CHAPTER 246: CHAPTER 246 STOLEN

Leo’s sharp eyes caught Bella the moment she stepped into the hall, her movements just a little too stiff, her lips pressed together as though she were hiding pain. His tall frame cut through the crowd, and in the heavy silence of the hall, every one of his footsteps echoed like thunder. Heads turned, whispers rose and fell, but he didn’t spare anyone a glance.

He stopped right in front of her, his gray eyes narrowing. "Where have you been?" His voice was low, the kind that made spines straighten.

Bella bit her lips, refusing to meet his gaze, and clutched her purse tighter.

"Restroom..." she muttered.

Leo’s frown deepened. He wasn’t convinced—her lashes trembled, her body language screamed she was hiding something. But for now, he let it go. His jaw clenched, his expression hardening again as his gaze shifted back toward the center of the room.

Bella, desperate to change the subject, whispered, "But... what happened here?"

Leo exhaled slowly, his tone colder than before. "Old man’s very expensive gift was stolen. A rare piece of jade." His eyes flicked back to hers, watching her reaction carefully.

Her own eyes widened, her breath catching. "Oh!"

"It wasn’t just any normal jade," Leo continued, his voice a quiet growl. "It was Heaven’s Vein Jade... only one in the world. Formed centuries ago, carved with ancestral markings that can’t be replicated."

Bella’s lips parted, her heartbeat drumming faster. "And it was... stolen? Just like that?"

Leo’s gaze hardened. "Under heavy security. Under everyone’s eyes. Which means..." He leaned closer, his voice brushing her ear, "...there’s a snake in this room."

"Old Master!" a man’s urgent voice rang out, shattering the tense silence of the hall. All eyes turned as he strode forward, his face dark, his tone clipped with restrained fury. Behind him trailed a young maid, her steps unsteady, her eyes already shimmering with tears.

"We found the security camera missing," the man announced, his voice sharp. "But we did manage to pull fragments of activity before the feed was cut. And in that footage, this maid was seen near the restricted room where the jade was kept." His words dropped like stones into still water, sending ripples of gasps and whispers through the crowd.

William’s face tightened, his aged features etched with fury. His knuckles whitened against his cane as he growled, "Camera is missing?"

"Yes, sir," the man confirmed, his tone grim. "Our team checked every angle, and all the footage surrounding that corridor is wiped clean. Gone. Conveniently so. And this girl..." He turned with a sharp gesture toward the maid. "...was the only one identified in the working fragments."

The maid’s legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed onto the polished floor, sobbing, her trembling hands clasped together in desperate plea. "Please... please, I swear I don’t know anything! I didn’t take anything! I only went to clean, I swear it!" Her voice cracked, pitiful and frantic, echoing off the high walls.

The hall erupted into murmurs, men and women leaning closer, whispers growing like wildfire. Accusations, suspicions, fear—it all clung to the air.

William’s eyes turned thunderous, his lips pressing into a harsh line as he glared down at the girl. "Do not lie to me," he thundered, his voice cutting through the noise.

"That jade is priceless, and it disappeared under my roof. Do you take me for a fool?"

The maid sobbed harder, bowing her head until her forehead nearly touched the floor. "Old Master, mercy! I don’t know... I really don’t! Someone—someone must have set me up!"

From the corner of the hall, Stella and Alexa exchanged glances, their lips twitching as they fought to hide the satisfaction dancing in their eyes.

Meanwhile, Bella’s brows knitted together as she clutched her dress nervously, her instincts screaming that something wasn’t right.

"Close all the doors!" Jacob, William’s eldest grandson, barked, his voice carrying across the hall like a whip. His expression was grim, his expensive suit making him look more like a soldier in command than a host’s kin. "No one leaves until the jade is found. Check every person—every bag, every pocket!"

The guards moved instantly, heavy doors shutting with a loud boom that made the chandeliers rattle. A heavy silence fell, only broken by the sharp clicks of locks being drawn. Guests shifted uncomfortably, exchanging glances as if they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

"What nonsense is this?" one wealthy matron hissed, her jewels glittering under the light as she clutched her designer clutch closer. "Do you think we’re common criminals?"

"Yes!" another man muttered darkly, his voice laced with indignation. "We were invited here as honored guests, not treated like thieves."

But the guards didn’t falter. Already, one by one, they began approaching, demanding to inspect handbags, clutches, and pockets. A well-dressed guest snapped his fingers in protest. "This is an outrage! Do you have any idea who I am?!"

Jacob didn’t even flinch. His eyes were sharp, his voice colder than ice. "Tonight, everyone is a suspect. Until the jade is found, I don’t care who you are."

The tension spiked further as the first purse was opened, its contents—lipsticks, a silk scarf, an expensive perfume—spilled out across a silver tray. The woman gasped, clutching her chest as though she’d been personally insulted.

Whispers ran through the crowd like snakes in tall grass. The wealthy men and women who normally basked in superiority were suddenly shrinking under suspicion, their pride clashing with fear. Some glared openly at William’s family, while others cast side-eye glances at one another, as though the thief could be standing right beside them.

From where she stood, Bella clutched her own little purse tighter, her stomach twisting nervously. She knew she hadn’t done anything but the suffocating pressure of all those eyes, the atmosphere of accusation, made her skin prickle.

The hall was heavy with silence, every guest’s eyes following the guards as they moved from person to person. Finally, one unlucky pair—a maid and a young guard—approached Leo and Bella.

The guard’s hands were trembling as he stepped forward. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, sweat already forming at his temples. He had faced dangerous situations before, but never had he felt such suffocating pressure as when Leonardo’s storm-gray eyes locked onto him. The man felt like prey cornered by a predator.

"I... I must... check your pockets, sir," the guard stammered, his voice breaking slightly.