83 She Set Me Up

(Winona)

I sit in the cold, sterile interview room, my heart pounding in my chest. The fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a harsh glare on the metal table between me and the two detectives.

My hands tremble as I clutch the edge of my chair, trying to steady myself. Every muscle in my body is tense, and my throat feels like it’s closing up.

“Ms. Nolan, you need to understand the seriousness of these charges,” the older detective says, his voice gruff. “We have multiple witnesses who saw you push Ashlyn Brennan down those stairs. She is pressing attempted murder charges.”

“I didn’t push her!” I insist, my voice cracking under the weight of my desperation. “She set me up! She said horrible things to me, she provoked me!” I can feel my pulse in my temples, each beat a reminder of my mounting panic.

The younger detective leans forward, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “We’ve done our homework, Ms. Nolan. We know about your history with Mrs. Brennan and Jayden Brennan. There’s a lo