Mastering the fates with Role-play system 2

[9] A slap across the cheek

The sight of his mother in handcuffs sent a chill down Jace's spine, igniting a rage deep within him. How could this be happening? She was innocent, caught in a web of lies spun by those who should protect her.

As she was led closer, Jace's heart sank to the bottom as he took in the terrible evidence of her mistreatment, her clothes were torn, bruises on her arms and face, and her hair was a mess, even though it appeared that she had tried to do a quick fix.

Without a second thought, Jace rushed toward her.

“Who did this to you?” he demanded, fury coating his voice like venom.

His mother hesitated; she was overwhelmed by the presence of the officers and the imposing man in a suit, whom she assumed to be the governor's son. The Chief's silence also loomed over them like a dark cloud, heavy with unspoken truths she couldn’t fathom.

She feared that whatever she said out here might either get her into more trouble with the Chief or save their lives. It was a fifty-fifty chance, so she chose to change the subject instead.

“You... you are safe,” she whispered, her trembling fingers brushing against Jace's cheek, and a sense of relief flooded through her.

All this time, she had feared for him, worrying he might already be dead, and all this public propaganda was just a way to hide the dirty job that was done in secret.

She thought that she was all alone, that no one would fight for her. Justice was far from people like her, as a struggling single mother, there wasn't a single maltreatment that was new to her, she had experienced all kinds of pain, but the fear of losing Jace was a new one.

“Mom, who did this to you?” Jace pressed on, his tone firm, his hands clenching in suppressed anger.

“Who struck you? Who ripped your clothes?” He wanted answers, and he wanted them immediately. He had been looking for reasons to slap the Chief across the face, and this might be it.

“It doesn’t matter now,” his mother said softly, still avoiding the subject while constantly stealing a glance at the Chief.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner with the bail money... I’ve gone to the…”

“Mom!” Jace interrupted, noticing the flicker of fear in her eyes, as if she were deliberately hiding something from him.

“The Chief... he’s the one behind this, isn’t he?”

Without waiting for an answer, Jace turned on his heel and walked back to the Chief,

“Who did this to her?” he demanded, his voice a low growl.

The Chief stammered,

“She resisted... we had to restrain her for her safety.”

Before he could finish, SMACK!

Jace's hand flew out, connecting with his face in a loud smack that reverberated through the parking lot.

“Your men abused my mother!” he roared, the volume of his voice echoing as the Chief took a few steps back, his hand pressed to his reddening cheek, stunned into silence.

A gasp rippled through the crowd of officers, but no one dared to move. The soldiers stood rigid, seemingly unflinching, but the only one unable to hide her shock was his mother.

“Jace!” she exclaimed, rushing toward him, her knees shaking.

“What have you done? Do you want to land yourself in even more trouble? You just disrespected a Chief in front of the governor’s son!”

“I am the governor’s son,” Jace interjected, his revelation hitting her like a thunderbolt.

“And this man isn’t fit to hold that title. He’s nothing but a heartless, greedy, corrupt man who cares only for the wealthy and powerful people."

“I… I don’t understand,” his mother stammered, confusion etched on her face.

“Can’t you see?” Jace insisted, gesturing toward the Chief. “He’s quiet now because he knows I could ruin him, make him pay for what he’s done.”

“I still don’t understand,” she replied, struggling to understand what was really happening, especially Jace's previous statement.

“How are you the governor’s son?” she asked.

"I'll explain later. For now, let Tom take care of you," Jace insisted, his voice firm as his assistant approached them from behind. He ushered Jace's mother toward the car, her expression a mix of confusion and trust.

'Hmm, is the system capable of manipulating people, too?' Jace wondered because he couldn’t shake off the thought that his mother could have demanded an answer; she always did.

"I'm so sorry, Jace," The Chief finally broke the heavy silence, his tone seemingly soft and regretful.

It felt reality crashed over him like a wave, bringing with it the sharp realisation that this was not a dream or a prank. He knew that if the governor learned about this, he was as good as finished, his life, job, and everything were hanging by a thread.

If only he had acted differently, followed the established protocols and waited for a court order. All this chaos, this humiliation, could have been avoided.

But as he stared at Jace, an unsettling sensation crept over him; something felt fundamentally wrong about this sequence of events. Jace’s sudden disappearance from prison, then his sudden return as the governor's supposed son. It felt orchestrated, like each move was part of an elaborate conspiracy.

The Chief wasn’t truly sorry; he was desperate to preserve his position and win the governor's favour. He knew that if he could survive this one, he might unravel the true story behind it. Jace was not the governor's son, and he knew it, but needed to prove it.

“Please, forgive me,” he pleaded, dropping to his knees and placing his gun on the ground.

“I’m begging you. I will do anything to make this right.”

Watching the Chief plead was satisfying for Jace.

“Funny how the tables have turned, isn’t it?” he remarked, his eyes narrowing.

“I promise you, I will make you suffer tenfold for what you've done to me and my mother.”

As Jace’s words hung in the air, uncertainty crept in. How could he turn those threats into reality? Perhaps he could persuade the governor to strip the Chief of his position, seize his assets, freeze his accounts, and force him into a life of poverty and misery. It wouldn’t be difficult for the governor, but achieving that in just twenty-four hours? Was that even possible?

“I beg you,” the Chief clutched Jace's legs like a desperate child.

“I will do anything… please.”

With a dismissive shake of his leg, Jace sent the Chief sprawling to the ground.

“Why should I listen to you now? You didn’t listen when I begged for my life or when my mother pleaded. So why should I show you any mercy?”

As Jace stepped back, the Chief scrambled forward, but was stopped by the two soldiers who had positioned themselves protectively in front of Jace.

“Stay back!” they warned, their voices leaving no room for disobedience.

Without another glance, Jace climbed into the car, flanked by the soldiers as the convoy pulled away, leaving the Chief alone on his knees.

Once they were out of sight, he rose to his feet, his mind racing as he turned to the officers beside him.

“While I still hold the rank of Chief," he said, his expression darkening like that of an evil wizard,

"I will investigate this matter. There’s something undeniably off about that boy, about everything surrounding this case. I sense a conspiracy, and I will uncover the truth."