 USD was a lot of money for her, but she knew that if she took out all of her savings and sold all of her jewelry, she could find a way to get that much money.
But when she returned home, the empty lockers and missing files destroyed every semblance of hope, not only because the money and jewelry were lost, but also because the confidential documents of her company were also gone.
Dring! Dring!
It was then that her phone rang.
She picked it up with trembling hands, and a quick glance at the caller sent her stomach into a knot of terror.
In the depths of her despair, she realized that the honeytrap had caught not only her son, but also her own life.
The confidential papers of her company that were with her, reached the hands of another company, and as the prime suspect, she was soon arrested by the police.
Her bank accounts and funds were all seized.
Regrettably, John could have been easily saved if she had really fought for him in court, since the bargirl who sued him had no actual backing and was only doing it for money.
But now she doesn't even had the means to save herself, let alone her son.
....
On the other hand, John spent the entire day waiting in the prison for his mother to come and rescue him.
Despite his best efforts, she never showed up, and as a result, his situation in the cell got worse because both inmates and law enforcement universally detested rapists.
However, when it felt as if all hope was lost, an angel appeared in front of him, and saved him from the pit of despair and hopelessness.
Clank!
The metal bars opened, John was led out of the cell, and when he saw who came to his rescue, he couldn't contain his joy and relief and let out a yell.
"Maria!"
She was standing there in front of a lawyer, talking to the police officers.
His voice drew her attention.
John wanted to give her a hug right then and there, but he couldn't bring himself to do it because of his ragged appearance, his timid demeanor, and Maria's unsettlingly cold eyes.
"Follow me, this is not the place to talk."
Then, leaving the rest of the conversation to the lawyer, she turned around and started moving out as John followed her with a little hesitation.
Her icy demeanor was unlike anything he'd ever seen, and it scared him.
However, when he realized she might be angry about the accusations made against him, he felt a sense of relief.
'It's natural that she will be upset, but when even my mother didn't come, Maria came and helped me.'
His eyes started to well up with tears of affection, but then he remembered.
'Wait! Maria, how can I forget about that night?
It was only then that he remembered the important thing he had almost forgotten.
"M... Maria." He called out meekly.
"What?!"
But the sharp, ice cold reply that came from her stopped and changed the words that were about to come out of John's mouth.
"...Thank you."
"No need, you're only out on temporary bail."
"I... I understand."
Without answering, Maria turned around and got into the front seat of the taxi that was waiting for her, while John hesitantly got into the back seat.
The taxi driver had a pollution mask and eyeglasses covering his face. John felt a sense of familiarity, but before he could think any further, the taxi began to move.
John was uneasy in the taxi's uncomfortable silence, and his sense of foreboding was growing stronger.
He wanted to ask Maria where they were going, but lacked the courage to do so, so instead he kept staring at her in the rear-view mirror.
Looking at him made me feel nauseated.
'I was charged with rape, and my mother disappeared after saying she would come back. Instead of worrying about her or even thinking about where she is now, I'm worried about my relationship with a girl who doesn't care about me.'
John was such a person.
'This looser—only now do I understand why I only got a B when I killed his mother and Maria in front of him.'
Fuck!
Though I felt an overwhelming desire to punch him in the face, I kept my cool and continued to drive the taxi.
Yes, I was the taxi driver, and everything that had happened up until this point was purely the result of what I had done.
The blonde girl in the school, or her sister, who was a bar girl, were all villains in the novel, and were part of the same delinquent circle as me.
So it was easy to use them after I paid them a big sum I got from selling all my inheritance.
Even the jewelry and document scam that got John's mother arrested was done by me.
On the day John found out that Maria was going to the bar, on my orders, Maria asked him to study with her, and since he wanted to convince her not to go, John agreed and let her into his house after school, while his mother was at work in the office.
The sleeping pill Maria slipped into his drink took care of everything else, and thanks to the novel I had read, I was aware of where their vault and locker key were located.
It was a lot of work, but the end result convinced me it was worthwhile.
....
Just like that, we soon reached at an abandoned factory, where Maria forced John out.
Finally, as we approached that deserted location, John's sense of unease peaked, and he unconsciously blurted out his thoughts.
"Maria, where are we?"
When Maria heard those words, her expression finally turned from one of indifference to amusement.
"Wow! So even a coward like you is capable of expressing his thoughts."
'Fuck! Good job, Maria, I am proud of you.'
From behind John, I was able to see Maria, and I couldn't help but be proud of the amazing work of art I had produced.
However, while I was beaming with excitement, John's expression darkened, his eyebrows furrowed, and he inadvertently backed away.
"Maria, what are you saying? Are you still angry with me?"
Pfft~!
"HAHAHA"
Suddenly, Maria burst out laughing, holding her stomach, as she looked at him and mocked him disdainfully.
"Angry at you? Tsk tsk tsk tsk."
She clicked her tongue and shook her head, as if saying, 'What kind of fool am I talking to?'
"John! Oh, John, are you really so stupid or merely acting like one?"
As Maria drew nearer to John, he unconsciously backed away from her out of fear.
"I don't understand, why are you saying such things?"
At last, Maria came to a complete stop, her expressions turning serious as she asked.
"Don't you want to know what happened that night? Why did the bargirl do those things to you?"
Hearing those words, and looking at Maria's serious face, and eyes filled with disdain, an extremely ugly premonition clutched John's heart.
"Y...You, no, it can't be." He muttered incomprehensibly.
"Oh, it looks like you're not all that stupid. Indeed, the bargirl, and everything that happened with you were my doing—"
Then Maria started explaining, and the more John heard her, the more his face turned ugly.
"Maria, why are you doing this? Tell me this is all a lie. Aren't we friends?"
"Lie? Pfft, hahaha, you say some funny thing, and you say friends? Do you think I will be friends with a dog like you who doesn't even care about his mother, and is like a parasite."
"Mother, my mother, what did you do to her?!"
"Look for yourself."
Maria pulled out her phone from her jean's pocket and played a video. She threw the phone to the ground as John picked it up and looked.
Immediately, his bloodshot eyes widen in shock.
It was exactly the same video of John's mother being arrested by police.
"No... Mother, why, what did you do to my mother? No, it's a lie, it's all a lie."
"Why would I lie to a bastard like you?"
"Then why did you bring me here? Why save me from the police?"
He roared like a madman who had lost all his reasoning, his eyes were bloodshot, but this time it wasn't Maria who replied, but me, who silently came behind him and whispered in his ear.
"Obviously, to kill you!"
"Who?!!"
John shrieked in surprise, but before he could even turn around,
Stab!
Stab!
Stab!
"Ugh!"
I stabbed him multiple times; he groaned in pain, and before he could even turn back, his body fell on the floor.
Thud!
"Leo!"
It was also then that Maria, who saw me take action, came running towards me and burried herself in my arm, her body trembling due to the bloody sight she saw for the first time.
Understood!
Looking at us, John finally understood everything.
But it was already too late.
Despair!
Endless Despair!
This was all he felt.
He never thought that the girl he loved so much was already someone else's and would betray him in such a way, and that his own stupidity would not only cause him to lose his life but also destroy his mother's life.
"Y..You! Ma..aria, y..ou.."
John's muttering irritated Maria, and she turned around in anger at John as her expressions of infatuation at me turned to those of disgust towards him.
She kicked his head with all her strength.
"Just die!"
Bang!
[Congratulations! host for successfully completing the mission.]
[Mission Clear!]
[Result: Grade S] [Acquired UC: 5000]
[Remaining chance: 0]
[Beginning Settlement...]
[Please wait for a minute.]
________________________
[A/N: We are in the top hundred ranks of power stones, let's reach the top, support the book with power stones, and show your love. I will upload a bonus chapter for you all, soon.]
Shout out to "I4Infini" for another pizza gift, and to "TWISTEK" for cola.
Thanks you very much guys for the support. You guys are the best.