“Ma'am, do you need anything else?"

"Get in touch with the police station. Let them know I'll be swinging by to meet Keilani."

“Why though, ma'am?" the assistant blurted out, taken aback by the request.

Rita's expression turned serious.

Recognizing his error, the assistant quickly amended, "I'll do it right away."

Thirty minutes later, Rita reappeared at the police station's entrance. She was escorted to the interrogation room.

After Lance left indifferently, Keilani was gripped by panic. She felt like she was hanging on by a thread, teetering on the edge as if she could plummet into an abyss any moment. She had no idea how long they'd keep her here or if she'd end up behind bars.

Keilani inhaled deeply. She doubted Lance would put her behind bars.

He was likely trying to scare her in this way, hoping she'd see the error of her ways. She convinced herself that he'd come to pick her up later.

Her mind was in chaos. She decided to own up to her mistake when Lance came to see her again. The night went by with no word from Royce, as if he had abandoned her. It seemed Lance had persuaded him.

Curse that Lance! Since Bettie got away unharmed, why couldn't he just let her go?

Keilani was not reconciled and vowed to make sure her dad gave Lance a piece of his mind once she got out of here!

As Keilani plotted her revenge, the sound of the door opening shattered the silence. It couldn't be Lance. He had just left and wouldn't be back so soon if he were to scare her into admitting her mistakes. Was it Royce coming to bail her out?

Before the thought fully registered, Keilani saw an unfamiliar woman enter, crushing her hopes instantly. She shot the woman a sharp Look and then turned away annoyed.

At this hour, Keilani figured, the only woman visiting must be Bettie's mom.

Rita's eyes lingered on Keilani's face, her steps slowing unconsciously.

Memories from the past flooded Rita's mind involuntarily, making her feel like she was in a trance.

Seeing Rita's expression, Keilani scoffed, thinking it was all a show.

Rita snapped out of it, her expression complicated as she approached Keilani, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "You must be Miss Keilani Wilson, right? Do you know who I am?"

“Whoever you are, it's none of my business," Keilani replied with a sneer. “Officer, who let her in?"