Selina sat on the hospital bed, a doctor tending to her injured hand. Roberts stood nearby, watching her closely.
"You are indeed putting in good behavior. What happened?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
Selina sighed, her expression frustrated. "I got hired for a job I didn't apply for. They are so bossy."
Roberts raised an eyebrow. "So you challenged them?"
"What would you have me do, sit and fold my hands? That bad Selina isn't dead yet. She's just cooped up inside a jail."
"Yeah, I can see that, but that Selina almost lost her life."
"I blocked her attack; that's why the knife hit my hand. I didn't want to… you know."
Roberts shook his head, a hint of admiration creeping in. "You got yourself a tough one, huh?"
Selina rolled her eyes, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Pfft! Tough one? I already know her weakness."
"That means I have to get you out of there."
"No, no, I can stand up for myself."
"That's the reason I want you out. We don't want to see a third rebirth."
"Remove me or not, she is going to pay. I'll strangle her and then spit in her face. Is that a crime or self-defense?"
"You like trouble, Miss Richard."
"What did you call me?"
"Isn't that your name?"
"You've got some nerve, huh? Do not test my patience, Roberts, or else…"
"You are yet again committing another crime. Do not threaten me, Miss Richard."
A smirk crossed Selina's face. "I like you. You're brave…"
But then her expression shifted, sadness clouding her features. "Just like Jake."
"Why did you kill him then?" Roberts pressed gently.
"Are you out of your mind?" Selina snapped.
"No," he replied calmly.
"It was a mistake, I promise. He told me to surrender and forget about everything, or else he'd kill himself. He pointed a gun at himself."
"Where did he get the gun?"
"Why ask me? I thought you gave it to him. He betrayed me because of you, Roberts."
"Selina, that boy was trying to save your life, just like your mom and your friend. He didn't help us to betray you; he did the opposite."
"I know," she murmured.
"Why did you choose revenge over someone you loved?"
"I didn't. I tried to take the gun from him, but…" Her voice faltered as tears welled in her eyes.
"Have you learned your lesson that revenge doesn't pay? I'm sure he took that gun from your mansion when he visited you."
"Yes, you're right. He did take the gun from my house."
"Do this for Jake. Turn over a new leaf."
"I have changed," Selina insisted.
Roberts chuckled softly. "Yeah, indeed."
"I am serious," she said, her tone earnest.
The doctor finished bandaging her hand, assuring her that she would be alright.
"Thank you, doctor," Roberts said, relief flooding his voice.
He led Selina outside, the weight of their conversation hanging in the air.
Diego and Taylor waited anxiously for Selina's arrival at the police station. When Roberts and Selina entered, Diego greeted them.
"Good day, officer."
"Good day to you," Roberts replied curtly.
Taylor stepped forward. "We want to have a word with Selina."
"She is not in a good condition for talks right now," Roberts interjected.
Selina frowned. "You are not my doctor."
"True, but I am your cop."
"I want to speak with them."
"Then you have to beg."
Selina took a deep breath, her frustration evident. "I want to speak with my best friend's parents. Please."
Roberts smirked. "You've got pride, Miss Richard."
"Forgive his soul, Daddy," she said, her voice softening.
"Two minutes," he relented, moving a few feet away but keeping a watchful eye on her.
"Hi, Selina," Diego said, his voice tentative.
"How are you doing?" Taylor asked, concern in her eyes.
"I'm in jail. How do you think that feels? I'm doing horribly well," Selina shot back.
"I'm sorry; I was just asking about your well-being," Taylor said quickly.
"Sure," Selina replied, her tone flat.
"Selina, we are here to apologize for what we did to you," Diego said, sincerity etched on his face.
"We are truly sorry," Taylor added.
"Apologize? For what? You got what you deserved. I didn't just cancel the deal you had with Thomas's father; I told all the other companies what kind of people you are. You two can never work in this city again."
"Yeah, that explains why we weren't accepted for several jobs," Diego admitted, his expression downcast.
"Good for you," Selina said, crossing her arms.
"We deserve it, everything. You opened our eyes, Selina. You made us realize that the world doesn't revolve around us. We are sincerely sorry," Taylor pleaded.
"It's fine. I'm getting what I deserve too. Vengeance doesn't pay after all."
"Indeed. Thank you for forgiving us," Diego said.
"We'll be on our way," Taylor added, relief flooding her voice.
Diego and Taylor stood up, nodded at Roberts, and bid Selina goodbye as they left. Roberts approached her again.
"Let's go, Miss Richard."
"I feel bad," Selina admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You should," Roberts replied firmly.
"I can't even count the people I… oh my God," she murmured, the weight of her actions crashing down on her.
"You have a lot of time to ponder over what you did. Let's go."
Roberts led Selina to a different cell, the atmosphere thick with unspoken thoughts.
Meanwhile at Frances's house, Anne was on the phone, speaking with an organizer about starting an NGO.
"Hi, am I speaking with the organizer?" she asked, her heart racing with excitement.
"Yes, it is. How can I help you?" the organizer replied warmly.
"Hi, I'm Anne. I'm planning to start an NGO for kids who are bullied. I need some help getting it organized."
"That sounds like a great idea! What do you need help with?"
"First, I need to figure out how to set up the organization. Do you know the steps I should take?"
"Yes, you usually need to choose a name, register it, and get the right paperwork. I can help you with that."
"That would be awesome! I also want to plan some programs for the kids. Any suggestions?"
"You could organize support groups, workshops, or even fun activities to help them feel safe and included."
"Those are great ideas! I want to reach out to schools too. How can I do that?"
"You can create flyers and talk to school counselors. They can help spread the word."
"Perfect! I'll start working on that. When can we meet to discuss this more?"
"How about this weekend? We can go over everything in detail."
"Sounds good! Thanks so much for your help."
"No problem, Miss Anne. I'm excited to help you with this project!"
Anne hung up, feeling a surge of happiness as Frances entered the room and enveloped her in a warm hug.
"Selina is lucky to have you," Frances said, pride shining in her eyes.
"We are lucky to have each other," Anne replied, her heart swelling with gratitude.
"Thank you so much. This will mean a lot to her," Frances continued.
"It's nothing compared to the things you did for me, Aunt. I should be thanking you."
They sat down to discuss Anne's plans in more detail, hope glimmering in their hearts.