Chapter 79 Another Nightmare
ANNA'S POV
I still didn’t fully understand what happened yesterday, or how that necklace ended up under my bed, but one thing I knew for sure was that yesterday had been one of the worst days I had ever experienced in this house. And the painful part was that I genuinely loved this house. It now feels like home, a place where I finally belonged, and watching everything almost crumble in a single day hurt more than I expected.
Even though a part of me suspected Isabel was behind it, I couldn’t point fingers recklessly. Accusing her without solid proof would only make things worse for me. It would make me look desperate, defensive, and guilty. Until I had clear evidence that she was the one who tried to frame me, I had to keep quiet and tread carefully.
Throughout yesterday, I was angry with myself. Angry for reasons I couldn’t even fully explain. Even though I wasn’t the one who took the necklace, for the first time since I stepped foot into this house, my mom looked at me in a way she never had before. That look lingered in my mind far longer than the accusation itself.
I understood that parents had the right to be angry at their children. They had the right to question, to discipline, even when their child was the most obedient person in the world. That was part of being a parent. But yesterday wasn’t normal anger. It was doubt. And seeing that doubt reflected in her eyes shattered something inside me.
Something about the way she stared at me just didn’t sit right. It wasn’t harsh, but it wasn’t warm either. It was cautious. Careful. As if she was trying to decide whether she truly knew me or not.
And that hurt.
I knew my mom loved me with all her heart. I never doubted that for a second. Which was exactly why it was painful to see her look at me that way. Painful to feel like, even for a moment, I had lost her trust.
Last night, I tried to apologize even though I wasn’t the one who took the necklace. I wanted to talk to them one-on-one, to clear the air properly, to explain myself calmly without everyone else around. But Dan stopped me. He said I should give them some time, at least until morning, that emotions were still too high.
Now it was already 7 a.m.
Another day. Another nightmare.
I had been awake since 4 a.m., jolted out of sleep by the same nightmare I had the night before. My heart still felt heavy as I stood there, staring at my reflection earlier in the bathroom mirror. The fear clung to me stubbornly, refusing to fade.
I needed to find a solution, and I needed to find it fast. If not, this whole situation would start affecting my work, and I couldn’t afford that. I had worked too hard to let personal drama pull me backwards.
If the solution meant staying away from James and his entire family, then that was exactly what I would do. All I had to do was speed up my plans and put them into motion sooner than expected.
This nightmare and anything connected to James must not affect my life or my work again. I refused to let it. I wouldn’t allow it.
I stepped out of the bathroom, adjusted my night robe, and took a deep breath before heading straight for the door. My steps were steady, even though my heart wasn’t. Once I was out in the hallway, I walked straight to Mom and Dad’s room and knocked softly.
A few moments later, the door opened. Mom stood there, already dressed, her expression calmer than yesterday. She stepped aside immediately, allowing me to come in without hesitation.
“Good morning,” I said gently. “How are you guys feeling?”
“Better than yesterday,” my mom replied honestly.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I know yesterday was rough, and a lot of tension went around, but you know I didn’t take that necklace. I was framed.”
“By who?” my dad asked, his tone calm but serious.
I opened my mouth to say Isabel’s name, but I stopped myself just in time. I didn’t have proof. Accusing her now would only complicate things. “I don’t know,” I said instead. “But I know I was framed.”
Dad let out a small sigh, rubbing his temples briefly. Then Mom spoke.
“All night, I thought about it,” she said softly. “And I believe you. You didn’t take it.”
I looked at her, surprised and relieved all at once. “Are you sure? Because the way you looked at me yesterday… it had me worried.”
“My emotions were all over the place yesterday,” she admitted. “That necklace is very precious to this family. But once I calmed down, everything became clearer to me. I’m sorry if the way I looked at you made you worried.”
As she spoke, she reached out and held my arm gently.
A big smile immediately spread across my face, relief flooding through me. I leaned forward and pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly. At that moment, a heavy weight lifted off my chest.
“Dan still wants to find out who did it,” my dad said after a moment. “If he does, that would be good news. But even if he doesn’t, no one is going to try framing or stealing from anyone in this house again.”
“You’re putting up surveillance cameras?” I asked, already guessing his next words.
“Yes,” he replied firmly. “At each and every corner of the house. Watching everyone’s movements.”
That sounded a little extreme, but given the size of this house, it also made sense. Cameras were necessary. We liked to believe the maids and guards were loyal, but the truth was, we never really knew what went on when we weren’t watching. Small things could go missing — food, drinks, little items — things that might not be noticed immediately.
At least now, no one would be able to pull something like this again.
And if someone tried, they would be caught.