Chapter 12- impersonation?

Esme leaned forward, her eyes burning with intensity. "Look at me and answer," she demanded.

The senior woman met Esme's gaze, but she couldn't maintain eye contact. Her eyes flickered to the side, betraying her internal conflict.

"It's not about what I believe," she said softly, almost to herself. "It's about the evidence."

Hearing her words, Esme sighed deeply and turned slightly, her shoulders slumping for a moment as she took a deep breath.

She had expected resistance, but it still frustrated her. After a brief pause, she straightened up, turning back to face the senior officer.

"Okay, if that's how it is," Esme said, her tone serious but composed. She managed a polite, professional smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I need to call my lawyer." Her expression showed determination, hiding the mix of frustration and resolve she felt inside.

"I am sorry, but that's not possible," the senior officer said, her tone calm and measured. She looked directly at Esme, her eyes steady and unyielding.

As she spoke, she crossed her arms over her chest, her posture firm yet relaxed, signaling her authority. Her lips pressed into a thin line, a subtle indication of her resolve and the seriousness of the situation.

Her expression was composed, but there was a hint of empathy in her eyes, acknowledging the tension in the room.

"What?" Esme's voice rose slightly as the officer's words registered.

"What the hell are you talking about? It's my right to get a lawyer, and you can't stop me like this. I also have the right to defend myself!"

A frown formed on Esme's composed face, her eyes blazing with indignation.

She took a step forward, her voice turning threatening.

"Let me talk to your superior officer. I want to see how you justify denying me a lawyer."

Esme advanced a few more steps, stopping just short of the officer, her posture aggressive and unyielding.

Seeing Esme's fierce expression, the senior officer's face turned pale. Though Esme was technically in custody and younger than her, the officer knew exactly who she was dealing with.

Esme might appear like a pampered princess from a wealthy family, but she was more like a relentless tsunami—unstoppable and formidable. Handling her required a delicate balance.

The senior officer sighed, feeling the weight of the situation.

"Miss Esme, please understand," she began, her voice polite and placating. She gestured with her hands, trying to calm the storm brewing in front of her.

"We cannot help you right now. You have too many charges against you, and you need to wait until we complete our initial procedures."

"Too many charges? What the f..." Esme's voice trailed off as she grabbed her forehead, rubbing it with two fingers.

A headache was beginning to form, both from the stress of the situation and the confusion of what her family was trying to achieve.

She couldn't understand their motives. If they wanted the company, they'd at least need to keep up appearances as a loving family, as they usually did. So what did they gain by sending her to prison?

Her thoughts raced, trying to piece together the logic. It was written clearly in her grandfather's will: if anything happened to her, the entire Vallahe empire would be donated to charities.

"Then why go through all this trouble?" she muttered to herself, her frustration evident in her furrowed brow and the tense lines of her face.

Esme's eyes darted back to the senior officer, who was watching her warily. She could see the uncertainty in the officer's eyes, the way she shifted slightly on her feet, unsure of how to handle the situation.

Esme's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one thing was clear: she needed to find out what her family was really after and why they had orchestrated this.

Taking a deep breath, Esme straightened up, her resolve hardening. She let her hand drop from her forehead and locked eyes with the officer.

"Listen," Esme said, her voice now calmer but filled with a steely determination. "I need to at least know what type of charges are pointed at me, right? Only if I knew what I did then should I calm."

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "So can you please tell me now?" Esme's tone was as polite as she could manage, but her patience was fraying with each passing moment.

She couldn't fathom what those bastards had done this time that even her usually prompt legal team hadn't shown up yet.

The cold, gray walls of the prison cell seemed to close in around her, amplifying her sense of isolation.

In the company, no matter what happened, there was always a team of lawyers ready to take swift action before things escalated.

The fact that they hadn't arrived until now meant something truly significant had occurred.

Esme's hands trembled slightly as she ran them through her hair, her eyes darting around the dimly lit cell in a mixture of frustration and anxiety.

Her pulse quickened, and she felt the weight of the unknown pressing down on her. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms as she tried to maintain her composure.

The senior woman officer standing outside her cell shifted slightly, her stern gaze meeting Esme's eyes.

"Ms. Esme, the charges are serious. It's best if you wait for your legal team to arrive before we proceed."

Esme's jaw tightened, her frustration boiling over. "I can't just sit here in the dark! You need to tell me what I'm accused of!"

Her voice cracked slightly, betraying the fear she was trying so hard to suppress. The officer sighed, clearly reluctant but sensing her desperation.

"You're being charged with embezzlement, corporate fraud, and impersonation. They claim you have no legitimate ties to the Vallahe family."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Esme staggered back a step, her mind racing.

Embezzlement? Corporate fraud? Impersonation? She shook her head, trying to process the accusations.

Her legs felt weak, and she sank onto the cold metal bench, staring at the officer with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"What the fu...I mean," Esme stammered, struggling to maintain her composure as her anger flared.

"I am the heiress of the Vallahe group and the biggest shareholder of the company. So how could such a thing as fraud and impersonation even arise?"

She stood up abruptly, her movements jerky and agitated, as if her body couldn't contain the tempest of emotions raging within her.

Her eyes flashed with a mixture of indignation and disbelief, and she clenched her fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white.

The senior woman officer observed her with a calm, steady gaze, her own expression unreadable.

"Ms. Esme, these are the charges brought against you. The details will be clearer once your legal team arrives."

Esme paced the small cell, her breath coming in short, furious bursts.

"This is insane! Someone must be setting me up. There's no way I could be accused of something like this. I've dedicated my life to the Vallahe group."

She paused, running a hand through her hair, her fingers trembling.

"And impersonation? Impersonation of what, exactly? My lineage is well-documented. Everyone knows I'm a Vallahe."