Chapter 18

Bellatrix's heart skipped a beat the moment she heard those words. "What?" "Your friend, Miss Claire Sanders, has been detained for aggravated assault." The officer on the line repeated like a robot. "Please come to the central police station as soon as you can." The line went dead after that, leaving Bellatrix to stare in utter confusion and utter surprise at her phone. Claire, detained for aggravated assault? She thought. That's...impossible! She could never imagine Claire doing something like that. Sure, the girl's temper could go a little crazy, and she would throw hands when necessary, but the girl had a heart of gold. She could never intentionally hurt a person, let alone do something that could warrant her detention. Without a second thought, Bellatrix hailed a taxi and quickly dialed Claire's number, while heading towards the police station. However, the call kept going straight to voicemail and the dread that was slowly growing within Bellatrix increased. Half an hour later, she arrived at the police station and rushed in. Her eyes immediately landed on Claire and her heart plummeted at the sight of her friend. Messy hair, rumpled and torn dress and smeared mascara and eyeliner. In that state, she sat on a bench, a handcuff around her wrist, and her head lowered. In anxious rhythms, she tapped her foot, until she heard Bellatrix's approaching footsteps and raised her head. "Bell," Her expression visibly brightened, but did little to make her current state look any better. Dropping into the space beside her, Bellatrix took her face in her hand, examining it carefully. "How did this happen? Are you hurt anywhere? Who did this?" She bombarded her with questions. Seeing the worry in her friends' eyes, Claire's chest warmed and her eyes quickly watered. "Bell," she began, voice thick. "I'm sorry, I really tried to keep my temper, I tried to keep myself under control. But, but, those bastards...they crossed the line..." "Calm down, Claire, please." Bellatrix gently patted her cheeks, her voice soft and calming. "Just tell me, what happened." Claire swallowed, took a deep breath, then started from the top. "Those bastards, remember the ones I told you about?" Bellatrix nodded, recalling earlier that Claire had texted her over some guys. "We're they the ones who did this?" "They tried...they tried to..." She choked up, finding it hard to even utter the words, and tears immediately spilled down her cheeks. "They got all touchy, Bell, when I tried to stop them, they became violent and started harassing me, touching me. One of them, he touched my...my chest. Bell, I was just trying to defend myself…” Hearing this, Bellatrix's heart clenched and anger washed over her. But despite that, she pulled Claire into a warm hug. "Don't worry, it's not your fault. Everything's gonna be fine." "Miss Lancaster?" Bellatrix turned her head at the sound of a third voice. A police officer stood in front of them, his hands clasped behind him. "I'm Officer John. I'm the one that called you." He held his hand out, but Bellatrix paid it no mind. "My friend's the victim here," She said. "You've heard her statement, haven't you? Those bastards, whoever they are, tried assaulting her, she was merely trying to defend herself." The officer did not look fazed by her words. "In the eyes of the law, Mr. Jones is the victim. He's currently undergoing surgery after suffering an impact to the head." "So what? Does that mean–" "Your friend is being detained for aggravated assault, depending on how things go, her case may worsen or lessen. As for the other people who had been present during the incident, they're currently being investigated, their statements would be matched with that of Miss Sanders, but until the victim is conscious, there's nothing we can do." Hearing the words 'Victim' being used on the bastard that tried assaulting her friend, made Bellatrix's blood boil and she scoffed. "I thought the law meant to be fair and just. How dare you stand here and–" "Bell," Before she could finish, Claire caught her wrist and shook her head. "Don't." It was a way of telling her not to worsen matters. Not just for her, but also for herself. Gritting her teeth, Bellatrix swallowed the rest of her words and sank back into the space beside Claire. "Don't worry, I'll figure something out. I'm not gonna let them wrongfully accuse you." Immediately after saying that, Bellatrix felt her phone begin to vibrate in her pocket. When she pulled it out, her heart skipped a painful beat in her chest when she saw the caller. Cillian. She hesitated for a bit, but glancing at Claire's pitiful state, she got a rather ridiculous idea. "Who is it, Bell? Is it Ave?" Claire asked, trying her best to mask the anxiety she felt, hoping the answer would be no. "It's...it's work." Bellatrix lied, then turned to the police officer. "Can I answer this outside, it's urgent." The officer's eyes lingered on her a bit longer, before nodding. Bellatrix returned the gesture and got up. Walking outside, she finally answered the call. "I recall telling you to finalize a contract, not go on an unauthorized romantic vacation. Where the hell are you, Bellatrix Lancaster?" Cillian's voice cut through the silence on the other end of the line, sounding—in Bellatrix's opinion—unnecessary angry. Although she hesitated for a little while, after stealing a glance at Claire's state in the station, her grip around the phone tightened. It was for her friend's sake, she told herself, however, when she spoke, her voice nearly a whisper—displacing the reluctance she felt in getting Cillian involved. "At the police station..." "Have you suddenly lost the ability to speak?" Cillian barked. "At...at the Central police station." She repeated, louder this time around. Then, taking a few seconds, she built up the courage and asked. "Could you please...come ov--" Before she could finish the sentence the line went dead and the call ended. Pain gripped at her heart and she bit her bottom lip, not only feeling stupid, but also humiliated. Well, at least she's learnt a lesson. No matter what, don't ask Cillian for help. Inhaling deeply, she turned around. If he didn't want to help her, then, to hell with that devil. She would find a way to solve this problem herself! ~•~•~•~ Despite that little notion Bellatrix had, almost two hours had passed, yet, she couldn't find a single person who had the qualifications to stand for Claire to get bail. In the end, staring down at her phone, she felt hopeless. This simple thing, she couldn't get done by herself. Suddenly, thought of Cillian crossed her mind and she frowned. Just like how she had begged him to help her father's company, would she need to call Cillian and beg him like that again? The thought made Bellatrix bite her lips so hard that she tasted blood. She didn't want to have to go to him for help after what he had done yesterday, but— "Bellatrix," Her head snapped up at the sound of her name and more so, when it sounded like Cillian's voice. When her eyes landed on Cillian's figure, they grew wide. "Cillian—" "Let's go." He interrupted her with a cold tone. Bellatrix blinked a few times before pointing behind her. "I can't leave. Claire, she's—" "The matter regarding Miss Sanders has been resolved," This time, it was Kane who interrupted her. Before she could understand what he had said, Office John walked up to Claire and unlocked the cuffs. "You're free to go. Your bail has been finalized." He informed. Bellatrix's eyes brightened and a smile, however small it was, played at the corners of her lips. However, the very next second, Cillian's voice shattered that moment of happiness. "Don't make me repeat myself, let's go." Without waiting for her to respond, he turned around and began walking away. Bellatrix hesitated for a few seconds before following after him. "Cillian," Not long after they had started walking, Claire called out and rushed towards them. Both Bellatrix and Cillian turned to see her stop in behind them. Her gaze however, lingered on Cillian. For a second, she was torn between stopping Bellatrix from following him and keeping quiet. At the very last second, she clenched her fist and rather than speaking up, she bowed her head. "Thank you for helping me today." "Who said anything about helping you," Cillian scoffed and with that, he turned and left, Bellatrix following along. As they walked out of the police station and got into the car, Bellatrix tentatively spoke. "Thank you for–" Before she could finish, Cillian snapped. "Just be quiet for a second, would you?" Groaning, he massaged the bridge of his nose, his expression contorted in discomfort. Bellatrix noticed this and clenched her hand. Even though she knew the outcome, she asked. "Is everything alright?" Cillian ignored her. But like an answer from above, Bellatrix spotted the medicine bottle Cillian only ever carried about for his fever, the illness he had developed after his parents death. She frowned and on instinct and without thinking, she leaned closer and pressed her palm against his forehead. Cillian stilled instantly, caught off guard by her action. Bellatrix however, did not notice this. She was too focused on taking his temperature. "You seem to be running a fever again. I think you need to–" Suddenly, pain bloomed in her hand and a harsh sting against her skin made her pull her hand back like she had been burnt with fire. When her eyes landed on Cillian's, her heart dropped. "Don't you dare touch me with that filthy hand of yours that has been used to touch other men." He sneered. Bellatrix felt her heart clench. Swallowing the lump that had formed in the back of her throat, she muttered. "...other men?" "What? Am I wrong? Didn't that very same hand just touch Damien Walker?" She was speechless. Shaking her head, she said. "I don't...I don't know what you're talking about." Cillian's jaw clenched and his eyes darkened. "You don't know, huh?" In an instant, he reached into the glove compartment and from it, he pulled out a bunch of pictures. Without hesitation, he threw them in her face. A few of them nicked her cheek—paper cuts—but that didn't matter to Bellatrix. As her eyes landed on the picture that had fallen into her lap, they widened. Different pictures of her and Damien back at Melanie's studio. And from all the angles they had been taken, the position looked as if they had just shared a kiss!