But as she drew closer, she heard a voice. It was high-pitched and frantic, cutting through the murmur of the onlookers. It was Jaden's voice. Her heart sank, and a cold sense of dread washed over her. Quickening her pace, Harriet's heels clacked louder against the pavement.
She weaved through the crowd, catching snippets of conversation. "That poor boy! Why are they treating him like that? Someone should call his parents." And then she saw him.
Jaden was in the middle of the crowd, struggling to pull his arm free from the grip of Miller, the head of city hall security. His face was flushed, tears streaming down his cheeks as he cried out, "Let me go. I didn't do anything wrong." Next to Miller stood Karen White, her arms crossed smugly and her voice rising over the noise. "You see how he's resisting?
He's dangerous. I told you he was trouble." Harriet's chest tightened as she took in the scene. Her son, humiliated and terrified, surrounded by strangers filming with their phones and whispering among themselves. Her fury boiled over.
"Let him go!" She shouted, her voice ringing out like a thunderclap. The crowd fell silent and every head turned in her direction. Miller and Karen froze, their eyes widening in shock. Harriet pushed through the remaining few onlookers until she stood in front of her son.
Her commanding presence enhanced by her tailored coat and heels left no doubt as to who she was. "Madame Mayor," Miller stammered, his hand immediately releasing Jaden's arm. Karen's face turned ghostly pale, her confident smirk replaced with sheer panic. Jaden's tear streaked face lit up with a mix of relief and exhaustion. "Mom," he cried, his voice breaking as he threw himself into her arms.
Harriet held him tightly, one hand stroking his back, her other arm protectively shielding him from the crowd. "The boy you wanted to arrest," she said, her voice low and dangerously calm. "Is my son?" Jaden's tear streaked face lit up with relief. "Mom," he cried, his voice trembling with emotion.
Harriet rushed to her son, pulling him into a protective embrace. His tears soaked into her blazer as he clung to her. Finally feeling safe, Harriet turned sharply. Her fiery gaze locking onto Karen and Miller. Her voice was cold and cutting as she spoke.
"The boy you're trying to detain is my son." Karen's face went pale, her lips trembled as she tried to form a response. "Yeah," she stammered. "What did my son do to deserve this treatment?" Harriet demanded, her voice rising with anger.