Chapter 2 Not Just A Thief But Also A Druggie

• Adrian was dumbfounded and unable to speak. He was baffled as to how Mr. Richard's belongings ended up in his pocket.
• "I knew it. You're nothing but a thief. All because you can't afford to give Valerie the life she deserves, you decided to steal to make a living? How worthless are you?" Stanley cut in, his face filled with disdain as he looked at a shocked Adrian who kept his confused gaze on his empty pocket.
• "Don't try to act shocked. We know what people like you can do and how you can stoop so low to get something that is not rightfully yours."
• "Enough with the accusations, Stanley. Since I never touched or took anything from the Williams, I'm convinced someone is trying to frame me. I was so full from eating my wife's cuisine before coming that I didn't even touch the food that was served to me at your celebration. I never touched anything that didn't belong to me, including your food."
• "Save your explanation to yourself. No one is interested in listening. Search him up and his car. Who knows what he must have stolen and hidden there too." Stanley suggested while some guards and a cop approached Adrian's parked car.
• "You know, I've always known you're not deserving of my daughter. I never thought you could degrade yourself to this extent in order to damage the Luther's reputation." Mrs Daphne stepped forward and began yelling at Adrian.
• "You have to trust me, mother! None of these were done by me." Adrian implored, and he felt a slap across his face.
• He had just been smacked by Mrs. Daphne
• "I've always told you not to call me your mother, so don't you dare call me that after everything you did,"
• "I won't be surprised if you truly stole those items just so you could save up some miserable amount of change to join in contributing for grandma P's present,"
• "We are aware of your financial circumstances, so we never compelled you to contribute, but you assured us that you would, and that we shouldn't worry. Is this how you intended to obtain the funds for the contribution? stealing Mr. Richard's pricey possessions?" Mrs. Daphne questioned, her expression full of fury as she looked at Adrian, who was incredulous at what she had said.
• Grandma P was the nickname given to Grandma Penelope. She was the late Sir Gerald's wife, and in a few months, she would turn seventy. The Luthers were contributing to surprise her with one of the most expensive gifts on her grand seventieth birthday. The only Luther family members that showed Adrian kindness were her, Valerie, and Valerie's cousin, Telsa.
• "No, Mother. I made it plain that I would work and contribute with my own hard-earned money, and I didn't steal any of Mr. Richard's belongings." Adrian admitted and he could see his wife attempting to reassure her mother.
• Mrs Daphne's expression went from rage to scorn. "Even if you were to work for a year, you wouldn't be able to make up to a million dollars, so nothing leaves me with the belief that you tried to steal all these items so you could get rich and be a part of the contributors."
• "No! That is not true," Adrian cut in again, trying to defend himself. "All of these must have been a set up. I have never stolen anything even while I struggled in the slum in Mexico."
• "We searched his car but we found nothing." A guard approached them and confessed while Stanley had a look of disbelief.
• "Have you searched the boot?"
• "No sir!"
• "Then go on and do that."
• Adrian's expression went wide with disbelief when he saw a guard extract some duffel bags from his boot after it had been searched.
• "This is cocaine! I'm afraid this man is not just a thief but also a drug dealer." The cop confessed as he emptied the item in the duffel bag.
• "What? That's impossible! Someone is trying to set me up. I've never seen any of those before!" Adrian acknowledged but the cop shut him up before he could say anything further.
• "Drug dealer? Really? So after everything we've done for you, this is how you're going to repay us?" Mr Luther who hadn't said anything in a while, finally exclaimed as he turned to face Adrian.
• "Adrian, tell me. Is this true? Did you really steal and go into drugs because you were desperate to get rich? I've always cared about you. Why would you do this to me?" Valerie murmured, looking at an astonished Adrian, with remorse and sympathy.
• "Valerie, you must have faith in me. These are all untrue. You are aware that I would never do something like that. It's just someone trying to trick me."
• "What dumb trick? After all the evidence has been pointed directly at you, what more can you say?"
• The bearded cop said as he approached Adrian and turned to face Valerie. "You don't deserve someone as worthless as him, young lady. You deserve better than someone like him. I wonder how – "
• Adrian cut in, "Don't try to round things up. Because all of those were found in my car doesn't mean I put it there. I haven't even been found guilty yet."
• "Whatever you say will be used against you at the court so you only need to comply with me at this moment, sir Adrian." The cop emphasized as he dragged him and pinned him by the hands before cuffing him.
• "I regret the day you stepped foot into Luther's mansion. I regret that you were united with my daughter." Mrs Daphne said before approaching Adrian and spitting on his face.
• "Mom please!" Valerie begged but her mom held her firmly and dragged her away from Adrain.
• Valerie watched as Adrian was being pulled away from them by the cops.
• "I'll be back Valerie. I'll prove my innocence to you."
• Valerie watched as Adrian mumbled and followed the police to a van, which quickly drove off across the street.
• ***
• Adrian arrived at the police station expecting to be charged and subjected to an interrogation. He had no idea how much torment the cops would inflict on him.
• As soon as they got to the police station, he was taken to a private cell where he was tied to a chair and was beaten mercilessly.
• He slept that night on the cold floor without food and water.
• The next day, Adrian suffered the same horrible fate and this time, they not only disfigured his skin with marks and scars but they also made his eye and lip swollen.
• His mother, Samantha, his sister, Maria, and Valerie's cousin, Telsa, paid him a visit at the prison that afternoon. They begged the callous police officers to release him, but their cries went unanswered. Telsa ran back to the Luther's mansion to beg on Adrian's behalf.
• Adrian appeared gaunt and half-dead after suffering another beating the following day.
• He was left without sustenance, his bare body exposed to the cold, his bones hurting.
• He didn't understand why he wasn't being charged in court or why he wasn't given the opportunity to speak. Instead, he was being physically and cruelly punished by heartless police officers.
• Since nothing about what was happening was normal, he believed there was more to it.
• "Wake up you fool. You're lucky you've got good in laws even when you aren't worthy of them." One of the cops said in a cold manner as he splashed water on his face.
• "Today is your lucky day. The Luther family has paid your bail. They don't want you tarnishing their image further."
• Adrian wobbled as he stood up. He managed to wear his clothes and shoes before following the cop to a particular office.
• "Take this. Sign your bail and get lost."
• Adrian took the pen weakly and signed on many papers. He didn't have the strength to sign, let alone read the content of the paper..
• A cop hastened him, making him sign on multiple papers.
• "Now get out!"
• The cop said lastly, pushing him out of the office, making him lose balance and causing him to fall on the cold floor.
• All thoughts went to Valerie. After the incident, he knew she would begin to mistrust him, and he was prepared to clear his name and reassure her of his innocence.