During the handover, Gregory turned to Chad with a hint of worry, "Am I still looking at the death penalty?"
Chad met his gaze with reassurance, "I'll do my best to help you."
Gregory smirked slightly, "Officer Chad, I shouldn't have underestimated you." He had once thought Chad was just riding on his father's influence, but now he realized it was all part of Chad's plan.
Chad nodded, "Let's just cooperate fully, and everyone will speak up for you."
As Gregory was led into the car, Chad watched him leave, feeling a weight lift slightly.
Once alone, Chad jogged over to a cabinet, grabbed his phone, and dialed his wife's number.
Meanwhile, Molly was sitting on a bench by the roadside, flipping through her medical reports. "Mia, the doctor says my brain's just fine," she said, tossing aside her prenatal checkup results.
Mia picked up the papers and tucked them back into her bag. "Of course, you’re fine. It's just your memory playing tricks. Remember? You’d always write out notes before exams. Now that you're pregnant and a bit stressed, you're blowing every little thing out of proportion."
Molly chuckled, "That's your way of comforting me? I thought you’d say I’m just overthinking."
Mia shrugged, "If I sugarcoated it, you'd know I was lying. Don't worry, you're all good."
"Don't you miss Henry when you don't see him for a day?" Molly asked.
Mia laughed, "Look at you, all motherly already. Wait till you’ve been a mom for a year; you'll be dreaming of a child-free world."
Just then, Molly's phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she felt a wave of emotion wash over her. Her voice cracked as she answered, "Hey, Chad."
Chad's heart melted at her voice, "Molly, I'm swamped today."
"I know."
Sensing it was a private moment, Mia quietly slipped away.
Chad heard her stifled sniffles and looked out the window, his heart aching, "How are you feeling? Who went with you?"
"Mia did. The doctor says my brain’s fine," Molly replied.
Officer Chad: "…"
"Oh, and my stomach’s fine too," she added quickly.
Chad sighed, "I'll have to thank Mia when I get back. Did you cry because you felt upset?"
Molly sniffled, "Yeah, a little."
After a long pause, Chad, standing by the window, murmured, "Molly, I'm sorry."
Her tears flowed freely, "Chad, what are you talking about?"
Chad gave a bittersweet smile, "Nothing, just wish I could be there with you next time."
"Okay."
Their call lasted about five minutes. Shortly after, Chad received a photo from Molly.
After hanging up, Molly wiped her eyes. Mia came back and sat beside her, "Missing your hubby? Let it all out, there's no shame. When Andre’s not around, I call him and cry too. He feels bad but can’t do much."
"Mia, you don’t get it. When you were pregnant, no matter how busy, Andre always made time for your check-ups. Chad's job is different; he wants to be there but can’t always help it. I'm not mad, just a bit emotional. It was my first hospital visit, so I was nervous. I’ll be okay soon," Molly explained.
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