Chapter 603

"What?" Lorenzo's expression darkened instantly. He slapped Melody viciously, snarling, "You called the cops, you bitch?"

"I didn't," Melody denied, shaking her head. A glimmer of hope flickered within her; she was saved.

Unable to risk a confrontation with the police, Lorenzo ordered an immediate retreat. Fearing Melody might alert the officers, they reluctantly abandoned her and fled.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed outside the villa. A group of police officers stormed in, quickly helping Melody to her feet. "Are you alright?" one asked.

"I'm fine," Melody replied gratefully, but her relief was short-lived. Something cold snapped around her wrists—handcuffs.

"You…" Melody's confusion was cut short as she was escorted to a police car. "What are you doing? Why are you arresting me? I'm the victim here!" she yelled.

"Victim?" A female officer scoffed, her tone icy. "Your confession last night perfectly matches the details of the murder case. You turned yourself in, admitted to the crime, and now you're denying it? Justice always prevails. Don't waste your time."

Melody was stunned. She had never confessed to anything. Suddenly, she recalled Lorenzo's men mentioning Wilma seeking police protection after escaping. But it seemed Wilma hadn't just reported the situation; she'd turned herself in while inhabiting Melody's body. Melody's expression shifted drastically. She pointed at the villa and shouted, "The person who confessed yesterday wasn't me! It was someone else, still in that villa!"

The officers ignored her. Last night, "Melody" had confessed and instructed the police to arrive at the villa at this precise time. She'd even promised full cooperation in detailing Jade's murder. The officers were here solely to apprehend her; they couldn't enter the villa without a warrant or further evidence.

Melody sat in the police car, stunned and silent. Her world felt like it was crumbling. An impulsive decision had backfired. The body swap had placed her in Wilma's body, allowing Wilma, wearing Melody's face, to destroy her life. No wonder Wilma had been caught so quickly after escaping—it was a meticulously planned trap. The moment they swapped bodies back, the arrest was set in motion. If Melody had known, she never would have agreed to the swap.

Melody seethed, feeling like she might explode. Still, she forced herself to feign ignorance. "I have no idea what you're talking about! I demand a lawyer. This is slander, defamation!"

At the station, Melody adamantly denied confessing the previous night. The officers then played a recording of the confession.

The video showed Wilma, wearing Melody's face, tearfully confessing: "I killed Jade Payne. At that time, I had my brother, Jansen, kidnap Alexia Harper to frame Tiffany Kelley, but Jade saw everything. I begged her not to say anything, but she refused. In a moment of panic, I acted."

"What was the murder weapon?" the officer asked.

"A rope. I used a rope to strangle her. I pulled too hard and killed her. I panicked, so I made Jansen take the blame," Wilma replied.

"What made you decide to confess now?"

"I'm scared. I have nightmares every night, so… I had to come clean."

If that confession wasn't enough, what followed was even more damning. Wilma, still wearing Melody's face, stated in the video, "I have some mental issues. Sometimes, I forget what I've said the next day. So I want to sign the confession while I'm clear-headed."

'Mental instability? Confessing while clear-headed?' Melody's pupils dilated. Wilma had masterfully blocked every escape route. With a signed confession and video evidence, Melody's denials looked like the ramblings of a mentally unstable person.

Her rage boiled over. Standing abruptly, she shouted, "No! That person in the video isn't me. The signature isn't mine! That's not even my handwriting! I demand a lawyer!"

The female officer gave her a calm yet piercing look. "According to our investigation, the claim of your mental instability does seem credible." The police had interviewed her classmates, who confirmed a drastic personality shift. Once composed and aloof, she had become petty, greedy, and prone to stealing—easily interpreted as mental illness. No one would believe her body had been taken over.

Melody shook her head, her expression increasingly deranged. "I didn't do it! I didn't kill her! I didn't!" Even Jade's disbelieving eyes did nothing to sway her denial. Melody believed Jade had brought it upon herself.

Melody's eyes turned bloodshot, her hands clenched into fists.

The police officer continued, "Besides this confession, we also have another." A document detailing another admission was presented.

This document described how Melody had contributed to Ged's death during a hitman's attack, luring him under the pretense of being unable to walk further, then pushing him into the path of a vehicle.

Every word matched the crime scene perfectly. Melody shook her head in disbelief. After the body swap, Wilma couldn't have accessed her memories. She figured it had to be Tiffany, who must have bribed Wilma. Otherwise, there was no reason for these old, settled cases to be reopened.

The female officer raised an eyebrow. "And there's a third confession. You admitted to poisoning your brother, Jansen Princeton, forcing him to take the blame through an apparent guilt-driven suicide." Her signature was at the bottom.

Melody vehemently shook her head. "That's not my handwriting. I don't accept it."

The female officer said, "Whether you accept it or not, the law will ensure justice is served for all the victims." Three lives were lost. The officer sighed. Justice might be delayed, but it would never be absent.

News of Melody's charges spread like wildfire.