Chapter 82

Chapter 82

She had been waiting to watch Charlotte panic and fall apart, left with nothing to say.

But Charlotte's expression didn't change at all from start to finish. She just watched Thomas lose it with cold indifference, and only when he was fuming and about to slap her did she finally speak, her voice sharp and her brow furrowed.

"You dare?"

She let those two words drop lightly, and Thomas froze like he'd been nailed to the spot — his hand raised high, unable to come down.

Charlotte had read him exactly right. Thomas never had any intention of actually hitting her. The whole thing was just meant to scare her.

"Done?"

Seeing how completely unfazed Charlotte was, Thomas lost his earlier rage. He calmed down a little, though the anger was still simmering beneath the surface.

"Several items went missing from the Smith Villa yesterday. I have evidence that proves they were in your car. Caught red-handed — so drop the act."

"Unless you can prove to me that you didn't do it."

Thomas lifted his chin, his tone certain.

Clearly convinced Charlotte had no way out.

Charlotte leaned against the doorframe, raised an eyebrow at his words, casually picked something up from the entryway, and tossed it onto the floor in front of Thomas and Stella.

"Is this what you're talking about?"

The object hit the floor, and Stella's eyes went wide with shock.

She had personally placed it in the storage compartment of Charlotte's passenger seat yesterday. So how was it back here?

But the thing was still in Charlotte's hands, and that gave her a sudden rush of confidence.

"Yes, that's it. If you didn't steal it, why would it show up in your house?"

Stella stepped forward quickly, pointing at the item on the floor, backing him up with full confidence.

"Go ahead and explain — why is it in your house?"

"Why?"

Charlotte shot back with a cold laugh.

"I'm curious — my car doors were locked the whole time, not a single scratch on the windows. What, did this thing grow legs and walk into my car?"

She finished speaking and swept her gaze over Stella, whose face had gone stiff.

"Max, bring the footage."

Max heard her from inside and handed over the laptop, scrolling through it right there. Security footage from the Smith Villa the night before appeared on the screen.

In the dead of night, three dark figures climbed over the wall one after another, and then the camera locked onto them and followed them into the living room.

Thomas watched the footage, his expression darkening. Beside him, the color drained completely from Stella's face, and her hand at her side tightened slightly.

"How can you prove the person in that footage is me?"

She forced herself to speak through the panic rising inside her.

Charlotte had already anticipated the question. She slid her fingertip across the trackpad, and the footage froze on a frame of Stella looking up as she took the jewels.

Her eyes were captured with perfect clarity by the camera — you could even see the beads of sweat at her temple — and the profile of her face, the line of her jaw, were a dead match for the Stella standing right there.

Charlotte tapped the screen.

"Stella, I'm not here to talk about you framing me. What I want to know is — where did you take those jewels you snuck out yesterday?"

Her expression turned cold, her eyes fixed on Stella like ice.

She handed the laptop back to Max and closed in on Stella, step by step.

Stella backed away step by step until her back hit the cold wall with nowhere left to go. Only then did she lift her head and push back, forcing the words out.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't take anything yesterday — no, wait, I wasn't even at the Smith Villa yesterday."

She gave herself away without even realizing it, accidentally letting slip that she had been there the night before.

Thomas stood to the side, his face dark. He shot Stella a sharp look, then turned to Charlotte, his expression displeased.

"Even so, those are my father's things. Who are you to stand here questioning us? So what if you have footage — I'm not going to admit that's Stella in it."

He said it with a cold smirk.

"For all we know, you hired someone to play the part. The whole thing could be staged."

Charlotte gave him one cold, flat look, and the words died in Thomas's throat — his half-finished defense of Stella cut short.

"Staged? Thomas, let me tell you something — Stella trying to frame me is the least of your problems right now. The bigger issue is who she gave Grandfather's jewels to, or where she sold them."

"Thomas, those were Grandfather's treasured pieces. If they're gone for good, can Stella really answer for that?"

Thomas let out a cold laugh.

"Even if she did take them, it's not like they can't be returned."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow and pressed him, her voice hard.

"Then have her return them right now. I want to see them this minute."

Both of them turned to look at Stella.

Stella's body gave a small shudder, and whatever nerve she'd been holding onto completely gave way.

Thomas frowned slightly, his tone no warmer toward her.

"Hand them over."

Stella felt like crying but couldn't. She had already given the jewels to the big shot, and sure enough, just as she'd hoped, he had accepted them and promised to connect her with the right people.

He had even taken down her contact information himself.

The things were already in someone else's hands — there was no getting them back. And honestly, she didn't dare try.

Stella's lips trembled again and again, but she couldn't get a single word out.

Thomas saw the look on her face and felt his stomach drop. A bad feeling crept over him.

His temper flared instantly, and he turned it on Stella, lowering his voice to a sharp, tight scold.

"Where are they? Hand them over now!"

"Don't you dare tell me you actually gave them away or sold them. Those are your grandfather's collection — things he spent his whole life putting together. If you sold them, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

Charlotte watched Stella with cold eyes.

"How much longer are you going to wait before you say something?"

How could Stella possibly admit it?

If she did, she'd have to get the items back. The big shot was known throughout the industry for his temper. Whatever goodwill he'd shown her was entirely because of those jewels.

If she went to take them back now, he'd tear her apart.

"Dad, I really didn't take any of it. I just looked at them, and then I put everything back. Charlotte must have picked a specific angle on purpose — this footage has been edited. I put it all back afterward."

Stella's voice was still a little unsteady, but she'd managed to land on a halfway decent excuse to hide behind.

Thomas narrowed his eyes.

Everyone in the room knew it was just an excuse. Thomas knew it too — but he had no choice but to play along.

The items were already gone. All he could do now was help his daughter keep the lie going.

"She already said she put everything back where it was. I'll go home and do a full count."