HEIR TO THE DOJO

Mystery of Cassandra

The door creaked as it opened.

A police officer in black suit walked in with a tablet in his hand. A crisp suit poured over him, appearing too smooth, almost arrogance shining. His badge flashed his name: 'Detective Durand' like a declaration that the room was under his control now.

The door clicked shut behind gently. He paused, looking at Ragnar like coldness and barely concealed malice.

He moved to the desk and sat behind the camera, setting down a tablet on the desk. Tension rose in the room as the silence stretched between them.

Detective Durand leaned in, locking his finger on the desk. He looked at Ragnar like he was a complete disaster.

"Ragner Reid, Isn't," He didn't need to look into the tablet, as though the judgement had been passed behind Ragnar.

Ragner didn't blink. He stared expressionlessly at the Detective, and the quiet composure felt like a punch to Durand's composed authority.

His face etched with lines of annoyance as he gnarled. "You're acting too relaxed for a man who'd been caught doing crimes unforgivable by the victims. Rape, physical assaults, arrest restraint." He paused, allowing all the false accusations to sink. But Ragnar didn't gargle.

The detective leaned in, his voice dropping into a cold threatening edge. "Confess to your crime now. Maybe, just maybe the Roderick family will be lenient with their punishment on you."

Ragnar raised his head to look at him. He chuckled— low, cold amusement.

His gaze flicked to his badge. "Detective Durand," He muttered, leaning back into the backrest with a cold smirk. "So, is this how the law works now," He said quietly. "You want to force me into concurring to crimes I'm innocent about?"

"Innocent?" Detective Durand stood up, a sly smirk at the corner of his lips as he walked gently behind Ragnar's seat. "You think anyone cares about your innocence, Huh," He laughed sharply. He leaned slightly, adjusting his collar with sarcastic concern. "We decide who should be innocent or guilty here. Bingo!"

Ragner scoffed, his demeanor calm but oppressive. "This can be the last decision you make concerning that, Do you know?"

Detective Durand burst into laughter, his face twisting in distaste the next second.

"Prepare me a coffee, Dude," Ragnar said nonchalantly, crossing leg. "No sugar. Make it count because that might be your last drink."

The detective smirk wavered. "Y— You...how dare you," He stepped to the front. "You're threatening me now. Hmph."

"I asked for a coffee, officer." Ragner dragged the letters, almost lazily.

Durand's eyes burned with anger. He slammed his fist against the desk, leaning close enough for his breath to scratch Ragnar's face.

"You think this is all a joke," He spat. "Good thing! I'll do you the honour, and have coffee on your desk. Just so you know— that'll be your last drink because you're oblivious what the people you're up against are capable of."

He stood straighter now. "I'm giving you just 5 to confess. Five seconds!"

Five.

Four.

Three.

Ragner didn't even flinch, his legs casually crossed like he was watching cinema

Durand's gaze furrowed.

Two.

On...

The door of the room burst open, cutting off the count down.Their head snapped to the door.

Cassandra Valemore stormed inside the investigation room with an air of anger. He brow drew tighter as soon as her gaze landed on Ragnar.

Ragner smiled with the corner of his lips, surprised to see her there.

"You bastard," Cassandra cursed, charging into the room. Her heels clacked the marble floor like a countdown

Detective Durand was saying something about 'investigation room protocols', but Cassandra wasn't having it. Her moved purposefully, each stride echoing threat.

"You're the scumbag who took advantage o...." Her palm cut through the air like a whip to smack Ragnar in the face, but he dodged the attack.

His brow lifted. "Is this what I get for saving your life, Huh?"

Cassandra's anger flared at his nonchalant response. "You think you've got the opportunity by taking advantage of an innocent woman," she hissed. "I swear you're going to rot in jail!"

Ragner sighed like he was exhausted as Cassandra kept ranting on and on. "Can you just relax" He said quietly. "I'm telling you the truth— You were the one who intruded my privacy in the male restroom, begging me to sleep with you. You need to see the way you were swore you'll rip me apart if I didn't comply with your demand."

Cassandra froze with shock. Her cheek burned with embarrassment. She blinked. Once. Twice.

"You...how...how's that possible. You l— lair!! You pathetic liar!" Yet, her voice wavered.

Detective Durand stood still, his eyes flickering between Cassandra and Ragnar in confusion.

"I'm telling you the truth," Ragnar insisted sincerely. "You need to believe me. You were drugged— Lustbane herb juice. Did you remember taking any drinks before you stumbled into the restroom?"

Cassandra gulped, her mind reeling. "Could the stranger be telling the truth?" She thought.

She swallowed again. Her mind spun back to the moment she was on board. She'd got the first class service offer from a female flight attendant; fresh orange juice, bottle water, and canapes.

She remembered the flight attendant pouring her the juice for her in glass cup...and sipping it was the last thing she could recall before everything blurred.

Seeing the apprehensive look in her eyes,"Do you believe it now?" Ragner asked. "You could have run mad, or worse— slump and die. But I saved you, and now.." He lifted the cuffs. "I'm called a criminal for saving your life."

The reality sank down. Cassandra's mind spiralled, connecting the dots to make more sense of the situation. It's impossible— not to remember getting intimate with a man. But the pain between her legs was real.

It could only mean that he is telling the truth. But who had her drink drugged?

Ragner leaned back with an amusing smile. "Listen, I know you must be worried about taking care of our coming kid. But hey, I'm going to protect you and the baby."

Cassandra looked at him, her face twisting with barely concealed irritation. "What are you talking about?"

Ragnar smirked nodding at her belly. "I mean you might be pregnant with my.."

"Shut up!" Cassandra flared.

Ragnar didn't stop. "Are you bitter that you weren't in the right frame of mind to enjoy our intimate moment? We can go another..."

"How dare you!" Cassandra's cheek flushed crimson with embarrassment.

She forced herself to stay calm and turned to the officer. "Can you give us a minute, please?" She requested.

Detective Durand nodded stiffly, glancing between the two. "Of course...Of course." With one last glance at the Ragnar, he walked out hesitantly.

Once the door was shut, Cassandra slumped into the seat opposite Ragnar exhaustively. Her finger pressed against her head like her head was knocking migraine.

What she was about to say was heavy, the truth about her family, but it burns her tongue— The mystery of the Valemore family. It was too heavy.

Ragnar's eyes narrowed on her in concern as the quietness lingered. "Are you okay?" He asked with a more gentle voice "You don't need to worry. I'm capable of taking care of you." He said in assurance, oblivious to the chaos spinning in her mind

Cassandra lifted her head to him. Her expression was gloomy like a mourning woman. She looked at Ragner— past his simple appearance which gives him the look of an ordinary man— Maybe a man who is barely scraping by, a man who was struggling to get the angle of his life. But he was going to lose the little he had with his life.

"You have 8 days to live."

Cassandra dropped the bombshell.