Chapter 37 Lily’s POV
Chapter 37 Lily’s POV
The hallway felt like it was closing in on me. Every pair of eyes in the house was on me, judging, accusing. The Rolex watch lay on the table in front of the staff like evidence of my supposed crime. My heart pounded, and I swallowed hard.
Before I could even gather my thoughts, Sebastian arrived. The way he entered calm, poised, yet with an unmistakable edge sent a shiver down my spine. The crowd parted instinctively as he walked in, his eyes scanning the chaos until they finally rested on me.
“Lily,” he said, his voice calm but commanding, “explain everything that happened.”
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Words felt like they were trapped in my throat. I had to make them understand—had to make him understand but before I could start, the storm began.
Victoria’s voice cut through the silence like a whip.
“She stole it!” she shouted, pointing at me. “She’s a thief! A woman like her, a child of a prostitute—of course she would steal! It’s in her blood!”
I froze. My hands trembled. My chest tightened. I wanted to shout, to defend myself, but Victoria wasn’t done.
“The watch she ‘stole’ is worth millions!” she added, her face twisted in fury. “Millions! And you expect us to believe she didn’t take it?”
I shook my head frantically. “I—I didn’t steal it!” I stammered. “I don’t even know how it got there!”
But they wouldn’t stop. They weren’t listening. Nina, the maid who had been used to frame me, stepped forward, pointing directly at me.
“I saw it!” Nina shouted. “I saw the watch in her hands! Of course she took it ,nobody has access to Mr. Sebastian’s office except her!”
The room erupted into whispers and gasps. Some servants muttered curses under their breath. Others shook their heads as if my guilt was obvious. Every accusing finger, every murmured insult, sank like daggers into me.
Then Sebastian’s mother, Katrine, stepped forward. Her voice was cold, steady, and piercing.
“Did you really steal it, Lily? Why… why would you do this? My son has been good to you. Generous. Trusting. Why would you betray that?”
I opened my mouth, trying to speak, but no words came. How could I explain that I hadn’t stolen it? How could I prove myself when every adult in the room had already decided I was guilty?
Katrine’s eyes narrowed. “I already know you have a bad heart. Is it because you calmed Sebastian down that you think you can take advantage of the situation? What you stole is worth millions, and you’re here trying to act innocent.”
I swallowed, my throat dry. My hands twisted nervously. The words stuck in my throat. I had nothing to say that would make a difference.
Celine stepped forward, her smirk wide, her eyes glinting with triumph.
“I think someone like her should never be a maid in this empire,” she said sharply. “Not to talk about being a personal assistant. She should be punished. And thrown out.”
Victoria immediately supported her, joining in with the other maids.
“Yes!” she shouted. “She should be punished! Throw her out! Make an example of her!”
The chorus of angry voices grew louder, rising like a wave ready to crush me. Every insult, every accusation, made my chest tighten further. My knees felt weak.
Sebastian was still silent. His eyes were locked on me, unreadable, but the weight of everyone else’s voices made me feel like I was drowning.
“I like you, Lily,” Katrine said, her tone softening slightly for just a second but then the edge returned. “But I’m sorry. This is beyond what can be overlooked. If you continue to work here, it will spoil the reputation of the empire. The best solution… is to throw you out, Sebastian.”
I stood there, frozen, my mind racing. Every possible escape seemed blocked. Every word I could have spoken failed me. I realized then, painfully, that in that moment… nobody could save me.
Nobody could see the truth.
Nobody could stop the trap that had been set for me.
I swallowed hard and remained silent, my hands clenching at my sides. I could feel their eyes piercing me from every direction, accusing, judging, deciding my fate. My mind was a whirlwind of panic, shame, and disbelief.
How had it come to this? How had my life already complicated enough spiraled into a nightmare in mere minutes?
Sebastian finally took a step forward, his presence alone demanding attention. His calm, measured expression made everyone stop talking. Even Celine and Victoria paused, glancing at him nervously.
“Lily,” he said softly, almost like a whisper in my ear, but loud enough for the entire room to hear, “you will tell me the truth. Everything. Right now.”
I swallowed again, my lips dry. My voice was barely a whisper.
“I–I didn’t steal it, sir,” I said. “I don’t know how it got into my bag. I was trying to”
Celine interrupted sharply, stepping forward with a sneer.
“Don’t listen to her!” she spat. “She lies! She’s a thief! And you think calming Sebastian down means she can get away with anything? She’s dangerous, sir! You shouldn’t trust her!”
Victoria joined in immediately. “She’s not only a thief, sir. She’s a child of a prostitute. Look at her! She’s cunning and deceitful. This is just proof!”
I took a step back, my heart hammering. My chest felt tight. I wanted to scream, to cry, to shake them into understanding the truth but every voice around me was louder than mine.
I swallowed, tears stinging my eyes. My voice was firm, but quiet. “I swear, I didn’t steal it! I don’t know how it got there! Please, you have to believe me!”
Sebastian’s gaze didn’t waver. He was calm, but I could feel the tension in the room melt slightly as his presence dominated everything. He didn’t say anything immediately, but his eyes the sharp, calculating eyes I had grown to recognize saw everything. Every fear, every doubt, every tremble.
The maids and Victoria, however, were relentless. “How can we trust her?” they shouted. “The watch is worth millions! How do we know she didn’t take it when no one was looking?”
I clenched my fists, trying not to break down entirely. My mind raced. The trap had worked perfectly—Celine and Victoria had executed it flawlessly. I was trapped, surrounded by false evidence, accusations, and lies.
I looked at Sebastian, searching for a hint, any hint that he would believe me. My throat ached. My chest burned. My pride and dignity felt like they were slipping through my fingers.
The room buzzed with tension. Everyone’s attention was fixed on me. I felt completely powerless, like a small bird trapped in a cage, with predators circling.
Finally, I whispered to myself, barely audible:
“Nobody can save me now… not from this pit I’ve fallen into.”