Chapter 123: The Car Door Slammed Shut

The car door slammed shut. Noah let out a piercing scream. He bolted forward, tiny legs pumping furiously. "Mommy! Mommy!" Lucas scooped him up in one swift motion. A large hand covered the boy's mouth, muffling the desperate cries. He carried the struggling child through the main doors. The police car was already gone, vanished into the city streets. Noah thrashed violently. He sank his teeth into Lucas's hand with all his strength. Lucas's brow furrowed. He didn't release his grip. He shoved the boy into the backseat and slammed the car door.

The interior fell silent except for choked sobs. Noah realized they were alone. No bodyguards. No driver. Tears streamed down his face. "Daddy! Why? Why did you stop me? Mommy needs us! She's innocent! I know she is!" His small fists pounded against Lucas's chest. "Did you stop loving her? You're a traitor! A monster!" Lucas caught the flailing hands. His voice was low and firm. "Enough. The authorities are handling this. What exactly did you plan to do?"

"I...I would have thought of something! I couldn't just watch them take her!" Noah wailed, his body shaking with grief.

"She wasn't taken," Lucas stated calmly. "She went with them willingly. There's a difference."

Noah sniffled loudly, confusion replacing some of the anger. "Huh?"

"Think," Lucas said, his tone softening slightly. "Remember all the other times? The impossible situations your mother has escaped?"

Noah nodded slowly, a flicker of hope in his wet eyes. "Mommy always fixes everything. She's amazing." His voice dropped to a worried whisper. "But this time...there's evidence. Real evidence. And it's a serious crime. How can she get out of this?"

"Trust her," Lucas replied, his gaze steady. "Has she ever truly failed you? Be quiet now. I will take you to see her."

"Okay," Noah whispered, wiping his face on his sleeve. Lucas sighed inwardly. Parenting was exhausting. First, he needed to check on Sienna.

The story exploded across every major news outlet within the hour.

[12 INTERNATIONAL SUPERMODELS POISONED.]

The headline screamed. [Initial reports indicate a backstage dispute led designer Sienna Bennett to poison twelve supermodels. The victims include global sensation Celeste Duval, America's sweetheart Vanessa Bennett, and fiery French model Giselle Marchand. All twelve received immediate medical attention. While Vanessa Bennett has remained silent, the other eleven models are demanding a public apology, criminal charges, and fifty million dollars in individual compensation.]

[Crestline representative Archibald Worthington issued a statement condemning Sienna Bennett for sabotaging their annual auto show. The company is seeking no less than eighty million dollars in damages. Legal experts note that malicious poisoning causing significant bodily harm carries a potential three-year prison sentence.]

The comment sections boiled over with rage.

[She's a monster! How could anyone do this?]

[What a vile heart! A simple argument and she resorts to poison?]

[Her beauty is clearly only skin deep. A truly evil woman. I bet this isn't the first time!]

[That face hides a demon! Vicious! Cruel! Lock her up and throw away the key! I'm so angry!]

The internet had convicted her. The combined fury of twelve fan armies flooded Sienna's social media, burying any support under an avalanche of hate. Her reputation was shattered.

At the police precinct, Officer Donovan Pierce motioned toward a holding cell.

Sienna didn't move. "You're detaining me based solely on trace residue on my hands? What if I brushed against a contaminated surface? What if someone transferred it there during a handshake while I was distracted?" Her voice was cool, analytical. "A conviction requires a complete chain of evidence. Have you located the source of the poison? Found the container it was held in? Obtained a confession from me?" The distant hum of a vacuum cleaner echoed in the hallway.

Officer Pierce frowned, irritation flashing in his eyes. "You were cooperative at the scene. Why the sudden change? What game are you playing now?"