Love the Second Time Around

Chapter 54 Two Possibilities

I binge-watched dramas till the wee hours of dawn at home since I had nothing better to do. Consequently, I never got up before ten in the morning.

Fumbling for the offensive device on my bedside table, it took a while for me to crack my eyes open and look at the caller ID.

Louis Zanetti, you little asshole! Why are you calling me at such an ungodly hour?

Accepting the call, I immediately bellowed into the receiver, “Dude, what’s wrong with you? Why are you calling me in the middle of the night? If you can’t fall asleep, don’t drag others down with you!”

There was silence on the other end of the call. It lasted for so long that I had to check my phone to see if the line was still connected.

I raged at his seemingly senseless prank.

“Louis Zanetti, you-”

“Hello ma’am, am I speaking to Liliana Zanetti?”

My brain screeched to a halt at the voice that greeted me. Pulling my phone away from my ear, I confirmed that the number was indeed Louis’, despite the stranger who had just spoken to me.

The stranger continued asking about my identity. Confused, I inquired, “This is Liliana Zanetti speaking. Who are you, and where is my brother?”

I got an explanation immediately. “Ms. Zanetti, your brother’s run into some trouble. Could you make your way down to the station? I’m referring to the police station, by the way. It’s the one near your brother’s school.”

My sleepiness was gone once I heard about the police station. I sat up in a rush.

Having been detained in one myself not too long ago, I knew firsthand how devastating it felt.

How did Louis get himself stuck in the police station? He’s been a straight-A student since young, and his track record is squeaky-clean.

Another thought invaded my mind; I wondered if he had fallen for a scam. They’re getting more common these days, after all.

please?” I had to figure

to my request and put me on hold. A moment later, someone spoke into the

Hearing my brother’s voice on the other end of the line fueled my

Are you really at the police station? What happened?”

Dad know, please.” His request made my heart sink. Something’s very

more questions, the person who had spoken to me earlier had come back on the

“Ms. Zanetti, please hurry.”

choice, I could only agree

hung up and hopped off the bed, getting dressed and packing as fast as I

my parents, and neither did I, so I didn’t

into a tizzy before we had sorted things

a note on the coffee table, letting them

was a university student at the Jadeborough Institute of Science and Technology. To get to Jadeborough city, I had to take a

earliest flight to Jadeborough once I arrived at

touched down two hours later and took a cab to the Jadeborough

brother’s university, so I

had to ask several locals before I managed to locate

I’m his sister,” I asked a young woman clad in police

rapidly like she was checking the

he came in yesterday, right? You can head over there; they’ll bring you to

politely and walked in the direction she

open. Two policemen were sitting in the office. Confused about who I was supposed to talk to, I repeated

square-faced policeman stood up once I finished my question. He approached me and said, “Ms. Zanetti, we’ve

recognized his voice as

the trouble.” I was dying to meet Louis, and I felt relieved that this policeman seemed friendlier than the others who had questioned

a room and gestured for

door, I saw Louis slumped in

were