After Rejection, she crawled to my feet for forgiveness

Framed and imprisoned

“Mr. Norman, you're under arrest!” the officer barked, stepping forward, with handcuffs.

Norman glanced up from his desk, unfazed, his eyes cool and steady. “Under arrest? For what?”

“For accepting a bribe!” The officer’s gaze hardened, but Norman didn’t flinch, though a flicker of confusion passed through his mind.

Where was this coming from? He had been the acting mayor for two years, clean of any such accusation.

“There’s been a mistake, Officer,” Norman said, keeping his voice steady. “I’ve never accepted a bribe. Who made this accusation?”

“I did, Norman.”

Before the officer could respond, the door swung open, and Lana, Norman’s fiancée, stepped inside, her expression twisted with disdain.

“I reported you to the police. Now to save yourself from more embarrassment. Go with the police and pay for your crimes.”She said coldly.

At this moment, Norman was confused —more confused over his fiancee's statement than the officer's.

“What are you saying Lana?”He asked, as he searched her face for a reason.

“Don’t play innocent,” she snapped. “You took a bribe, and I did what was necessary. Now accept your punishment!”

Seeing the clear look of disgust on her face, Norman’s heart ached. He felt the sting of betrayal more than the accusation itself.

“Why are you doing this?”

Lana sneered. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m done with you, Norman. You’ve been nothing but a burden. Just an orphan clinging to the job my father handed you out of pity.”

Her words were like arrows, each one stabbing him deeper.

“Listen Norman, you have no future, no family, no connections. I need someone that would help me and my family elevate higher, to become the best not just in this city, but in the entire country. And that's why Norman, I'm getting married to Henry Havord. The Havords are among the elite in the capital; with Henry, I’ll be the talk of the city. And you? You’re just in the way.”

Norman’s eyes narrowed slightly,his fists clenched firmly. “You’re making a huge mistake, Lana.”

“The only mistake I made was not reporting you sooner,” Lana spat. “By now, I could’ve married Henry and lifted my family even higher. But no, I wasted time on you—useless as you are.”

“Useless?” Norman chuckled lightly, a cold, steady sound that sent an inexplicable chill through the room. He straightened, looking at her with a piercing gaze, his energy calm yet commanding.

For two years, he had been the backbone of Valkoria City. Before he came, this city was nothing but ruins, disorderliness and chaos.

Two years ago, on behalf of Lana's father who was the mayor of the city, Norman took over as the acting Mayor, transforming this city to what it was today.

He alone created balance, struck fear in the hearts of dangerous underground organizations and foreign threats. He once took down an entire enemy fleet and returned unarmed.

He had been secretly protecting her family from many enemies. Without him, her family and the entire city would fall back to chaos. And here she was calling him useless.

But Norman knew it would be useless explaining all these to Lana, she had already made up her mind, she wouldn't believe him even if he did.

The officer shifted uncomfortably, the weight of Norman’s steady stare unsettling.

“We’re wasting time, Mr. Norman,” he said, rattling the handcuffs in his hand, though his tone was less firm than before.

“What are you waiting for?” Lana urged, her impatience showing. “I’ve given you all the evidence you need. Just arrest him!”

Glancing at the officer, a dark smile played at the corner of his lips. He didn't resist. Calmly, he extended his hands, allowing the officer to place the cuffs on him.

He had always wanted a break, to relax from all the work he had been doing for this city. For two years he had worked restlessly, day and night with no breaks, maybe prison would be a perfect resting place for him.

The officer hesitated when putting on the handcuffs，unnerved by Norman’s stillness. As their eyes met, the officer felt a strange dread—as if he were on the wrong side of the bars. A chill crept down his spine.

Shaking off the unsettling feeling, he gave a curt nod to his partners, and they led Norman away.

Immediately after they were gone, Lana exhaled, her tension releasing into a triumphant grin

She immediately brought out her phone to announce the good news to her father, Mr. Lucas, he was also part of this scheme to eliminate Norman.

“Dad, it’s done,” she said with a grin, barely able to contain her excitement. “Norman’s been arrested. The plan worked perfectly.”

Her father’s voice buzzed on the other end, brimming with satisfaction. “You did well, darling. Now you can start planning your wedding to Henry. Our families will finally unite.”

Lana's smile widened. “Yes, Dad! I can’t wait to become part of the Havord family. People will talk about it for years.”

“Come home, sweetheart,” Lucas urged warmly. “We need to celebrate.”

“I’m on my way, Dad,” Lana chirped, ending the call.