Chapter 4

Tristan threw himself into Vanessa's arms as though he had suffered some unimaginable wrong.

"Vanessa, I'm so sad. Why does Micah hate me this much?"

After hearing the story, Vanessa's face darkened and her eyes turned vicious.

"That bastard still dared to hurt you? I'll break every bone in his body.

"Lock down the estate. Find him."

Then she gently wiped the tears from Tristan's cheeks.

Meanwhile, I knew nothing about the accusation being built around me. I had delivered the flowers exactly where I was told and was already hurrying toward my next job.

Just as I reached the exit, someone clamped both hands around my arm.

"It's him. I saw him sneaking out of Tristan's lounge. He's the thief."

Sharp fingernails dug into my skin hard enough to leave dark bruises and immediate pain.

Vanessa gave the security guards a cold look, and a second later they dragged me in front of her.

She drove the pointed toe of her heel into the back of my knee, sending pain through my leg and forcing me down hard in front of Tristan.

"You pretended not to want anything from us so we'd think you'd changed. Turns out you're exactly the same."

Dozens of judging, disgusted eyes settled on me.

I frowned from the pain, completely unaware of what they were talking about.

When I tried to stand, another guard forced me back down and held me there.

Vanessa walked over, dug her red-painted nails into my cheek, and glared down at me.

"Give back the watch and apologize to Tristan. Otherwise, you'll learn exactly what happens next."

"Why? I didn't do anything."

The crowd's contempt sharpened, and angry voices began flying toward me.

"The Graysons had the worst luck in the world finding someone like him. Rotten to the core."

"He thinks stealing a watch and ruining a suit will make him replace Tristan? Has he looked at himself?"

"Poor Tristan. Imagine putting up with someone like this for so long."

Tristan was clearly enjoying the outrage on his behalf, but he arranged his expression into patient sadness and spoke at just the right moment.

"Maybe Micah was upset and acted without thinking. It's fine. I can let it go."

Vanessa could never tolerate seeing her precious brother endure anything, and the hatred in her eyes hardened.

"What right do you have to be upset? If your life is miserable, blame your own greed and cruelty."

Only then did I understand that they thought I had stolen something.

"I didn't. I'm here delivering flowers. Gerald was with me the entire time. Bring him here and ask him."

Gerald immediately denied that the flower shop had ever been hired.

"He told me Mr. Tristan had given him permission to go inside and collect a few things. That's why I let him through."

In an instant, the story changed: I had supposedly schemed my way into the estate, stolen the watch, sabotaged Tristan's birthday, and then lied about all of it.

But I had done nothing.

"I swear he escorted me. Call the flower shop and verify the delivery order."

Vanessa watched me struggle with a cold smile.

"Still lying. Micah, you disgust me."

Just then, Richard and Elaine Grayson pushed through the crowd. Once the story was explained, both looked at me with open revulsion.

"You've humiliated this family enough. If you refuse to admit it, search him."

We were surrounded by guests, it was summer, and I wore almost nothing beyond a shirt and thin pants. A forced search in front of everyone would feel like being stripped in public.

Worse, several older men in the crowd were no longer hiding the way they stared at my body.

Humiliation surged through me as I knelt there and struggled desperately.

"I told you I didn't steal anything. You have no evidence. What right do you have to accuse me?"

"Micah, I know you love Ivy and resent me, but that watch came from her. It matters to me. Please give it back."