The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

"I'm Wayne Hagen's family. I'm here to see him," Sophia said firmly to the police, dressed head-to-toe in black.

"But our records show that Wayne only has a mother and a disabled sister," the officer replied, flipping through Wayne's file.

Sophia chimed in, "I'm a distant relative. His mom's worried sick about him being locked up here. I came all this way; you can't just turn me away."

Sophia, wearing a beret and a black mask, kept her face hidden from the police. Not that it mattered they wouldn't recognize her anyway. Who'd guess that this delicate-looking woman was the brains behind Veda's kidnapping? Since Wayne hadn't been fully convicted yet, the police couldn't hold Sophia. They eventually let her bring in some food.

When Wayne, the criminal who had kidnapped Veda, saw Sophia, he immediately got her drift and told the police, "Yeah, she's my distant relative."

Sophia and Wayne sat across from each other, their voices too low for the nearby officers to catch.

Sophia smiled confidently, a smile that sent chills down Wayne's spine.

Wayne asked, "How dare you come here?"

He thought their scheme had been exposed and the Smith family was hot on their trail. Sophia should be in hiding, not waltzing into a police station, practically taunting the cops and the Smith family.

"Why wouldn't I?" Sophia's lips barely moved, her mask still on. Wayne tried to read her intentions through her eyes, but she stayed calm, handing him the food. "It's not much, but it's pricey. I sent some to your mom too." Wayne was on high alert. This woman was capable of anything. If she had the guts to suggest kidnapping Veda, her backers must be way more powerful than the Smith family, maybe even bigger than anyone in Emerald City. She was not someone to mess with.

"You contacted my mom?" Wayne asked.

"Yep," Sophia replied without missing a beat, raising her eyebrows. "You've been in here a while. Someone had to check on her, right?"

Wayne clenched his fists, hoping it was just a check.

"Your mom's fine, don't worry," Sophia continued. "But your sister's getting married soon, and the family's broke. With you in here, your mom's been borrowing money left and right."

When Sophia first approached Wayne about kidnapping Veda, she had already dug into his family background.

Wayne's family consisted of only three people: him, his mother, and a disabled sister. He wanted to find a match for her, but no one in the neighborhood wanted a disabled wife. Even when they found someone, the family was too poor to afford it.

Sophia knew this, and so did Wayne.

Sophia showing up today wasn't out of the goodness of her heart; she definitely had some hidden agenda.

"What do you want?" Wayne asked bluntly.

"What do you think?" Sophia shot back.

She always liked to play games, just like when she first suggested kidnapping Veda. They'd sat in a café for hours, and she never came right out with it. Wayne had to piece it together himself. He always thought of her as a sly fox. "I just want to help," Sophia continued. "Your sister's in a tough spot, and your mom's even worse off. Wayne, this is your chance to help them."

Wayne got agitated hearing this. He hadn't confessed to the police or the Smith family because he wasn't the mastermind. He'd been wrestling with whether to expose Sophia. And now, here she was, right in front of him. "I want to help them, but I need to get out to do that. What can I do from in here?" Wayne said.

Sophia sneered, knowing she had him right where she wanted. "You can help from here. Just take the fall for kidnapping Veda and follow my instructions."

"Let me spell it out for you," she said, leaning in. "I'll cover your sister's wedding expenses, take care of her future kids, and make sure your mom's taken care of. How about it? It's all on you. Whether your sister gets married is up to you." Sophia knew her own fate was hanging in the balance too. If Wayne took the blame, she'd be in the clear. Once he was in prison, his mom and sister would be on their own. Not her problem. Seeing Wayne hesitate, Sophia chuckled, picked up her bag, and started to leave. Sure enough, Wayne called her back. "Okay, I agree," he said seriously.

Emily and Michael got a call from the police station and rushed over. As Veda's family, they were desperate to catch the real mastermind, especially with all the online rumors swirling around. "You're here," Bob Loomis greeted them as they arrived.

"Mr. Loomis, have you found the real culprit?" Michael asked urgently.

"The real culprit? What do you mean? Isn't Wayne the real culprit?" Bob replied, busy with his files.

"But Wayne has no grudge against our family. He has no reason to target Veda!" Emily said clearly.

"Kidnappers don't always need a reason," Bob explained. "It could be a whim or a psychological issue. Do you understand?"

He handed them a document to sign, confirming Wayne's transfer to Emerald City prison.

Bob added, "Sign this, and we'll send Wayne to prison immediately. By the way, the suspect just requested to meet with you. Get ready."

Michael and Emily exchanged worried glances, frowning.