Chapter 2

I was done wasting my breath on Linda.

"Let’s go, Chloe. We'll let Ethan handle this."

I took Chloe's hand and turned toward the glass doors.

Suddenly, Linda sprinted forward, spreading her arms wide to block the exit.

"Leaving? You think you can just walk out?"

I frowned at her.

"You smashed our phones. We haven't even settled that bill yet, and you're holding us hostage?"

A sinister smirk tugged at the corner of Linda's mouth.

The very next second, she shrieked at the top of her lungs.

"Thief! Stop them! We have thieves here!"

I froze.

Chloe froze too.

"They stole a hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar diamond necklace from our store! Both of them!"

Linda pointed directly at us, her shrill voice echoing across the entire floor.

"I saw them slip it into her bag with my own eyes!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"That's a blatant lie! We never touched any necklace!"

Chloe panicked, tears spilling over.

"You're framing us! You smashed our phones, and now you're lying through your teeth!"

Linda ignored our protests completely, screaming into the hallway.

"Security! Security! Get over here right now!"

In less than thirty seconds, four uniformed security guards charged inside.

"It's those two! They stole a diamond necklace! Don't let them escape!"

Without asking a single question, the guards lunged forward. One pinned my shoulders, while another grabbed Chloe's arm, wrenching it roughly.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

I struggled fiercely, but the guard's grip was brutal. He twisted my arms painfully behind my back.

"Stay still! You stole from this store and you dare resist?"

Chloe was shoved roughly against a display shelf by another guard. She burst into tears from the pain.

"We didn't steal anything!"

I screamed at Linda, my eyes blazing.

"We never laid a finger on your jewelry! We stole nothing!"

"Search my bag right now! Check the security cameras if you dare!"

Linda sneered coldly.

"Check the cameras? That’s for the police to do. Who knows if you'll pass it off to an accomplice in the meantime?"

She strode toward the storefront, addressing the rapidly gathering crowd outside.

"Everyone, take a good look! These two stole a hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar necklace from our display, and they tried to run when I caught them red-handed!"

The crowd instantly erupted into whispers.

"Are you serious? A hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar necklace?"

"Look at how they're dressed. Makes sense they'd try to steal."

"If you're broke, don't come to these places. Greedy hands always get caught."

A woman carrying designer shopping bags looked at us with sheer disgust.

"Stealing and pretending to be high society. Earlier I heard her claiming her husband owns the mall. What a joke."

Another man raised his phone, recording video.

"Put this on TikTok. Let everyone see what these thieves look like."

Pinned against the cold shelf, Chloe's face was flushed red with humiliation.

"We are not thieves! How can you say that without proof?"

"Proof? You were caught on the spot," Linda walked over, looking down at us like we were dirt.

"I suggest you hand over the necklace right now. Otherwise, once the cops get here, a bag search will be the least of your worries."

"We didn't steal it!"

I glared at her through gritted teeth.

Linda let out a mock sigh and turned back to the crowd.

"See that? Denying it to the bitter end."

"I see people like them all the time. Penniless, but the second they see luxury, they just can't control their sticky fingers."

I glared at her, my fingernails digging painfully into my palms.

Chloe sobbed so hard she could barely catch her breath, repeating the same words over and over.

"We didn't steal it... We really didn't..."

Not a single person believed us.

The crowd grew larger by the second, their mocking whispers cutting into us like poisoned daggers.