Chapter 75 The Rooms
ANNA'S POV
“I don’t understand what you mean, check every other place like where?” my dad asked, his brows pulled together as he looked at Isabel. The confusion on his face mirrored the look everyone else had, including me.
“I mean, you already told the estate security to lock everywhere down,” Isabel said calmly, her voice smooth, almost too composed for the tension in the room. “The necklace is still in this house. We’ve checked the maids’ quarters and it’s not there, which means it wasn’t taken by them.”
“And do you know the person who took it?” my dad asked sharply, his grip tightening around the shotgun.
“Of course not,” Isabel replied quickly. “You know how highly this family values that necklace. If I had seen whoever took it, I would’ve given them a solid beating myself before handing them over to the police. But since we don’t know who did it, the next best thing is to find the necklace. Even if we don’t find the thief, recovering it is what matters most.”
My dad went silent for a few seconds, thinking. The room was so quiet I could hear one of the maids sniffle softly. Then he spoke again.
“Then we start with the living room,” he said, pointing around. “Under the chairs, behind the curtains, every single corner of this place. When you’re done here and it’s still not found, you move to the kitchen. Every cabinet, every cupboard, everything gets searched.”
“Hold on, Dad,” Isabel interrupted gently. “The living room and the kitchen are huge. It might take the guards all day just to search the kitchen alone, not to talk of this living room. I suggest we start with the smaller spaces first, then move up to the bigger areas.”
“Like the rooms?” my dad asked.
“Exactly,” Isabel said with a nod. “Let’s start with the rooms.”
Dan straightened immediately. “But why would the necklace be in any of the rooms?” he asked, his tone turning serious. “Are you trying to say one of us stole it?”
“No, no, no,” Isabel said quickly, raising both hands. “Don’t misunderstand me, dear brother. We’re all family here. If a family member even thinks of doing something like that, then that person doesn’t deserve to be called family. What I’m saying is, someone might have hidden it somewhere in a rush. Panic can make people do careless things. If you still want to start from the living room, that’s fine too.”
My dad exhaled sharply, clearly losing patience. “Nevertheless,” he said firmly, pointing at two of the guards, “you two go upstairs and search the rooms. Everywhere. I want that necklace found. No one is sleeping tonight until it is.”
Immediately, the house erupted into movement. Guards and maids scattered in different directions, footsteps echoing loudly against the marble floors.
I felt my chest tighten.
Why would she even suggest our rooms? It felt like a subtle accusation, like she was quietly pointing fingers without saying it outright.
“Hold on,” I said, stepping forward. “Dad, these men can’t just walk into my room and search it. That’s an invasion of privacy, and I don’t agree to that.”
The guards halted instantly.
“She does have a point, sir,” Ryan added smoothly. “She’s a lady. There are personal things in her room that are meant for her eyes only. I don’t think it’s appropriate for armed men to rummage through her space. Her privacy should be respected.”
I glanced at him, slightly surprised but grateful. I wasn’t used to someone backing me up like that without hesitation.
My eyes drifted back to Isabel, and I didn’t miss the brief flash of irritation that crossed her face before she masked it. She stepped forward again, folding her arms.
“Why are you suddenly so protective of your personal space?” she asked mockingly, using her fingers to air-quote the words. “I’m a lady too, Anna, and you don’t see me complaining about them searching my room. Or are you afraid they might find something you don’t want anyone to see?”
Her voice dropped slightly at the end, almost like a whisper meant to sting.
I let out a short scoff, half in disbelief. “Find what?” I said. “I don’t have anything to hide, it’s just…”
“Honey,” my dad interrupted, placing a hand on my arm. His voice softened, but his eyes remained stern. “I understand how you feel, truly. But this necklace is far too important. More important than privacy right now. Please let them search. It won’t take long.”
I stared at him for a moment, then sighed quietly. “Fine,” I said. “But we’re following them. I don’t want anyone snooping through things they’re not supposed to.”
My dad nodded in agreement.
Everyone moved together — Mom, Dan, Isabel, Ryan, the guards as we headed upstairs. The tension followed us like a heavy shadow, pressing down on my shoulders with every step.
When we reached my room, I stood by the door for a second before stepping aside and gesturing for the guards to enter.
“Go ahead.”
They moved quickly but carefully, opening drawers, checking under the bed, behind the curtains, inside the wardrobe. They were surprisingly respectful, not scattering my things or tossing them around.
I leaned against the wall and folded my arms, my fingers tapping restlessly against my elbow. I just wanted this to be over. The sooner they cleared my room, the sooner this nightmare would move on.
Mom stood near the door, her hands clasped tightly together. Dan watched the guards closely, his jaw clenched. Ryan stayed close to me, silent but attentive. Isabel stood a few steps away, her gaze roaming around my room as if she was already sure of what would happen next.
One of the guards moved toward my bed.
He lifted the duvet slightly, checked underneath, then reached for my pillow.
The moment he raised it, he froze.
His entire body stiffened, his hand hovering mid-air as if he had touched something dangerous.
The room went dead silent.