Disclaimer: I do not own Squaresoft, Final Fantasy VIII, or its characters.

You are the One for Me

Chapter Four

The Almasy household was thrown into chaos when the police arrived. They had a warrant of arrest for Rinoa.

"Why are you arresting her?" Anna asked.

"She is the principal suspect for the death of Miss Yumi Leska."

Rinoa started to protest. "I did not kill her! And why would I kill her?"

One of the uniformed men held Rinoa's arm firmly.

"It'd be better if you'd explain at the station," he said.

Another policeman started to read Rinoa her rights.

Rinoa was horrified. What would happen to her?

"Don't worry, dear," Anna said.

But Seymour Almasy cut her off.

"The police know what they're doing, Anna. Don't meddle." His expression showed no hint of concern.

When Rinoa glanced at Xu, she looked like she was celebrating.

Seifer was nowhere in the house.

Rinoa was brought to the station and was interrogated. Her fear was slowly replaced by anger because of the smugness of the policemen who kept trying to force her to confess to the crime so that the investigation would be finished.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I did not kill her!" Rinoa screamed at them. They were in a small room. Rinoa was sitting on a chair. Two investigating officers were also inside the room with her, one of them was leaning on the door.

The other investigator who was walking around her stopped in front of the table. "You were the last person that was seen leaving her apartment before she was found dead. And one of the tenants said that you had a disagreement with Miss Leska."

"Yes, we argued but I did not kill her. I just made her understand that—" Rinoa stopped.

Rinoa had threatened Yumi. She told her that her life would be in danger if Yumi continued bothering Squall. If she told that to the police, Rinoa would be in deep trouble.

Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest and kept silent.

"What did you want her to understand?" asked the investigator as he knitted his eyebrows at her.

"I've been here for an hour but you haven't given me one of my rights." Rinoa was entitled to one phone call and a lawyer. She remembered that the arresting officer told her that earlier.

The investigator sighed as he put his hands on the table in front of Rinoa. "What do you want?"

"I want to use the phone," Rinoa said as she looked him in the eye.

They let her. She was left all alone in the room. She could only call one person. And that person was the reason why she was in the police station.

The first voice that she heard was a sweet voice of a woman. His secretary, she concluded. Squall had only given her his office number.

After a few seconds she heard his voice.

"Rinoa?"

"Who do you think would call you? Yumi? She's dead! And now I'm in this stupid police station because they think I killed her!"

"Did you really kill her?" Squall asked.

"Hell, no! If there's one person I could kill right now, that would be you! You put me into this mess, asshole!" she said through gritted teeth.

"I don't have anything to do with that, bitch!" Squall's voice rose. "You went to see her, not me!"

"Don't even think of hanging up, Squall! I know I'm poor but I'd never kill a human being!" she screamed into the phone. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the phone. "And if you think I'll just keep silent and rot myself here, you're wrong!"

"What are you going to do?"

"If you won't help me get out of here, I'll involve you! I'll tell them that you ordered me to kill Yumi. I think they would believe that because they'll know about Yumi's plan to sue you!"

"Bitch!" Squall angrily said.

"I'll only give you an hour to get your ass in here. If you won't come here, I'll sing!" Rinoa slammed down the receiver.

She looked at the police that was outside the room. He was standing by the door that had a glass window. She knew that he did not hear her conversation with Squall.

"Are you finished?" he asked as he poked his head into the room.

Rinoa nodded. She prepared herself for another interrogation.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Because Squall was in a hurry to go to the police station where Rinoa was detained, he forgot about the press people who were always standing by at the police station. It was too late when he realized what would be the outcome if they saw him there.

The next morning, the headlines on the newspapers and TV were all about a crime of passion.

They said that Rinoa was Squall's lover and because of her jealousy, she killed Yumi.

All the reputation that Squall had carefully built up was instantly destroyed.

He was already expecting that his father would call him.

When he entered his father's private study, Laguna Loire threw a newspaper in his face.

"Is this what you gave me? Humiliation! Right now, everybody is talking about our family! You're a Loire but you look at what you did to our family!" he yelled as he stood up from the couch he was sitting on. He was wearing a robe over his clothes, a cigar in his hand.

"Father, let me explain..."

"Explain what? Even if the newspapers are not telling the truth, because you went to the police station our family's status lowered! A maid! You wasted your time on a lowlife! Instead of keeping your relationship with that girl a secret, you showed the whole world!" The veins on Laguna's neck appeared because he was very angry.

"We did not raise you to become the humiliation of our family," a cold feminine voice said.

Squall whirled around and saw his aunt, Edea, wearing a long black dress, her hair in a tight bun. Edea was a spinster. Strict. Cold-hearted. Ever since he was a young boy, Edea had watched over him like a hawk. His every movement was criticized. Squall felt as if he had not done a single thing that was right in her eyes.

"How could I face Seymour with all these rumors? Answer me, Squall!"

Squall looked at his feet. He did not want his father to see the anger in his eyes.

The memories played like a movie in his mind. Ever since he was young, his father always praised Seifer. Seifer is a better son than you... Look at Seifer, he's always good at anything!

Because of this, Squall tried to match everything Seifer did. He triumphed but in his father's eyes, it was not enough. Squall was still not perfect.

His father always found a reason to blame him for everything. Laguna always saw the smallest fault and flaw in everything that Squall did. He never got the smallest amount of love he wanted from his father.

Laguna prioritized his reputation and his wealth over his son.

"Because of what you did to our family, you should be disinherited!"

Squall looked up. He could not live poorly. "Father!"

"I'd rather choose another person to inherit my money... as long as it's not you. You failed me, Squall!"

"You decided wisely," Edea told her older brother. "And with that, no girl who has low standards would live on our wealth."

Squall's eyes went from his father to his aunt. These were the people he had asked for love for a very long time. Now, he proved that they only treated him like an object, an object that would be discarded once it became useless.

The inheritance that these two adults used to threaten him ever since he was young now became nothing to Squall. I don't need their money!

Squall was intelligent. He had his own abilities. He could match or even surpass the Almasy-Loire business as long as he worked hard.

It would be difficult. He might even starve. But Squall would face all the problems that he would encounter.

He would not ask for pity from the two persons standing in front of him. He decided that this chapter of his life is finished.

Now, he wanted them to witness his rebelliousness.

"You could take my inheritance away. You could even disown me. But there's one thing you can't take away from me, my surname. And whether you like it or not, the surname that you're proud of and the surname that you've been taking care of... I will give that surname to a maid. I will marry that woman!"

Squall left the two adults who remained shocked in the private study.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Rinoa's case was serious. She was not allowed bail. In jail, she saw her parents who had immediately gone to Esthar to see her and ask her what had happened.

Her mother's eyes were red from crying, but her father remained calm.

"Hyne! Why did they do this to you?" Julia cried.

"It's not my fault, Mom," she said.

"Don't lose hope, Rinoa. Time will come and you'll be proved innocent," Vincent told her.

"Are the Almasys going to help us?" Julia asked as she dabbed her handkerchief on her eyes.

"Mrs. Almasy gave you a small amount for your personal use," he informed Rinoa.

What about Seifer? Where is he? Isn't he even going to visit me here? Rinoa thought.

Her questions were answered when one of the maids in Esthar, Celia, visited Rinoa.

"What had really happened?" she asked Celia.

Celia told her sadly. "Sir Seymour did not want anyone in the family to interfere with your case. He was afraid that if that the humiliation that the Loire family got would also happen to them. Even we, the maids, were prohibited from talking to reporters."

"What about Sir Seifer? Does he know what happened to me?"

Celia held Rinoa's hand gently.

"Rinoa, I think it's time for you to open your eyes. Sir Seifer doesn't love you. He's only using you. And even if he felt something for you, he'd never hook up with you because his parents might disinherit him. He's afraid of his father. And he'd never marry our kind."

"You're wrong! Seifer loves me!"

"If he really loves you, then why hadn't he visited you here? He could have sent you help or money. But only Madam Anna helped you. And do you know that they fired your father?"

Rinoa was shocked.

"They don't want to be involved. They are kind people but if their family will be put into shame and scandals and rumors, they'd immediately push you away. Those are the Almasys. And Sir Seifer is just like his father!"

That's why...

She hung her head. Because of her, even her parents got involved. She could blame Squall, but all of these happened because of the love that she had for Seifer. All because she dreamt an impossible dream! This only happened in stories and movies.

She believed that Seifer would love her. I'm so stupid!

Days passed. Rinoa was waiting for the day she would face the jury. The other women in the cell she was locked in left her alone.

Rinoa unleashed all the anger she had on the few who tried to do bad things to her. They went away from her with bruises and some with broken bones.

Her inmates thought Rinoa was crazy. Rinoa was silent and she did not talk to anyone. She just sat in one corner looking at nothingness.

In truth, she was busy thinking. She was planning what she would do one she got out of jail.

The love that she felt for Seifer was replaced with hatred. And once she got out, she would organize her life. She'd do anything to match Seifer's wealth.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Four people were Rinoa's frequent visitors: her parents, Celia and the lawyer that Squall hired for her. Squall had visited her once, and she had threatened him.

Ever since that incident, Squall never visited her again. She could not blame him because she was the cause of what had happened to Squall. Because of her, Squall's reputation was damaged. She was sure that Squall was angry with her. She was wondering why Squall had not yet reclaimed the lawyer. Maybe he was afraid that Rinoa would involve him. Rinoa still had an ace up her sleeve.

When she had a visitor and discovered that that visitor was Squall, she was surprised. She was so surprised she was speechless.

"I have another proposal to you, Rinoa. This time, it's a marriage proposal," Squall began.

"What did you just say?" Rinoa thought she wasn't hearing right. Was she really going crazy? Why would Squall marry her?

"When this case is finished and you're free, I want you to be my wife."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Listen very carefully to what I'm gonna say. I know your father's out of a job right now, and with his age, it would be hard for him to get one or even go back to farming. You would not be able to continue with your schooling. You will never have the chance to build your life again after this. If you'd accept my proposal, I will take care of you and your family. I'll pay for your tuition."

"Why?" she asked the man in front of her.

"I have my own personal reasons," Squall said simply.

"If I refuse?"

"Two things will happen. You could end up in jail because I'll take my attorney back and your parents will have nowhere to go to. The prosecutor has very strong evidence and if Atty. Clement won't handle your case, I'm sure you'll end up guilty and you'll spend your life in jail."

"You never gave me a choice, Squall," Rinoa said.

"You have a choice, Rinoa. You could answer 'yes' or 'no'."

"What kind of marriage is this? In paper only?"

"No. You will be my wife in name and in reality. That means that you have to bear my child."

"But why me?"

"Let's say that you're perfect for the part. My offer stands only today. You need to give me an answer right now. Or else, you'll be alone for the rest of your life."

Rinoa had a strong feeling that she would be in bigger trouble if she agreed to this proposal. But she had a bigger chance to live than stay locked up in jail.

She nodded, accepting Squall's proposal.

Squall smirked at her. "If that's the case, I'll see you in court." He stood up from the chair he was sitting on and left.

A/N: Hi! I'd like again to remind everyone that this is AU and everyone is OOC. Well, here's the fourth installment of my fic. I hope you enjoyed reading this one. Again, my deepest gratitude to my dear friend remote mine for beta-reading this chappy.

I'm really happy with the reviews everyone sent. =D

XxPhoenix BladexX: Thank you so much! Yep, it's really different. The characters are very OOC. I sometimes ask myself how I came up with this plot. =D Hehe, anyway, hope you found this chappy enjoyable. Thanks again!

Cassandra: I'm really glad you reviewed this fic again. Thanks so much! Hope you enjoyed this update!

Arrienye: The plot thickens! =D Well, I'll be posting the next chappy real soon and your questions will be answered! Thanks so much for finding this story interesting and for R&R'ing!

Etherealist: Yes, both Squall and Seifer are OOC, and so is everyone else! =D Thank you very much!

Boggart: Thanks! Hope you liked this chappy as well!

remote mine: First of all, thank you so much for beta-reading and reviewing and pointing out my mistakes! I really am very honored and lucky to have you beta-reading my fics and my future works. *sniff sniff* Yes, Rinoa's very intent on winning Seifer (and may I add that she's really obsessed with him). Anyway, hope you'll update 'A Life Unlived' soon! Thanks again!

Please R&R! Comments, suggestions and criticisms are greatly encouraged. Thanks!

~bembem~