Tricia unzipped Charlotte’s purse, and sure enough, pulled out a sparkling diamond bracelet. Gasps swept through the small crowd that had

gathered, everyone staring in shock.

The way they looked at Charlotte changed instantly.

“I can’t believe Dr. Sterling would do something like this.”

“My God, I really misjudged her.”

“If she’s got this kind of character, how is she even allowed to practice medicine?”

“Stealing a bracelet? How desperate must she be for money?”

Every scathing word sliced into Charlotte, and she felt as if she’d fallen into a frozenke–numb, breathless, utterly alone. Her face turned even paler, but gradually a strange calm settled over her, icy and unwavering.

She knew exactly what had happened. Tricia had nted the bracelet in her purse–there was no other exnation for Tricia’s certainty. Again and again, Tricia had tried to set her up, but why? Was it because of Evander?

But their marriage wasn’t public knowledge. How could Tricia possibly know?

Tricia’s expression was the very picture of disappointment as she turned to the crowd. “Dr. Sterling, even if you did admire my bracelet, you can’t just take it when I’m not looking, can you?” She sighed, shaking her head. “It’s not the most expensive piece I own, but it’s my favorite. Even if you liked it, you shouldn’t have done this.”

The whispers, the usations, the sneers–every bit of it reached Charlotte’s ears. She clenched her fists, her gaze hollow and cold.

Evander noticed the color draining from Charlotte’s face. His chest

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tightened with a sudden sense of dread. He swept a hard look over the crowd. “Enough. That’s enough. Move along.”

But as he tried to disperse the onlookers, Tricia stared at him in disbelief. “Evander…”

i“/iSo you’re all saying I stole her bracelet, is that it?” Charlotte’s voice rang out, steady but sharp.

Evander’s brow furrowed even deeper, his eyes shadowed with something unreadable.

Charlotte ignored him and strode right up to Tricia, who looked caught off guard.

Without warning, Charlotte pped her–hard.

The crowd recoiled in shock.

Everyone knew Tricia was backed by Mr. Howard, the hospital’s director. No one daredy a finger on her, especially with Mr. Howard standing right there.

Jonathan stood rooted to the spot, stunned. He’d never expected

Charlotte to have such a fiery streak. Damn, he thought, she’s got guts. Just my type.

Evander hadn’t seen iting either. He grabbed Charlotte’s wrist. “What are you doing?”

Charlotte yanked her arm away, her eyes zing with suppressed fury. “What am I doing? I have no use for the word ‘steal.”

She turned to Tricia, who was still clutching her cheek in disbelief, and chuckled coldly. “If I’ve got the nerve to p you in front of Mr. Howard, do you really think I’d stoop to stealing your bracelet? If I wanted it, I’d just take it in the open–why bother sneaking around?”

She fixed Tricia with a steely gaze. “You said it yourself–this bracelet is your favorite, a gift from Mr. Howard. You always wear it, right? So tell

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me, how exactly did I swipe it from your wrist without you noticing? Did you not feel a thing? Or is the skin on your wrist as thick as your face?”

“I…” Tricia faltered, paling just a little. She hadn’t expected Charlotte to flip the script so quickly.

Some of the onlookers started murmuring. It made sense–how would someone steal a bracelet right off your wrist without you realizing it?

Evander’s eyes narrowed as he turned a chilly re on Tricia.

Tricia, desperate, scrambled for an exnation. “No, that’s not it… I wasn’t wearing it on my wrist. That’s why-”

Seeing her hesitation, Charlotte pressed on, relentless. “You said it’s your favorite bracelet, a gift from Mr. Howard. If you weren’t wearing it, how would I even know you had it with you? Did you take it out just to show it off to me? Did you slip it in your pocket and I somehow noticed and snatched it?”

“That’s enough.” Evander seized Charlotte’s wrist again. “Are you going to keep making a scene in front of everyone?”

“A scene?” Charlotte stared at him in disbelief, her heart turning to stone. “I’m defending my own innocence–is that making a scene?”

“Innocence?” Evander’sugh was cold and sharp. “The bracelet was found in your purse. And you still im you’re innocent?”

One sentence, and it felt like he’d condemned her on the spot.

Charlotte’s blood seemed to freeze in her veins, her whole body shivering. Her throat tightened painfully. “You know me–I would never-”

“I only believe in evidence,” he cut her off.

Those words shut the door on herst hope–and on her heart.

Triciatched onto Evander’s arm, her voice soft with false generosity. “Evander, let it go. I’m sure Dr. Sterling didn’t mean any harm. The

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bracelet’s back, so let’s not make a big deal out of it. I don’t me her.”

Her “magnanimity” won her admiring nces from the crowd.

No matter how Charlotte tried to defend herself, it was pointless. The bracelet hade out of her purse, right in front of everyone. Who would

believe her now?

Charlotte let out augh, swallowing the pain. “Well, looks like there’s no way I’m getting out from under this mess today. Fine. Guess I should’ve checked my horoscope before I left the house. Let’s just say I got bitten by a mad dog.”

Her eyes lingered on Tricia and Evander onest time, full of cold contempt, before she turned on her heel and walked away.

Evander pressed his lips together, a bitter taste in his mouth. He started to follow her, but Tricia clung to his arm. “Evander, please—let it go. Don’t make things harder for Dr. Sterling.”

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