of the crowded street, the flashing lights of the police cars reflecting on her pale face, while the murmurs of the people around grew louder with shock and curiosity. The two officers grabbed her as if she were a dangerous criminal, shoving her forward each time she tried to pull back. She cried out defiantly:

— “I told you! I didn’t do anything… why won’t you believe me?!”

One of them yanked her arm so roughly that she nearly fell, and she screamed in pain. At that moment, a commanding voice thundered from behind, strong and sharp:

— “Stop immediately!”

The two officers froze in place. She turned toward the sound, her tear-filled eyes meeting his cold gaze. He walked forward with slow, steady steps that carried an air of authority, then brushed one of the officers aside with his shoulder and seized her arm. To the crowd, it looked as if he was simply continuing the arrest, but his low voice slipped into her ear like a warm breeze in the middle of a storm:

— “Trust me… don’t resist.”