The Tycoon's Odyssey

"Stop, let's not escalate the matter. I believe my friend isn't lying. We can just check the cameras," Noah said with a calm smile.

Officer Mohan nodded and spoke, "We will do that, but before that, I would like to ask, where is your car?"

With murmurs of anticipation and suspicion swirling around them, the officers proceeded to conduct a meticulous search of Evan's black Mercedes Maybach.

The tension in the air was palpable as everyone awaited the outcome, unsure of what revelations might unfold next in this unexpected turn of events.

As Evan strode forward confidently, pulling out his keys and tapping them against his palm, he approached the sleek black Mercedes Maybach.

All eyes were on him as he pressed the unlock button, but to everyone's surprise, the car remained silent, as if its lights were refusing to gleam.

A small smile played at the corner of Evan's lips as he turned to Officer Mohan.

"See… this isn't mine," he stated calmly, his voice carrying across the tense atmosphere.

Confusion rippled through the crowd as their eyes followed in the direction Evan was walking away, to the other end of the parking lot.

In the shadows nearby, partially obscured from anyone's view, another black car stood hidden. With steady steps, Evan walked towards it.

Reaching the car, Evan tapped the key fob again. This time, the headlights blinked to life, casting a soft glow around the vehicle.

"Huh!"

"It seems he was telling the truth."

The revelation sparked a mix of astonishment and realization among the onlookers.

Noah's expression shifted from concern to a fleeting moment of disbelief.

His facial features hardened momentarily as he glanced at the three boys who had earlier pointed their fingers at Evan, and even their faces were frozen in stunned silence.

Officer Mohan, who was now scratching his head in puzzlement, turned towards Evan, "I apologize for the confusion, Mr. Evan. Let's proceed with checking this car."

He then signaled his team, and they quickly moved to inspect the second black car, meticulously searching every inch of it.

As expected, their search turned up nothing but futile.

The officers sighed and continued their task, methodically checking the remaining cars in the parking lot.

However, just as they were about to move on, a commotion erupted among the officers monitoring the surveillance cameras.

An officer approached Officer Mohan with a grave expression. "Sir, we've reviewed the footage from earlier. The black Mercedes Maybach initially identified… belongs to them."

All eyes turned towards Ken, who stood among the guests. His face contorted with disbelief and denial. "What? No, it isn't mine! I can't afford something like that!"

"Enough of your lies," Officer Mohan retorted firmly. "We have clear evidence from the surveillance footage. You were seen near the vehicle earlier tonight. You are the registered owner."

"No, it isn't…"

Ken's protests fell on deaf ears as the crowd exchanged murmurs of shock and suspicion. The spotlight was now firmly shifted onto Ken.

"Officer, believe us…Ken can't afford to buy such a car."

"Yes, we know his family's situation well."

Meanwhile, Jasper and Kohan vehemently protested, insisting that Ken couldn't possibly be the owner of the car, however, it only escalated the tension.

Their voices overlapped with Ken's own desperate denials, each of them asserting their friendship and disbelief at the unfolding accusation.

In the midst of the chaos, Suri stepped forward, her sharp voice cutting through the tumult. "Officer, why don't you search him? If he really is the owner, he would have the car keys."

Her words were spoken aloud, resonating with a quiet authority that drew everyone's attention back to the heart of the issue.

Officer Mohan nodded and signaled for his team to proceed. Two officers approached Ken cautiously, their expressions serious as they prepared to conduct a thorough search on him.

Ken, now visibly nervous, protested weakly as they began patting him down, searching his pockets.

Moments later, one of the officers pulled out a set of car keys from Ken's coat pocket. The discovery silenced his protests, his face draining of color as the realization set in.

Without delay, the officers moved swiftly towards the second black car, the one that was confirmed to be belonging to Ken.

They clicked the key fob, and to everyone's astonishment, the car's headlights flickered on, confirming that it belonged to Ken. The tension in the air thickened as the officers began to meticulously search the vehicle.

It didn't take long for them to discover something grim.

"Sir, I found something," one of the officers called out, his voice carrying a mix of shock and certainty. He held up a small packet, the contents glinting in the dim light. "There are packets of drugs here."

Ken's protests turned to stammered denials, but the evidence was irrefutable.

The crowd murmured in disbelief, eyes shifting from Ken to the officers, absorbing the gravity of the situation unfolding before them.

Officer Mohan's expression hardened as he turned to Ken, his voice firm. "You're under arrest for possession and distribution of illegal substances. You have the right to remain silent…"

Before he could finish, Ken erupted into panicked pleas, but the officers remained resolute. They swiftly read him his rights and began to escort him away from the crowd, their professionalism contrasting sharply with the turmoil that had gripped the elegant event just moments ago.

As Ken was led away, the guests murmured amongst themselves, still reeling from the shock of the revelation.

Suri, with her gaze steady but troubled, looked towards Evan, silently questioning the implications of what had just transpired.

Noah stood watching the scene with deadly silence. His brain seemed to have stopped working for a moment.

His body shivered and a deadly chill ran through his body, giving him goosebumps.

Countless questions started flooding his mind again and again, but he knew that this wasn't the time to be lost in thoughts.

He turned towards Evan and masked his unease.

With his features now a mask of concern, Noah approached Evan with a solemn expression.

"Evan, are you alright?" he asked quietly, his voice carrying a mix of sympathy and unease.

"I apologize for affecting you. I didn't mean to involve you in all this."

Evan nodded slowly, his gaze distant.

"I'm fine…but this, it's… unexpected."

Noah placed a reassuring hand on Evan's shoulder.

"Yeah, who would have thought that one of our college mates was a drug dealer…"

He patted Evan, trying to ease the tension, but just then something caught his attention.

Noah, perplexed by Evan's unsettling smile, watched him as Evan shook his hand and began to walk away.

The brief exchange left Noah with a lingering sense of unease and just then he saw Evan paused.

After he paused, Evan turned back to look at Noah, his lips curled into a smile that sent a chill down the fellow's spine.

It was a smile that conveyed a deep meaning, one that held a depth of sinister intent beneath its surface. Evan's gaze bore into Noah's, its intensity was unsettling and filled with an unspoken message.

"I haven't given you any engagement gift, have I?" Evan asked.

"Pardon?"

Noah's brows furrowed as he looked at Evan, who pulled his sleeves, looked at his watch and muttered something under his breath before looking back at Noah…

"Happy Engagement," Evan spoke with a grin.

Suddenly, Noah's phone rang, interrupting the moment with an unexpected ring, breaking the tension momentarily.

He frowned, puzzled by the interruption since his phone had been on silent.

Instinctively, he pulled it out, intending to silence the call, but what he saw on the screen froze him in place.