The Substitute Bride

As Nick walked, he noticed several police officers in plainclothes standing in and around the station. He strode over to one and asked him the same question he had been asking everyone.

When the officer heard that Nick was looking for Sheryl, he tensed up and looked at Nick from head to toe. "What's your relationship with her?" the policeman asked curtly.

"I'm her younger brother. I've come here from China. What has happened to her? Is she okay?" In Nick's concern, he did not notice the grim expression on the officer's face.

"Go in and wait there. We're currently investigating the matter." After speaking, the officer gestured for the man next to him to take Nick into a nearby room. The other man stood up, not needing further instructions.

Meanwhile, in another room, a different officer was interrogating Leila.

"What's your name?" came the man's first question.

Throughout the interview, he knew that it was of utmost importance to follow correct procedure. No question, no matter how seemingly easy or difficult, was left out, and to achieve this, the officer was willing to take his time.

Leila, however, was not. Anxious, she interrupted the officer, and exclaimed in one breath, "My name is Leila Zhang. I'm a tourist from China. Charles and I came here for the party. I saw Sheryl push Charles into the sea!"

After gazing at her intently, the policeman drew in a deep breath and scribbled away on his notepad. When the sound of pen on paper had ceased, he asked her, with more intensity this time, "Did you see it happen yourself?"

"Yes, I have said so several times. Why do you ask me the same questions over and over? Don't you believe me?" The investigation was driving Leila mad. It frustrated her to no end that she had to answer the same questions again and again. Moreover, when she finally did, the officer seemed to doubt her honesty.

The policeman, no longer surprised by these outbursts, said calmly, "I understand your frustration, Ma'am. It's just that we have to double-check the information we gather. Plus, we cannot charge anyone with intentional assault based only on one person's story."

"What else do you want then? Am I not a witness?" Leila asked. There was a slight tremble in her voice. Upon hearing what the man had said, she realized that the evidence they currently had against Sheryl was not enough for a conviction. This made her nervous.

"Answer the questions and leave the rest to us, Ma'am. You don't need to worry about the case. That's all for now. Please, give me some time to prepare your account of what happened. Once the report is ready, please, read it carefully and sign where your signature is needed. It'll only take a short while. Then, you're free to go." Just like the man had said, it didn't take long. After compiling his

ithout hesitation.

The door of a nearby room opened, and a policeman walked out, leading Sheryl gently by the arm. Nick felt a mixture of excitement and relief upon seeing her, but something was wrong. He walked over to her.

When he got close, it became clear that his sister wasn't doing well. She was so pale that it looked like she was recovering from an illness.

The relief and excitement that Nick had been feeling now turned to concern. Immediately, he asked, "How are you doing now, Sher?"

"Why are you here?" Sheryl asked, her voice just above a whisper. She hooked her arm around Nick's and walked feebly.

"I was worried about you. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Sheryl answered softly, but Nick wasn't convinced.

He had never seen his sister like this. The most important thing to do now was to get her back to her hotel to get some rest. Acutely aware that he was in a police station, he cautiously approached an officer to confirm if they could go. Arm in arm, he and his sister left the police station.

Because Nick had stayed overnight at the station, he had heard snippets of the story from different people. He pieced these snippets together, and now, he had an idea of how things had supposedly happened on that ship. But there was no way that that story was true. There was no way that Sheryl, no matter how provoked, would push Charles into the sea. The idea was absurd.

Sheryl kept silent, lost in her own world. Everyone who saw her felt sorry—even those who didn't know her.

"Sher, relax. He'll be fine. They'll find him. He's a lucky man, and God won't take him away just yet. It isn't his time,"

Nick assured his sister. He knew that, even though Sheryl and Charles were in the middle of a messy divorce, she still cared deeply about him. Why else would she end up looking like this?

Sheryl nodded absent-mindedly.