In the end, Sophia and Baker still met in the detention room. Sophia looked somewhat helpless as she said, "Baker, you know I have no money left. I can't just come up with such an enormous sum whenever I want."
"I know, I know, Sophia. I know this puts you in a difficult position, but I have to get out of here. Otherwise, everything I did before will have been for nothing." Gripping the bars as though he wanted to stick his head through the gap, Baker said anxiously, "As long as I can get out of here, I can turn this around! I can find evidence proving I'm innocent and ruin that damned Stark!"
Sophia lowered her head and thought for a long time before looking up at Baker. "I know this will hurt you, but I still have to say it. You know the root of all this lies with you. If you hadn't acted on impulse back then, if you hadn't made so many mistakes afterward, things never would have ended up like this."
"I'm truly sorry," Baker said, panting heavily. "But I just need one chance. One last chance."
"I hope you can seize this chance," Sophia said. "This really is your last chance, Quentin."
After Sophia left, Baker covered his face and leaned against the bars, breathing heavily. The immense pressure and anxiety had brought him to the brink of collapse.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Baker finally heard footsteps again. He turned his head and saw someone he knew—Schiller.
Schiller sighed. "We meet again. I'm here to give you a psychological evaluation. We have to make sure your mental state won't endanger society after you leave. If you pass, you can go."
Baker let out a long breath.
He was taken