I squirmed in the cold, rigid chair. After being used to plush seats, this hard one was unbearably uncomfortable.

"Haven’t I told you already, officer? I wanted all the money. My brother wouldn’t give it to me, so I decided to take it myself."

The door to the interrogation room suddenly opened. My brother walked in, his face weathered and drained, looking utterly exhausted. Yet, he still managed to give the officer a strained smile.

"There must be some misunderstanding. Claire is a good kid. She’s been through a lot, and with her past illness... maybe she’s relapsed and couldn’t control her actions."

The officer’s gaze flicked between me and the medical file he had just placed on the table.

"Claire Bowden, you were previously diagnosed with autism and depression. You—"

I interrupted him with a radiant smile.

"I’m completely cured now, aren’t I? I’m lively, cheerful, and perfectly fine mentally. There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m perfectly calm. Everything I did was part of a carefully laid plan."

I pulled a small leather-bound notebook from my pocket and slid it across the table to the officer.

"Take a look. My plan is all written there.

"First, I started with Daniel. He’s hopeless when it comes to academics—there’s no way he inherited my brother’s brains. He was bound for some second-rate college. So, I dangled the promise of a spot at an elite university in front of him for $137,500. He took the bait without hesitation.

"Once he paid, I handed him a fake admission letter. Of course, if he wanted to actually attend classes, it’d cost more. When he realized he didn’t have enough allowance to cover it, I encouraged him to con his mom into helping him out..."

The more details I revealed, the darker the officer’s expression became. My brother, meanwhile, slumped in his chair, his arms hanging limp at his sides. His eyes burned with both anger and devastation as he looked at me.

I methodically executed my scheme: first Daniel, then his mother, and finally my brother. Systematically, I stripped them of every penny, watching as they sank deeper into financial ruin.

If nothing else, this was proof that I committed my crimes with a clear mind.

"Why, Claire?" my brother finally asked, his bloodshot eyes locked on mine. "Have we not treated you well?"

I flashed him a playful smile and gave him a wink.

"Of course, you’ve treated me well. You and your wife have always shown me more kindness, more generosity than you ever showed Daniel. You gave me the best of everything."

My brother opened his mouth to say something, but before he could continue, the officer in charge of the interrogation couldn’t hold back any longer. He barked at me, his voice low and furious.

"And has your nephew ever treated you poorly?"

I blinked as Daniel’s smiling face flashed before my eyes.

"Daniel always did whatever I asked. Even if it was the middle of the night, he’d drop everything to get me what I wanted. Once, I craved chicken stew from a restaurant in the far west. Without hesitation, he ran halfway across the city to fetch it for me.

"When he returned, he was soaked in sweat, his face pale. The first thing he said was, ‘Auntie, I hope you didn’t wait too long. I carried it carefully the whole way—it’s still hot, and I didn’t spill a drop.’

"His hands were burned red from holding it..." I trailed off, my tone almost wistful.

The officer, visibly trying to contain his anger, slammed his fist on the table. "Answer the questions you’re asked! Stop going off-topic! Be honest about your crimes and your accomplices. The law won’t show mercy to any criminal!"

Unlike my calm demeanor, my brother’s face grew more ashen by the second. His body trembled as he stepped forward and grabbed the officer’s arm.

"Please, officer. Don’t be angry. Claire just lost her way for a moment. If we don’t press charges, can this case be resolved now? She’s still young. Please go easy on her. We’re willing to give her a chance to turn over a new leaf!"

The officer let out a long sigh, shaking his head. "She committed a serious crime. This isn’t about whether you’re willing to forgive her. A lenient sentence isn’t something you can decide."

But my smile only grew brighter.

"My brother is just so forgiving, isn’t he? Truly kind to a fault. And me? I’m someone who knows how to repay that kindness. Your worthless son and your unfaithful wife? I’ve handled them for you by making sure they become well-behaved and obedient. Honestly, you should be thanking me."

The officer's eyes narrowed, and he slammed his hand on the table with a loud thud.

"What did you just say? Get to the point!"

My thoughts drifted back to three months ago.

After being brought home, I was pampered like a princess. My once stern brother treated me with nothing but gentle smiles, Daniel spoke to me in soft tones, and my sister-in-law personally took care of me day and night.

They all gave me their absolute best, sparing nothing. Whatever I wanted, they bought without a second thought.

Then one day, I noticed Daniel, usually so full of life, sitting quietly with a defeated look as he checked his SAT scores. Curiosity got the better of me, so I glanced over his shoulder—six sections, and he couldn’t even break 400.

What a failure.

I handed him a flyer I’d been saving, feigning sympathy as I watched his forced smile crumble.

"Interested in an easy way to get into a top university? Spend a little money, and you won’t even need to study."

Daniel’s eyes lit up.

The moment the money hit my account, I felt a thrill I hadn’t experienced in ages.

But it wasn’t enough. I wanted more.

Daniel eagerly reached out to the so-called "elite university tutor" I had recommended. Bit by bit, he transferred enormous sums, all for fake acceptance letters and forged student IDs.

I didn’t stop there. I loudly announced to everyone that Daniel had been admitted to a prestigious school, ensuring the news spread far and wide. With his pride at stake, he had no choice but to keep sending money.

Eventually, Daniel hit a wall.

"Auntie, I’m completely out of money. I’ve given all my allowance to the tutor, and even borrowed through those online loans you mentioned, but it’s still not enough..."

I held his hand, my voice dripping with feigned concern as I gently guided him.

"Daniel, if you’re out of money, why not ask your mom? She’s had a big payout from her recent business deals. I happen to know a few investors, and they’ve got a little gathering coming up..."

I personally escorted my sister-in-law to the club, watching as fear filled her eyes when they covered her mouth and nose.

After collecting the cash she withdrew for me with a quick facial scan, I smiled at the man in charge and rubbed my hands together.

"She’s exactly the type your boss loves—graceful and charming. She’s worth every penny, don’t you think?"

Her desperate screams echoed in my ears as I left.

"Claire! If there’s something I haven’t done right, just tell me! Don’t leave me here, Claire!"

The sound of the money transferring into my account was music to my ears. Without looking back, I pocketed my phone and walked away.

Of course, I knew exactly what she was about to face but I didn’t care.

Daniel disappeared, running from debt collectors, and my sister-in-law vanished completely, leaving no trace. My brother, desperate to find them both, was caught in the chaos of his failing business, relentlessly hounded by competitors.

I took the initiative to offer him a cup of warm milk.

"Brother, you’ll need more money if you want to find your wife and Daniel. I know a businessman with a lucrative investment opportunity. I wouldn’t usually tell anyone about him but for you..."

At first, I let him taste a little success.

I even leaked information about Daniel’s whereabouts.

He started trusting me more and more, handing over the company’s funds and transferring various properties into my name.

But all he got in return was news of the company’s bankruptcy, swallowed whole by his rivals, leaving him drowning in debt.

When he came back to the family home, he had lost everything. His once-proud posture was gone as he knelt before me, broken and humiliated.

"Claire, the company’s gone. Please, just help me find my wife and Daniel. The houses I gave you—they’re yours. I won’t ask for them back. Just... please, Claire..."

I watched him coldly, not a shred of pity in my eyes. With a wave of my hand, I called for security to drag him out like a stray dog.

In the dead of winter, they tossed him onto the snowy ground outside.

Later that night, as I counted the extra zeros in my bank account, I couldn’t help but laugh in my sleep.

When I finished telling my story, the entire room fell silent.

The officer ordered a team to track down my accomplices, his gaze fixed on me like I was the lowest form of filth.

I knew he couldn’t say what he was really thinking, bound by the restraints of his position.

But I also knew that in their eyes, I was worse than scum.

No matter how many questions they threw at me, my answers always circled back to money. They couldn’t squeeze a shred of useful information from me.

Because I had confessed to my crimes during the livestream, the entire nation was following the story. Under the mounting pressure of public opinion, the interrupted livestream was soon restored.

Furious viewers flooded the chat, spewing insults and prying into every detail of my personal life, dragging my family’s reputation into the mud.

"This woman is the lowest of the low," one message read. "Guys, I just hacked into something private. Turns out Claire Bowden had multiple abortions at a private clinic. And it wasn’t just once!"

"She’s been admitted to psychiatric hospitals twice—once for autism and once for depression. Her abortion records show one happened after her first discharge, and the other just a month ago!"

An officer holding a phone shoved one of the chat messages in my face.

"Claire Bowden, if I recall correctly, you don’t have a boyfriend. Care to explain these abortion records?"

My smile froze.

Noticing the shift in my expression, the officer seemed to sense a breakthrough. Suppressing his anger, he forced himself to speak in a gentler tone.

"We’re here to help, Claire. If someone wronged you, we’ll make sure justice is served. Don’t be afraid."

I let out a long sigh.

"Well, it’s tied to a rather painful memory..."

Immediately, the officer hurried off to make me a cup of tea.

"Take your time," he said gently, setting the cup down in front of me. "Take a moment to calm yourself, then tell us everything."

I picked up the tea and sipped it slowly. My eyes flicked to the livestream chat, which was exploding with messages:

"Is this it? Is the juicy part finally coming up?"

"Brace yourselves! Something big is about to drop!"

Meeting the officer’s expectant gaze, I let out another soft sigh and spoke in an exaggeratedly wistful tone.

"Are matters of love and passion also your domain? I'd much prefer to explore those topics with someone more... attractive!"

The room fell silent, but I wasn’t done.

"Isn’t there a detective from the capital’s major crimes unit who’s supposed to be quite the looker? I hear his family’s got some serious connections. I might be willing to talk if I’m looking at his handsome face."

Everyone froze. The room plunged into a stunned, dead silence.

The officer in charge of my interrogation was so enraged his chest heaved violently, his palm slamming on the desk hard enough to nearly crack it.

"Unbelievable!"

The livestream audience was equally stunned by my shamelessness.

"Did she seriously want to flirt with Detective Ford who is in the capital? He only handles major cases. What makes her think she’s even worthy of meeting him?"

"Still, I kind of want to see it happen. Claire Bowden used to be such a recluse. Let’s see if the public demand can actually get Detective Ford involved!"

I noticed the flood of comments about Aaron Ford and bit down on the inside of my cheek. It wasn’t the right moment to reveal the truth just yet.

But I couldn’t help wondering—would public pressure really bring Aaron to my door?

The interrogation concluded, and I was escorted to a detention center.

As I passed by, a female officer was trying to comfort a girl covered in bruises. The girl was trembling, unable to stop crying, let alone give a proper statement.

When she caught sight of the male officers escorting me, her whole body began to shake uncontrollably.

I stopped and stared for a long moment.

One of the officers sneered at me. "What’s this? Someone like you feeling sorry for an innocent girl?"

I smiled faintly. "Why wouldn’t I? After all, I’m just a twenty-year-old girl myself."

Three days later, after singing songs to the walls of my cell, the iron door finally creaked open.

A man I’d never seen before entered, flipping through my case file. He was tall and striking, his sharp features shadowed with exhaustion. When he glanced up, our eyes met, and I recognized him immediately.

He was Aaron Ford—the rising star of the capital’s elite crime unit.

The nationwide petition had worked.

"Your case is now under my supervision. Let’s hear it. All the details you’ve been keeping to yourself. I’ve been following the livestream, and so has the rest of the country."

I took a deep breath. Slowly, I exhaled and said, "If I hadn’t tricked them, I’d be the one dead."