Chapter 97: Vera Ward Clutched Calvin Ward's Sleeve

Vera Ward clutched Calvin Ward's sleeve, her voice trembling. "Calvin, how could Vanessa do something like this?"

Calvin glanced at the eavesdropping relatives in the hallway and scowled. "Talking won't help now. Get Brandon and Caleb Ward to discharge Mother and take her back to the village. We need to go to the police station immediately."

Vera Ward stumbled out to find their sons. Half an hour later, the couple arrived at the station's police department with an officer.

The train station was always bustling. This small county hub teemed with travelers from all directions—and pickpockets who thrived in the chaos. Inside the station, the police department was in complete disarray, filled with cries and curses.

When Calvin and Vera Ward saw Vanessa behind the iron bars, they barely recognized her. The girl huddled in the corner, her clothes torn and dirty, bore no resemblance to the lively young woman she once was.

"Dad! Mom!"

Vanessa lunged toward the bars like a drowning woman grasping for a lifeline, her fingers digging into the cold metal. Bruises mottled her face, and dried blood crusted her lip. Behind her, female inmates snickered, making her shiver.

When the officer opened the gate, Vanessa practically leaped behind Vera Ward, trembling like a frightened rabbit.

After fleeing Grace's house that day, Vanessa realized she had missed the last bus. With the five hundred dollars she'd stolen from home, she reluctantly sought shelter at a nearby inn.

"No ID? Get out!" The clerk shooed her away like a fly.

As night fell, Vanessa grew desperate. Finally, an impatient staff member pointed her toward the train station. "Sleep on a bench there if you must."

The waiting area was packed. Vanessa finally found an empty seat in the early hours, clutching her bundle as she dozed off—unaware she was being watched.

A middle-aged woman in a blue dress slid closer. First, she targeted a sleeping young official nearby, then turned her attention to Vanessa's bulging pocket.

"My money!" the woman suddenly shrieked. "Thief!"

The station erupted into chaos. The official checked his bag and paled. "My wallet's gone!"

In the confusion, someone spotted the corner of a black wallet peeking from Vanessa's bundle.

"It's her!" The official yanked Vanessa up. "Playing innocent, huh?"

Two slaps stunned her. By the time she regained her senses, she was in an interrogation room—while the real thief had vanished.

"Officer, my daughter didn't steal anything!" Vera Ward wiped her tears frantically.

The officer glanced at Vanessa's bruised face and torn pocket, sighing. "The evidence is clear, and the victim insists it was her. This case—"

Calvin suddenly dropped to his knees. "Please, investigate properly! My girl wouldn't even take a needle that wasn't hers!"

Outside, a train whistle pierced the night. Watching her parents' hunched figures, Vanessa realized for the first time what it meant to be utterly helpless.