Chapter 4

Richard took a step back and shot Linda a sharp look.

"Go get that necklace."

Understanding instantly, Linda hurried behind the counter, grabbed a necklace from a drawer, and concealed it tightly in her palm.

Richard cleared his throat, raising his voice so the entire hallway could hear.

"Since you refuse to confess, we'll search your bag! Let everyone see what's really inside!"

"Go ahead and search," I spat. "There is no necklace in my bag."

Richard gave the guards a nod.

"Search it."

Two guards pinned my shoulders down firmly, while another snatched the purse off my shoulder.

Linda took my bag, turning her back slightly to the crowd, the necklace already hidden in her hand.

She reached deep into my purse, rummaged around for a second, and then dramatically yanked her hand out.

A diamond necklace dangled from her fingers, catching the bright store lights.

"Found it! Caught red-handed!"

She held the necklace high in the air, yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Look, everyone! Here it is! Our hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar necklace, hidden right inside her bag!"

Both Chloe and I stared in utter disbelief.

Then it hit me—this had been a setup from the very start.

The crowd outside went wild.

"They actually found it?"

"She really was a thief!"

"Caught red-handed and still trying to deny it?"

I stared at the necklace in her hand, trembling with fury.

"That was never in my bag! She pulled it out of her own hand! You framed me!"

Richard scoffed loudly.

"Framed you? It was pulled straight out of your bag in front of dozens of witnesses, and you claim it's a frame job?"

"It is a frame job! I have never seen that necklace in my life!"

My voice cracked from screaming.

"You think I'd care about your cheap hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar necklace?"

I tilted my chin down, gesturing toward my collarbones.

"The necklace around my neck is worth over two million dollars! Why the hell would I steal your cheap display piece?"

Richard’s gaze dropped to my chest.

Resting against my skin was a platinum chain holding a rare, flawless pink diamond, radiating a soft, mesmerizing glow under the spotlights.

He stared at it for two seconds, then burst into mocking laughter.

"Two million dollars? For this?"

He reached out and grabbed the pendant around my neck.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I instinctively tried to pull back, but the guards pinned me mercilessly.

"Drop the act. A twenty-dollar knockoff from a street stall, and you claim it's worth millions?"

Richard yanked violently.

*Snap!*

The delicate chain snapped. The necklace tore free from my neck, slipped through his fingers, and hit the marble floor, bouncing twice.

"You think this piece of junk is worth millions?"

He sneered, kicking the fallen diamond aside with the toe of his shoe.

My mind went completely blank.

That necklace... Ethan had bought it for me last year at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong for nearly two million dollars.

It was our third-anniversary gift.

He had searched the globe to find that specific pink diamond and hired a master jeweler to design it exclusively for me.

I wore it every single day. I had never taken it off.

And now, it lay broken on the filthy floor, kicked aside like garbage by Richard Stone.

Chloe completely lost her mind.

"That necklace is real! It's real, you idiots!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice cracking with hysteria.

"My brother bought that at an auction for two million dollars! It was an anniversary gift for Natalie!"

"You're dead! All of you are dead!"

Richard paused for a brief second, then roared with laughter.

"Two million dollars? Her necklace cost two million?"

Linda joined in, laughing mockingly.

"Mr. Vance spending millions on jewelry for her? Does she even look worthy?"

Chloe kept sobbing and screaming.

"You're going to regret this! When Ethan gets here, none of you will escape!"

Richard clicked his tongue, completely brushing off her words.