Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 481: Chapter 481

The police station was dimly lit, the yellowish glow casting a somber atmosphere throughout the room. The air seemed thick with tension. In a dramatic move, the authorities brought in all the staff from the Light Beacon Clinic for questioning, sparking a significant stir across Nifelheim City.
It all started with the black van parked at the back of the clinic, where bloodstains from the deceased, Wilhelm, were found. That was supposed to be a crucial breakthrough in the case. However, things were far from progressing as smoothly as expected.
After a night of intense interrogations, the atmosphere at the police station grew increasingly tense. Alfie sat at his desk, surrounded by a mountain of files and documents. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes, weariness subtly creeping across his face, but his gaze remained resolute and determined.
I carried a steaming cup of coffee over to him, gently walking to his side and handing it to him. I softly said, "Mr. Watts, have some coffee to help you stay awake."
Alfie looked up, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. He took the coffee and took a sip, his furrowed brows easing just slightly. "Thank you," he said, his voice rough, clearly the result of a sleepless night.
I stood beside him in silence for a long while before finally asking, "How's the progress on the case?"
Alfie heaved a sigh, his expression darkening as he shook his head, his eyes filled with helplessness and frustration. "The head of Light Beacon Clinic, Arianna Beacon, admitted to handling the body without authorization, but when it comes to anything else, she claims ignorance."
He sighed again, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "With our evidence, the best we can charge with is aiding in falsifying evidence. Arianna will get a sentence of three years or less at most."
I widened my eyes in disbelief, my face reflecting utter shock as I fixed my gaze on Alfie. "How can this be? Are the leads just gone like this?"
I stubbornly pressed on, asking, "Is there no other lead to be found on anyone else?"
Alfie paused for a moment, lost in thought. Then, with a nonchalant expression, he said, "Do you think the person who had the guts to drive a car with a body inside right up to the clinic didn't plan for how to handle it?"
I furrowed my brows, staring at Alfie with confusion, my mind filled with questions.
Before I could ask, Alfie sneered, his gaze heavy with meaning as he looked at me. "You don't understand what I mean?" he asked.
I hesitated for a moment before silently nodding.
The head of Light Beacon Clinic, Arianna, was a stunning woman in her forties who still exuded an undeniable charm. She had a delicate and beautiful face, and her figure was impeccably well-maintained.
Arianna came from a rural background and wasn't well-educated. However, she bravely entered the sales industry with her beauty and sharp mind. Through years of hard work and experience, she learned she could only carve out a place in this cutthroat world by firmly establishing herself.
Although Arianna started as an ordinary worker at the bottom of the ladder and wasn't particularly outstanding, she was known for her hard work and willingness to take on any task. Coupled with her natural beauty, it didn't take long before she caught the attention of senior executives, who invited her to join their ranks.
At that time, Arianna was too innocent and naive. She believed the kindness others showed her was genuine affection, not realizing she had already walked straight into a carefully crafted trap. Ultimately, she lost the savings she had painstakingly built over the years and found herself at a low point in life.
Arianna ventured into the medical beauty industry to survive and regain everything she had worked so hard for. Her beauty was a trump card to earn more money, but she didn't realize that desires are never easily satisfied.
Later on, Arianna became addicted to gambling and quickly lost the few chain clinics she had painstakingly built. But she was unwilling to accept failure. Ultimately, she leveraged the last remaining salon to make a successful comeback.
However, this time, her success was not solely due to the medical beauty business; it was also fueled by illegal dealings, cleaning up the mess for the black market.
"Are you saying Arianna has been prepared for arrest all along?" I finally understood the deeper meaning behind Alfie's words and couldn't help but blurt it out.
Alfie nodded, letting out a long sigh. His eyes reflected a hint of exhaustion and helplessness.
I couldn't help but recall yesterday's scene when the police took away Arianna. There was no trace of panic on her face; instead, she seemed almost relieved. If that's the case, she was likely being threatened by someone.
However, after further investigation, it was found that Arianna was an orphan. She grew up in a rural area, and both her grandparents, who raised her, had long passed away.
Although she had been married once, her marriage ended in divorce due to personality differences. With no family or close ties, who could have the power to threaten her?
I looked at Alfie's desolate expression, feeling a pang of sympathy. I quickly offered him a few words of comfort and added, "By the way, I found Jalen Griffith."
Alfie was momentarily stunned before slowly lifting his head to look directly at me. His eyes were filled with surprise. "You found him?" His voice carried a hint of disbelief.
I nodded and said, "A friend of mine has seen him. Last night, she sent me Jalen's information, including his phone number and address."
When Alfie saw the information I sent him, his expression changed slightly. He asked in a low voice, "Have you contacted him?"
"I haven't contacted him yet. I figured I'd come to the police station and tell you in person," I replied. My real purpose for being here wasn't just to inform him that I found Jalen but, more importantly, to learn about the progress of the Wilhelm case.
Alfie gave a slight cough, nearly spilling the half-cup of coffee in his hand. I continued speaking, oblivious to the sudden change in his expression.
"He has been dead for ten years," Alfie suddenly spoke, his voice grave and heavy.
I stood there, stunned, struggling to process his words. In the middle of the day, inside the police station, how could he say something like that? It felt more like a scene from a horror story than a conversation about a case.
"Could it be a mistake? After all, there are so many people with the same name," I said, looking at Alfie with confusion, unwilling to let the matter go.
Alfie shook his head, drained the coffee from his cup in one go, and pressed his lips together. His expression turned serious as he looked at me, speaking slowly and clearly, "Someone has been impersonating him all this time."
"How is that possible?" I asked, confused and curious. "Then how did Jalen die?"
Why would someone alive and well choose to impersonate a person who had died ten years ago? And why had they been seen so often around multiple victims?
"Who exactly was the imposter?" I asked again.