010: SHE STOLE THE NECKLACE

009:

“Oh, what’s wrong?” Nicholas’ voice echoed, and I bit down on my lower lip.

“I have to go,” I muttered, grabbing my jacket from the chair. Nicholas stood up immediately, confusion written all over his face at my sudden move.

I reached for the door handle and pulled, but it didn’t budge. I tugged again, harder, then turned back to Nicholas.

“What’s happening?” I asked, but my words was drowned out by the noise around us.

The crowd had gathered, faces twisted in anger, disgust, and clear curiosity.

“How dare you treat guests in such a way?” a blonde, middle-aged woman yelled, jabbing her finger into a man’s chest, even pushing him backward.

I turned to the bouncer guarding the door. “What happened?” I asked.

He stared at me coldly, clearly unwilling to say anything. But my sharp gaze made his lips part.

“Something was stolen,” he muttered, turning away and crossing his arms, clearly done talking.

I clenched my teeth. “I don’t have time for this,” I murmured, glancing at my phone. It wasn’t even urgent, just an excuse to escape this stupid date.

Then I spotted the manager trying to calm the furious woman.

“Ma’am, please stay calm. Everything is under control. Everyone will be allowed to leave once this is resolved,” he said.

But she raised her hand.

POW

The sound echoed, titling his head to the side. The manager froze, jaw clenched. His eyes stayed calm, but fury burned beneath them.

“Do we look like petty thieves to you?” she snapped. “Millionaires. Billionaires. Even trillionaires eat here. Who would steal a stupid necklace?”

I watched silently.

My gaze shifted and froze.

Morana, she was whispering to an elderly woman, her lips stretching in exaggerated shock. I wondered what lie she was feeding her.

Then Morana looked at me, pure hostility. She scoffed and pointed straight at me.

“Check that thief’s jacket!” the woman beside Morana yelled.

I froze.

Thief?

My lips parted to speak, but Nicholas was shoved aside and my jacket was ripped from my hands.

“What are you doing? This violates customer security, this is illegal!” I yelled, trying to grab it back, but Nicholas’ hand landed on my shoulder.

“Chill,” he said softly, pretending to be calm, but I knew better. He was scared. Not of the truth, but of the woman staring down at me.

Caroline Deluch.

The French fashion titan. A woman with a trillion-dollar empire, a living legend.

I admired her, but right now, all I felt was disgust.

The jacket was shaken violently and something fell.

A diamond necklace hit the floor, glittering under the lights.

My lips froze mid-breath.

“You stole it?” Morana shrieked, a satisfied smirk curling on her lips. “Not only poor, but a thief too! You’ve gone too far, Anna!”

My eyes darkened.

“You have no proof!” I snapped.

Morana laughed. “The necklace fell out of your jacket. Really, Anna? Lying your way out now?”

I clenched my teeth, staring at her like I could rip her apart.

Before I could speak—

POW.

A slap landed hard across my face. My head snapped to the side.

Caroline scoffed. “Even now, you dare lie?”

I turned slowly to her. “Who said I stole it?” her lips twitched, rage flaring in her eyes because I replied.

“You stole it?” Nicholas asked, stepping forward and every gaze burned into me.

“I didn’t,” I said sharply.

Nicholas frowned. “Anna, there’s evidence. Is that why you were rushing to leave? You thought you could get away with it?”

So now I'm guilty? I wasn’t surprised, I turned to Caroline. “I was framed.”

The crowd burst into laughter: mocking, cruel, crawling under my skin, made me grip the hen of my dress.

“Shameless!” Morana sneered. “Mrs. Caroline, arrest her! She’s a starving orphan. The only reason she’s here is because she used Nicholas. Of course she’d steal!”

Caroline’s eyes darkened. “Confess,” she said coldly. “I hate liars.”

“Confess to something I didn’t do?” I asked, disgust twisting my lips.

“Just confess,” Nicholas added quietly behind me. “That way you won’t be charged.”

I ignored him.

He didn’t care if I was beaten or dragged away. He just didn’t want his name stained.

“Orphans have no home training,” someone muttered.

“What do you expect without parents?”

“I would abandon a child like her too.”

“Beat her.”

“Take her to prison.”

“A pretty thief, how disappointing.” I inhaled sharply, nails digging into my skin at their scandalous words.

Whoever planned this… planned it well.

I turned to Morana. She wasn’t acting alone, but Nicholas? He was too busy chasing Kara and pretending to be noble.

“I really—”

Caroline raised her hand to silence me. I stepped back, dodging it.

Her eyes blazed. “Seize her.” Four guards rushed forward, gripping my arms.

“Let me go. I’m innocent,” I said, but she scoffed.

“A night in prison will loosen your tongue.”

She reached for her phone. I couldn’t go to prison, not for something I didn’t do.

“Did you check the CCTV before accusing me?” my voice rang out.

The room fell silent, even Morana froze, like she had been slapped.

Caroline paused and turned to the manager. One look and he moved.

Moments later, a private screen was wheeled in.

The footage played.

I watched confidently, but then, my lashes flutterered.

“Wait,” Morana said sharply. “Rewind.” The footage rewound.

“Stop.” The room froze, my lips parted, even blood drained from my body.

Morana laughed, folding her arms under her chest. “Everything leads to you, Anna. Orphans always stay lost.”

Caroline turned to Nicholas. “Was she with you all night?”

So my fate rested with him? I already knew the answer.

The prison cell should welcome me.

“She wasn’t,” Nicholas said. “She left earlier, she said she was going to the restroom.”

He looked at me. “I thought you went there first.” that face that carried distain yet something. He had a feeling I didn't do such but he didn't want to defend me.

My lips parted to retort but my legs gave out, I collapsed into him.

He pushed me away and I hit the cold door, staring at him, I had bruised my arm.

The police arrived, minutes later and handcuffs snapped around my wrists. I was shoved forward as the crowd hurled insults.

I said nothing, instead, I reached for my waistline.

Nicholas’ phone was still there.

A slow smile curved my lips, until I saw red Louboutin heels disappearing into the crowd.

I didn’t see her face, but that smirk? It said everything.