Chapter 81

Chapter 81

The three of them talked things over in the car for a while longer, finalized their plan to move at midnight, and split up to buy the tools they needed to break in.

Late that night, Stella drove and picked them both up.

She parked not far from the Smith Villa.

Stella slowly rolled down the car window and squinted at the Smith Villa in the distance.

Just as Charlotte had predicted, the Smith Villa was now guarded by professional security. Even from a distance, they could make out the muscular bodyguards standing watch.

And there were quite a few of them.

Ellie took one look at the bodyguards and started to get cold feet.

"Maybe... should we think of another way?"

Stella turned and gave her a cold look.

She was wearing a hat and a face mask, with only her eyes showing — and they were ice cold, full of impatience.

"Look how far we've come, and now you want to back out? They're just a few bodyguards. We go around the back and climb over the wall. We'll find a way in."

Isabella was equally annoyed at Ellie's hesitation.

"We've come this far — are we just going to leave? If we give up now, everything we've done means nothing. Once we get the stolen goods and frame Charlotte, we'll get the shares back."

Ellie gritted her teeth and let the two of them push her out of the car.

Luckily, all three of them were slim, dressed in black from head to toe, with black hats and masks covering their faces. Hidden in the shadows of the trees along the road, the patrolling guards didn't notice them at all.

Stella led the way, keeping a close eye on the guards at the entrance as she quietly slipped around to the low wall at the back.

"We go over here."

Ellie looked up at the wall.

"Are you sure we're climbing over this?"

Before she could say another word, Stella had already vaulted over the wall in one clean move. Isabella followed right after, copying Stella's movements.

In the blink of an eye, Ellie was the only one left.

These pampered young women climbed over a wall without even flinching, all to frame Charlotte and get their shares back — which showed just how deep their hatred for her ran.

Ellie's legs went weak at the sight of the wall, but there was no one to help her, and Stella and Isabella kept urging her from the other side.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to climb over, copying Stella as best she could. When she landed, her knee slammed hard into the ground. The pain shot through her, but she didn't dare make a sound — terrified of drawing the guards' attention.

The three of them quickly slipped into the villa's living room. The front door wasn't even locked. Stella gently pulled it open and went in first.

Isabella and Ellie followed close behind.

The moment they stepped inside, their eyes were drawn to the items displayed on the shelves nearby.

There were no lights on inside the villa — only the faint beam of Stella's flashlight and the moonlight filtering in through the windows.

In that dim glow, the displayed collection shimmered with a soft, warm light. Antique silver pieces and gemstones were neatly arranged, and even at a glance it was clear they were worth a fortune.

"These are in such beautiful condition."

Even Isabella, who knew nothing about antiques, couldn't help but murmur in admiration.

Stella stared fixedly at the items. Beyond the original plan to frame Charlotte, a different thought quietly crept into her mind.

She kept it off her face. By the time she turned to look at Ellie and Isabella, every trace of greed had vanished from her eyes.

"We only need a few pieces — nothing too much. Taking too many out of here would be risky. Isabella, go look for something suitable and get it packed up quickly."

"Ellie, you keep watch. If anything happens, let us know right away."

Isabella moved forward at once, running her hands along the shelves. She picked up a finely carved silver ornament that gleamed in the dim light, then reached for a few more easy-to-carry pieces, tucking them one by one into the cloth bag they'd brought.

Ellie stood behind them, her eyes fixed on the window, watching for any movement outside.

Neither of them noticed that Stella, who was supposed to be helping, had quietly slipped away in a different direction — toward another set of shelves.

Unlike the silver pieces out front, the items on these shelves were William's most prized personal collection — heavy, rare, and worth a great deal on the market.

Stella vaguely remembered a powerful figure in the antique trade who had a deep passion for rare artifacts. If she could quietly pass along some of these one-of-a-kind gemstones, it might open some very useful doors for her.

She glanced back at the other two — one busy packing things into the bag, the other focused on keeping watch — and satisfied that neither was paying attention, she slipped a few pendants and gemstones into a hidden pocket close to her body.

She deliberately chose small, high-value pieces. If she could get them to the right person, she'd have a powerful patron on her side and leave a strong impression — and never have to worry about her future again.

Stella worked quickly, using the cabinet as cover. Once she was done, she straightened her clothes and walked back to Isabella's side as if nothing had happened.

"How's it going? All packed up?"

Isabella glanced into the bag and nodded.

"All done. This should be enough."

The two of them walked back to Ellie.

"Time to go."

They retraced their steps and got back in the car, finally letting out a long, heavy breath.

With the powerful patron on her mind, Stella drove straight to Charlotte's building.

She was the boldest of the three. Under the cover of darkness, she got out of the car alone and quietly slipped the silver hairpins and other items from the bag into the storage compartment on the passenger side of Charlotte's car.

Once it was done, Stella got back in the car.

She dropped Isabella and Ellie off at their respective homes, then didn't head back to the Smith Mansion. Instead, she drove off into the night and gradually disappeared into the darkness.

The next morning, Charlotte was woken up by a loud, persistent knocking at her door.

She came downstairs and opened the door to find Thomas standing there, furious.

Stella sat behind him. The moment Charlotte opened the door, a smug smile crept across Stella's face, her eyes full of calm confidence — like someone who already knew they'd won.

Charlotte, the evidence is right there. Let's see how long you can keep that look on your face.

She whispered to herself.

The next second, Thomas raised his hand high, his face twisted with rage.

His chest heaved violently, his eyes bloodshot. He looked like a powder keg about to explode.

"Charlotte, how dare you — who gave you the nerve to take my father's personal collection!"

His furious shout echoed through the hallway. Thomas glared at Charlotte like he wanted to tear her apart.

"He treated you well when he was alive. And this is how you treat what he left behind?"

Stella stood behind him without a word, but her eyes were full of cold, gleeful mockery.