Gianna believed that once Steven arrived, he would protect her. The Malone family could not afford a public embarrassment. She had also been afraid that Jonathan might be influenced by Anneliese and insist on making things ugly. Steven and Jonathan were close friends. Even for Steven''s sake, Jonathan wouldn''t let Anneliese stir up trouble.


    But Steven''s expression turned serious.


    "Jonathan called me," he said. "What''s going on?"


    He asked Gianna directly.


    Anneliese nced at Jonathan. No wonder he had entered a momentter. He had been calling Steven. But would Steven really not take his own sister''s side?


    Gianna had already started exining.


    "We went to the restroom to touch up our makeup," she said. "Anahi had a small argument with Jessica. Ms. Sweeting pushed her without saying a word. Anahi hit her head and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. She lost a lot of blood."


    She continued calmly.


    "Ms. Sweeting has a very impulsive personality. Even after she was taken back to the station, she still got into another fight. The injury on her face has nothing to do with us. Still, since she''s injured, I have already agreed to persuade Anahi to settle this peacefully. I just didn''t expect Ms. Sweeting to be Mrs. Fullbuster''s friend. Since we all know each other now, it''s better not to make things worse."


    The way she told it, it sounded like the whole thing had nothing to do with her at all. It was only a fight between Anahi and Jessica. In the end, she was even the one who nned to help settle things. Anneliese was supposed to owe her a favor.


    Anneliese let out a coldugh and helped Jessica walk forward.


    "Listening to only one side isn''t enough," she said. "Jess, you tell them what really happened."


    Jessica took a breath and stared straight at Gianna and the others.


    "They were the ones who suddenly walked into the restroom," she said. "All four of them. They picked a fight first. The injured woman bumped into me on purpose and cursed at me. I talked back twice. She tried to p me. I blocked her. Then she threw herself backward and smashed her head on the sink. That''s how her forehead got split open."


    Her voice stayed steady as she continued.


    "After I was brought to the station, no one listened to my side at all. I was locked up right away. Then two men and one woman came looking for trouble. They rushed me and beat me."


    She paused for a moment.


    "Oh, right, back in the restroom, I wanted to contact Zane. They grabbed my phone, ran it under the sink, and threw it into the trash."


    Anneliese knew it right away.


    Jessica sometimes acted loud and reckless, but that was just a front. She had grown up with no sense of security. She always acted tough to protect herself. She was not someone who caused trouble for no reason.


    Gianna stared at Jessica in disbelief.


    "Ms. Sweeting, how can you twist the truth like this?" she said. "You were the one who pushed Anahi first. All of us can prove it."


    The two women behind her spoke up right away.


    "That''s right. She hit first."


    "She has a terrible temper. She attacked out of nowhere. Look at the blood on my hand. It''s all Anahi''s. Anahi is still getting her wound treated right now."


    Jonathan clicked his tongue.


    "Chief Campbell," he said, "they''re all together. Do their words even count as proof?"


    Howard stepped forward at once.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Fullbuster," he said. "We won''t rely on just one side."


    He then turned to the officer.


    "Erick," he said, "this youngdy says you never asked for her side before locking her up. Is that true? And what about those three people she mentioned?"


    Erick saw how politely Howard treated Jonathan. One sentence from Jonathan was enough to make Howard take a clear stand. His heart


    sank at once. Earlier when the Saw Howard arrive with Steven, he had finally felt relieved.


    "I-I hadn''t gotten to question Ms. Sweeting yet," Erick said nervously. "After all, the


    victim, Ms. Baker, had already been sent to the hospital."


    Anneliese smiled.


    "To me, my friend sounds more like the real victim," she said. "So this is how the police handle cases now. Whoever has more people and power decides the truth. No one. even checks what really happened."


    Her voice turned colder.


    "When I came earlier, Officer Parsons clearly told Ms. Malone that my friend would be punished hard He said locking her up for three days and nights wouldn''t be enough He even said he would specially arrange a ceil to teach her a lesson His efficiency is really impressive. Before my friend even entered a cell, she''d already been taught a lesson."


    Erick''s face changed. He frowned at Anneliese.


    "Ma''am, you must''ve heard wrong," he said. "I never said anything like that."


    In a situation like this, there was no way he would admit it.


    He turned to Gianna.


    "Ms. Malone, you have to speak up for me."


    Gianna quickly said, "Mrs. Fullbuster, I know you''re angry because your friend is hurt. But you can''t just make things up. None of us heard Officer Parsons say anything like that."