Nathan's face was completely swathed in thick gauze, only his puffy, swollen eyes peeking through the bandages. The ridiculous sight would have been laughable if not for the clear evidence of his injuries.

Alexander studied him with deep skepticism. "You're claiming Amy did this to you?" Nathan seethed, "Her, that little demon Oliver, and that old coot Theodore!"

Alexander wasn't fooled. "Oliver is five years old. Theodore is pushing eighty. Even combined, I find it hard to believe they could do this."

The natural strength disparity between genders made this scenario improbable, especially with a team consisting of an elderly man and a child.

A sharp knock interrupted them. Several uniformed officers entered the hospital room.

"Mr. Prescott, you're under investigation for property damage and issuing violent threats. Given your condition, we'll conduct the questioning here."

Nathan gaped. "Are you joking? Look at me! I'm the victim here! Why aren't you arresting the real criminals?"

The lead officer remained impassive. "Your injuries were self-inflicted, Mr. Prescott."

"Our investigation confirms you forced entry, toppled a display shelf, and suffered an allergic reaction to spilled medication. The others bear no responsibility."

Noticing Alexander, the officer's gaze cooled. Having studied Amy's connections during the investigation, he recognized the CEO immediately.

"Mr. Blackwood, your wife was quite distressed. Shouldn't you be with her?" His tone carried subtle reproach. "Regardless, Mr. Prescott instigated this incident. By any measure, he's at fault."

Though professionally neutral, the officer's eyes conveyed clear disapproval. Bringing his mistress to harass his wife? Disgusting.

Thank heavens Ms. Sinclair had kept her composure and knew her rights. A physical altercation would have ended badly for her.

The truth dawned on Alexander. His brow furrowed as simmering irritation surfaced. How had he never noticed Nathan's troublemaking tendencies before?

Nathan exploded. "That's bullshit! They attacked Victoria first! Since when do they get to push people around without consequences?"

The officer remained calm. "Explain how they assaulted Ms. Langley."

Nathan thrust Victoria's hand forward dramatically. "They made her harvest herbs! She cut her fingers! Victoria's a violinist - if her hands are damaged, can they take that responsibility?"

The officer examined the minor scratches - barely visible marks that might have come from brambles. Hardly worth mentioning.

Maintaining professionalism, he asked, "Were they forcing Ms. Langley to collect herbs?"

Nathan's eyes darted briefly before he doubled down. "Yes! They threatened her life!"

The officer's expression turned grave. "Mr. Prescott, if true, we'll treat this with the utmost seriousness—"

Before he could finish, Nathan latched onto the statement. "Exactly! Deal with them properly! They were endangering Victoria's—"