Chapter 278 Within a Week, Let Her Come See Me
"Ms. Powell, I didn't want to fight." Ollie tried hard to explain. "She stole our Powell family crest ring and wouldn't admit it, so I... that's why I hit her!"
Gwyneth's face darkened as she glanced at Ollie. "Whether she's a thief or not isn't for you to decide. And who gave you the right to hit people without my orders? How is your behavior any different from a thug?"
"I..." Ollie was speechless.
Gwyneth spoke directly: "Ollie, you're not fit to be deputy head of security anymore. Pack your things and leave now. Don't ever appear in front of me again."
Ollie froze on the spot.
His eyes widened as he stared at Gwyneth in disbelief, unable to believe she would kick him out over something like this.
Knox quickly pleaded: "Ms. Powell, Ollie did deserve punishment for taking matters into his own hands and hitting someone, but could you please not send him away? Give him a chance. I'm sure he won't do this again."
Gwyneth frowned. "Knox, I'll leave Ollie to you. As head of security, educating him properly is your responsibility."
"Yes."
Knox gave the order: "Take Ollie away and give him ten lashes as punishment."
Ollie was quickly dragged about ten meters away.
Two guards held him down while another picked up a whip and began striking Ollie's back hard.
Ollie's screams rang out clearly.
Gwyneth ignored Ollie's screams and slowly turned her gaze to Isabella, narrowing her eyes as she carefully studied this girl who appeared to be no more than eighteen years old.
This girl gave her a strangely familiar feeling.
Even stranger, this girl gave her a long-lost sense of peace.
In all the years since losing her memory, her heart had felt suspended in mid-air, always feeling like she'd forgotten something important.
This feeling sometimes left her so restless she couldn't eat or sleep, tossing and turning all night. She'd been desperately trying to recover her lost memories, feeling certain that someone or something was waiting for her.
But no matter what she did, she couldn't remember, even after seeing so many doctors.
Seeing Gwyneth staring at her without saying anything, Isabella frowned warily. "Why do you keep looking at me?"
Isabella's voice pulled Gwyneth back from her thoughts.
Gwyneth's expression returned to its usual coldness. She took the crest ring that had been found on the girl from Knox, glanced at it once, then looked coldly at Isabella. "How did you get my crest ring?"
"Your crest ring?" Isabella looked at her skeptically. "Are you sure this ring is yours?"
"That's right." Gwyneth said with certainty. "This is the crest ring I lost."
Knox was confused. "Ms. Powell, when did you lose a crest ring?"
"I noticed my crest ring was missing when I came back four years ago," Gwyneth said. "I just didn't make a big deal about it. I thought I'd accidentally lost it."
Knox looked at Isabella, then back at Gwyneth. "That's strange. Why would your lost crest ring be with this girl?"
"That's what I want to know too."
Gwyneth looked at the girl, her eyes carrying an intimidating pressure. "What's your name?"
"Isabella."
Gwyneth silently noted the name and continued: "Tell me the truth. Where did you get the crest ring?"
Isabella thought for a moment and said: "My master left it to me."
"Master?" Gwyneth raised an eyebrow. "Male or female?"
"Female."
"What's her name?"
"I don't know."
"I don't care who she is, have her come see me." Gwyneth said coldly. "Why does she have my crest ring? I need to ask her face to face."
"I can't do that," Isabella answered honestly. "Because she's disappeared. I still haven't found her."
Gwyneth's expression changed. "Disappeared?"
"What a convenient coincidence. Ms. Powell wants to see her, and you say she's disappeared." Knox said with a stern face. "Are you doing this on purpose? Let me tell you, since this crest ring belongs to Ms. Powell, your master is likely suspected of stealing it, so we must get to the bottom of this!"
Isabella frowned and instinctively defended: "You're talking nonsense. My master would never steal anything!"
"Then have her come see me." Gwyneth said firmly. "I must see her!"
For Gwyneth, how she lost her crest ring was secondary. What mattered was that since Isabella's master had her crest ring, it might be connected to her lost memories. Perhaps during the time she was missing, she had contact with Isabella's master.
If she could find Isabella's master, she might learn from that person what happened during those missing years, and maybe remember that person or thing that was so important to her.
Isabella glanced at Gwyneth, somewhat annoyed. "I already told you, she's gone. Where am I supposed to find her for you?"
"That's your problem then."
Isabella: "..."
How unreasonable.
Gwyneth stopped looking at her and simply said: "Bring her to see me within a week."
With that, she walked toward the castle.
Isabella watched Gwyneth's retreating figure, frowning in frustration. Then she remembered Gwyneth still had her crest ring and hurried after her. "Give me back my crest ring!"
Gwyneth didn't expect the girl to dare say such a thing and immediately laughed coldly. "This was mine to begin with. Now it's just returned to its rightful owner."
"Who says it's yours just because you say so? When my master was around, she told me this crest ring was very important and I must keep it safe. I shouldn't give it to anyone, and I definitely can't let anyone take it!"
So she couldn't let Gwyneth take this crest ring.
Gwyneth stopped and turned to look at Isabella's anxious expression, smiling slightly. "If you want it, it's not impossible. Bring your master to see me within a week, and I'll give you this crest ring. How about that?"
Isabella: "...I told you she's missing."
"Then go find her."
"I can't find her."
"Then forget about the ring."
Isabella: "..."
She stared at Gwyneth defiantly, her face darkening.
Gwyneth's gaze fell on the girl's face, a playful look appearing in her eyes. "Haven't you noticed how much you look like me? Even your temper is similar. The way you scowl looks exactly like me."
Isabella said nothing. She'd seen many people who looked like her. Gwyneth's features did resemble hers somewhat, but that didn't mean anything.