Chapter 3

Mr. Collins stood in front of Victoria, practically drenched in sweat, his smile strained with eagerness.

“Mrs. Sterling, please don’t be upset. Grand Arcadia Mall will absolutely give you a satisfactory resolution. Would you like us to call the police?”

“The police?”

Victoria let out a short, cold laugh and set her teacup down with deliberate calm. Her gaze dragged slowly across my face.

“That would be far too lenient. A criminal record would only invite gossip, that people saying my son once dated a thief. The Sterling family doesn’t tolerate that kind of disgrace.”

She paused, her expression sharpening.

“I want her searched. Her bag, and her person. Let everyone see exactly what kind of low-class liar she really is.”

A body search.

So this was where we were headed. Public humiliation, plain and simple.

Mr. Collins hesitated. “Mrs. Sterling… that would violate store policy. We’re not authorized to conduct personal searches.”

Victoria cut him off without a second thought.

“Mr. Collins, shall I remind you how much the Sterling family spends here every year? If you choose to protect a thief today, you’ll deal with the consequences yourself.”

That was enough.

The last of his hesitation vanished. He turned to me, his tone suddenly stiff and official.

“Miss, if you want to prove your innocence, I suggest you cooperate. Otherwise, we’ll have no choice but to involve the police.”

I looked around the room.

At Victoria’s cold arrogance.

At Lily Bennett’s barely concealed satisfaction.

At Adrian Sterling’s distant indifference.

At Mr. Collins, bending himself into whatever shape power demanded.

“Fine,” I said evenly. “I’ll cooperate.”

I stepped up to the coffee table and, under everyone’s watchful gaze, began emptying my Hermès limited-edition bag.

Wallet.

Keys.

Phone.

Lipstick.

Tissues.

Each item placed neatly in front of me.

Nothing else.

Victoria frowned, unwilling to accept defeat. She strode forward, grabbed my bag, and turned it inside out, even running her fingers along every seam.

Still nothing.

“That’s impossible!” she snapped. “Then it must be on her.”

Her eyes dropped to my jacket.

I was wearing a sharply tailored Chanel blazer. Ignoring the security guards at my sides, I met her gaze, and Lily’s, and let a faint smile curl at my lips.

“You really want to see?”

Without breaking eye contact, I slipped my hand into my pocket.

The room seemed to fall completely silent.

When I withdrew my hand, a sapphire brooch rested in my palm.

Deep blue. Luminous. Cold as ice.

“Ah,” Lily gasped before she could stop herself.

She quickly covered her mouth, her eyes reddening again.

“Claire… how could you…?”

Victoria lit up with triumph, her voice rising sharply.

“You see that? Caught red-handed. I knew it. She’s a thief.”

Mr. Collins exhaled in relief and immediately signaled to security.

Two guards stepped forward, positioning themselves on either side of me.

The room filled with silent judgment.

Adrian stared at me, whatever hesitation he’d had completely gone.

He stepped closer, his voice calm, almost detached, like a verdict already decided.

“Claire Bennett, I gave you a chance. Now that you’ve been caught, what else do you have to say?”

Disgust flickered in his eyes.

“Why would you do this? Because my mother disapproved? Because Lily made you jealous? So you staged this pathetic stunt for revenge?”

His voice hardened.

“You’ve disappointed me.”

I looked at him.

Really looked at him.

And then I laughed.