?Chapter 487:


    Willow’s face went ghost-pale. She opened her mouth to say something, but before a word could leave her lips, the sharp wail of police sirens tore through the night.


    She whipped her head toward William, her voice shaking. “William… did you call the cops?”


    As the words left her mouth, several speedboats pulled up around the ship, their shing lights cutting through the dark water. Officers stepped out, stern-faced, badges raised.


    “Who’s Willow Lawson?” one of them called out.


    They didn’t wait for an answer. Their eyes locked on Willow, and they moved straight toward her.


    “Ms. Lawson, you’re under suspicion for attempted murder. You need toe with us.”


    Willow panicked, grabbing her mother’s arm in a death grip, her whole body trembling. “No, no! There’s a mistake! I didn’t try to kill anyone! You’ve got the wrong person!”


    But the officers didn’t budge. One of them cut her off coldly. “If it’s a mistake, we’ll sort it out at the station. Don’t interfere with official business.”


    Willow’s protests died on her lips. Her face crumbled as the reality sank in—she had no way out.


    Just as her parents started stepping in to defend her, one of the officers turned toward them. “Which of you are Beckham Lawson and Leona Lawson?”


    Leona and Beckham looked stunned. “That’s us. What’s this about?”


    The officer’s expression didn’t change. “Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, you’re suspected of involvement in smuggling. We’ll need you toe with us as well.”


    The entire deck erupted in murmurs.


    Smuggling?


    That was serious.


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    Nobody had seen thating. The Lawson family had always looked squeaky clean—at least on the surface.


    Beckham froze, his face going stiff. Then his gaze shifted to William, realization dawning. “You. You tipped them off, didn’t you?”


    William smirked, not even trying to hide it. “What, you really thought your little international smuggling gig would stay under wraps forever?”


    The Lawsons’ meteoric rise in Choria had always felt too fast to be clean.


    William knew exactly what they’d done. And now, so did everyone else. Willow, already cuffed, stared wide-eyed at her parents. She looked like someone had pulled the floor out from under her.


    The officers led Willow and her parents off the ship and onto the waiting boats, ready to head for shore.


    The masquerade ball had officially gone off the rails.


    It was supposed to be a carefree night on the water, but thanks to Willow’s mess, the ship docked early, and the party was cut short. The mood was wrecked.


    As everyone disembarked, Sharon and Josie nked Ste on either side, concern written all over their faces. “Stel, you okay? Want to hit the hospital just in case?” Josie asked gently.


    Ste shook her head. “Nah. Just a bit of a headache. I’ll swing by a pharmacy and grab somethingter.”


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