I Bought the exiled king (by Natalie Winter) novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Valencia

I blinked.

I had not really thought of it amidst all the accusations and lan’s cold demeanor.

Director Marshall looked at lan as if he had grown another head.

He thought about the line lan had said, looked at me, then at the papers in front of him and back at lar

“I was not informed about the Bureau’s decision to invite a High Inquisitor from the council.”

My gaze danced from lan to Director Marshall.

lan just shrugged and leaned back on the chair, throwing one hand casually on the headrest.

“I am sure it got lost in all the other correspondence you received after your appointment. The letter definitely reached your office but I believe you came straight to this conference room the moment you set foot in the city.”

Director Marshall grabbed a tissue and dabbed at his forehead nervously.

“Y–yes, that is what happened.”

lan gave him an encouraging smile. “Happens to the best of us. But if you want you can check the email from the official id, it does state my intention to oversee this deposition.”

Suddenly, my heart leapt up with hope.

He called this a deposition, not a full blown trial while both Director Marshall and Mrs Briggs had made me feel that it was very much a departmental enquiry that would lead to some punishment.

However, I had never imagined her hate for me to be so deep to seeing me die.

What had ever done to her?

I could ponder over those questions later. Right now, it seemed like lan was standing between me and death.

And I was not sure how to feel about that.

Director Marshall seemed visibly confused and took his glasses off and looked around for help as if somebody else should answer lan instead of him.

I stood rooted to my spot, heart still hammering.

“Oh, alright. That isn’t an issue.” Director Marshall let out a short laugh that was anything but positive and looked through the file again.

“Well, do you have a different verdict for the accused?” he asked, laying out his open palm in my direction.

“As I said, I find it hard to believe a trivial and junior associate like hers, someone easily forgettable and having no credibility in the eyes of the Bureau could hold so much power to oversee so many cases and file the papers correctly.”

Director Marshall nodded slowly as if the words lan had said took some time to register with him.

“Very well. I think we must call the Head of this Office then.”

They were going to call Mrs. Briggs? She wasn’t going to say a damn word in my defence.

Chapter 25

Instead, she would ensure I not only got hanged but whipped as well if that would save her own skin

I shot a murderous glare at lan, recalling the words he said about me easily forgettable and no credibility.

It felt like someone had taken à blade to slice under my skin and relished seeing the blood trickle down my hand.

When this was over, I was going to claw his face out.

Director Marshall shouted out Mrs. Briggs‘ name in a loud voice and she popped into the conference room in the blink of an eye.

It was as if she had been hovering just outside the door and eavesdropping.

“Yes, Director Marshall, you called for me!” She gave him a very bright smile as she walked forward but when her eyes landed on lan, her mouth literally fell half open.

lan regarded her with a cold look but she instantly straightened her spine, pushed her chest out and smoothed her hair down, catching a glimpse of her reflection in one of the several glass paneled windows.

I only stared at her in disbelief.

She then bounced on her heels and literally ran towards lan, bowing a little and then stood directly in front of him, blocking my view of him.

lan looked unimpressed as she bent low and pretended to adjust her jacket to expose her cleavage, a sight that made me want to puke.

She gave him a sly smile and adopted a shy voice.

“Allow me to introduce myself, High Inquisitor. I am Mrs Briggs, the new head of office of this branch.”

lan didn’t move at all so she took that as an indication to reach for his arm. And I saw that gnarly, age old pathetic woman place her hand on his.

I was surprised that he didnt try to yank his hand away in an instant.

My gaze flicked to Director Marshall who was too busy poking his head in the file to notice what was going on.

I couldnt get a good look at lan’s expression from here because that idiotic woman was blocking it but I felt a strange emotion course through me.

I wanted to rip her sleazy hands off his body.

But a second later, another thought popped up in my head.

Why did I feel that way?

I had no business feeling that.

Not with the way he was ignoring me like a random stranger.

Maybe I just hated that woman in general and my anger was directed at her, not him.

I didn’t want to stand watch her run his hands all over him so instead I looked at Director Marshall and said in a loud voice.

“I believe the office head was called in for some testimony.”

Director Marshall looked up at me and then noticed Mrs Briggs almost leaning over lan and cleared his throat.

“Mrs Briggs, can you tell us when you joined your office?”

She adjusted her hair and answered, “Just two weeks ago“.

lan finally looked at her and pulled out something from the inside of his coat pocket.

12:58 Sat, 23 Aug 11 O U

Chapter 25

“Then tell me, Mrs Briggs, why do these papers have only the signature of the accused?”

Hooked up at him so fast, I might have snapped my neck.

Mrs Briggs was taken aback by the question and took the papers from him, smiling awkwardly.

She shuffled through the papers and then looked at both him and Director (MArshall.

“…am not sure how this happened.”

Fucking liar!!

lan was unimpressed by her answer as well and when he didn’t answer she blurted out.

“You see, I took office barely weeks ago. I have no idea what the

previous supervisor did before I was appointed.”

lan’s voice was smooth.

“Surely you wouldn’t forget something as important as submitting proper paperwork to the Director so as to not waste his time?”

Director Marshall kept staring stupidly

lan and Mrs Briggs who was stammering for the first time since I knew her.

“…I apologize for the error. But as you see, I was not the one in charge when it happened so it hardly makes sense to hold me guilty for the mishaps.”

Her tone grew earnest and my mouth fell open.

lan crossed his legs and asked.

“So does sentencing a mere junior associate who has no authority over half the cases she has been charged with various crimes against make sense to you?”

I could feel my heart race faster.

Was he really trying to save me from being killed? But then why the cold shoulder?

Mrs Briggs fumbled again.

“I mean, somebody has to pay for the mistakes or how will the Bureau improve?”

The audacity of this woman!!

lan looked at Director Marshall pointedly and asked,

“Do you

think killing an innocent for some discrepancies in the files will make the Bureau look just and fair, Mr Marshall?”

I noticed the way lan called him Mr *Marshall not director.

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