It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing Xenia''s throat. She bit her lip, ring at Hannah.


    "A few weeks ago, he was scheduled for a transnt. You even paid a hefty sum to jump the queue. As far as I know, your sry at the firm was six thousand a month, and your mother makes two thousand doing odd jobs. Where did all that moneye from?"


    "I... I won the lottery! It''s none of your business!" Xenia shouted. "And you investigating my family is illegal! I''ll sue you for harassment!"


    Seeing her defensive posture, Hannah smiled faintly. "That must have been a pretty small lottery win."


    Xenia looked at her, confused.


    Hannah stood up, looking down at her. "Otherwise, why would your brother have been discharged from the hospital before he even got a new kidney? If you had enough money to buy his way up the transnt list, you should have enough to keep him in treatment."


    With that, Hannah turned and walked toward the door.


    Xenia''s eyes widened in horror. "Hannah, what did you just say?" she shrieked, jumping to her feet so fast that her handcuffs mmed against the table. "What do you mean he was discharged? What are you talking about? Are you lying to me?"


    "Stop! Come back here and exin yourself! Hannah! Hannah-!"


    Hannah ignored the frantic screams behind her and kept walking.


    "I''ll talk! I''ll tell you everything! Just tell me why my brother was discharged! Why?"


    At that, Hannah paused and turned back to look at the broken woman.


    "Ms. Hill, if you have something to say, I suggest you tell it to the police." She nodded slightly toward the officers outside the room, then smiled and left.


    Xenia stared after her, unable to tell if she was being tricked or told the truth. Her mind went nk, and she slumped back into her chair,pletely lost.


    Hannah left the police station and headed for the address Quennel had given her the ce where Xenia''s brother was now staying. He had told her about the situation otherwise, she would have never known.


    Xenia had willingly taken the fall for Sandra, iming she had masterminded the smear campaign, all for her brother''s medical bills, This car ident was undoubtedly Sandra''stest maniption But if Xenia knew the Woods family was now broke, she never would have been foolish enough to do it.


    An hourter, Hannah arrived in a grim, neglected part of the city. Sova was a city of glittering skyscrapers and unparalleled wealth, but beneath the dazzling lights, countless homes were tucked away in the shadows, hidden from the sun. The air in the narrow alley was thick with the smell of damp and mold Clothes dripped water from lines strung between buildings, and the ground was slick with moss and stagnant puddles.


    After a long search, she found Xenia''s home.


    "Hello, are you Xenia''s mother?" Hannah asked, approaching a small, stooped woman cooking in a makeshift kitchen on the building''s walkway. "I''m her former colleague, Hannah."


    Mrs. Hill paused. "Oh, hello. Is there something you need from our Xenia?"


    Hannah had rehearsed what to say on the way over, but decided to be direct. “She''s been arrested for hitting someone with her car. Did you know?"