Chapter 19 Cold Handcuffs

• Gigi recoiled with a horrified shriek as the alcohol-soaked glass shattered against her, the sharp smell of liquor stinging her nostrils. Her eyes widened in shock and pain, and she staggered backward, clutching her face. The guests in the room exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions a mix of confusion and alarm.
• Jean's lips curled into a smirk as she held the empty glass. The moment was satisfying; the humiliation she had endured was finally met with a measure of retribution. Did Gigi really expect her to accept the taunts and insults without retaliation?
• Gigi’s initial shock quickly transformed into uncontrollable rage. Her eyes blazed with fury as she grabbed a glass from a nearby table and stormed toward Jean, her voice dripping with venom. "Jean! How dare you! I'll kill you!"
• Jean’s eyes darted around the room as she swiftly dodged Gigi’s advance. In a desperate attempt to protect herself, she seized the nearest object she could find—a heavy glass bottle—and hurled it toward Gigi. The bottle missed its intended target but struck Gigi squarely in the face with a sickening thud.
• Gigi let out a piercing scream of pain and crumpled to the floor, her head bleeding profusely. Blood quickly pooled around her head, creating a horrifying scene.
• "Murder! Someone attempted murder!" Gigi’s shrill cry amplified the already chaotic atmosphere.
• Panic erupted in the room. Guests who had been enjoying the evening abruptly fled, their faces pale with fear. Others scrambled to dial emergency services, their voices rising in a frantic blend of urgency and desperation.
• Within minutes, the distant wail of sirens grew louder, signaling the arrival of law enforcement and medical personnel. The once lively atmosphere of Luminance Villa was now overtaken by confusion and alarm.
• A police officer, his uniform crisp and authoritative, stepped into the room. His eyes scanned the chaotic scene as he began questioning the witnesses.
• "What happened? Who did this?" he demanded, his voice cutting through the din.
• "Sir! It's this woman!" Gigi’s friend, a plump woman with an overly made-up face, pointed a trembling finger at Jean. Her voice quivered with a mix of fear and malice. "She hurt my friend. We don’t even know if she's still alive."
• The officer’s gaze turned steely as he pulled out his handcuffs. He approached Jean with a deliberate and measured pace. "Miss, I have to ask you to come with us."
• Jean’s eyes widened in disbelief. The swift arrival of the police was startling, and the realization of her predicament was sinking in. She glanced at Gigi, who, despite the blood streaming down her face, managed to muster a sinister, triumphant smile. That cold, mocking expression sent a shiver down Jean's spine.
• The cold metal of the handcuffs snapped around her wrists, and Jean felt a wave of frustration and despair. She had once again been ensnared in Gigi’s devious trap, with no apparent way out.
• Meanwhile, Edgar sank into the backseat of his car after a grueling board meeting. The weight of the day's events bore heavily on him, and he rubbed his temples, trying to alleviate the pressure building behind his eyes.
• Miles, who was seated in the passenger seat, answered his ringing phone. "Hello? ... What? ... Alright, I got it. ... Very well, I'll tell Mr. Royden."
• Edgar’s exhaustion was momentarily forgotten as he turned his weary gaze toward his assistant. "What’s happened?"
• Miles hesitated, his face reflecting the gravity of the news. "Mr. Royden, it's… it’s about Ms. Eyer."