Charlotte smiled sweetly and handed her bag to Wendy. “Here you go. If you want to search it, be my guest.”

Wendy hesitated for a split secondb, /bcaught off guard by how calm and open Charlotte was being.

Could bshe /bhave discovered the bracelet band /bremoved it?

Wendy narrowed her eyes in suspicion, ncing up at Charlotte–only to see that same serene, almost unreadable smile ying on her lips. Something about it

felt off

The bag was now right in front of her.

Hot Wendy hesitated. Something told her Charlotte had set a trap and she was about to walk right into it.

She was still debating what to do when Monica suddenly snatched the bag from Charlotte’s hands. She unzipped it in one swift motion, turned it upside down, band /bdumped everything out onto the floor.

A Van Cleef & Arpels bblue /bbagate /bbracelet btumbled /bbout /bband /bnded at Monica’s feet..

She picked it up and snappedb, /b“Still iming you didn’t steal itb? /bThen what’s this? And this Chanel bag–don’t tell me you stole that too!”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Wendy finally let out the breath she had been holding. The bracelet bhad /bfallen out. She had slipped it in earlier through the side opening of the bbag’s /bbzipper/b. Thank god Charlotte hadn’t bnoticed /b

Just as Wendy was about to pounce, the crowd suddenly parted on its own

A tall figure strode through with a cold expression.

Steven Sullivan

He frowned “stealing? What’s bgoing /bon here?”

Someone actually had the nerve to steal in the Sullivan estate?

They must have a death wiS?L

Mr. Sullivan, it’s her!” Wendy pointed at Charlotte, her voice rising in righteous anger. “She stole my bracelet! You must do something about this!”

Steven followed Wendy’s pointing finger and locked eyes with Charlotte.

She smiled and waved, her tone light and familiar. “Hey, Cousin

Silence

Absolute silence.

Every whisper, every breath in the room disappeared in an instant

bThen/b, bCharlotte /bcasually broke the bdead /balr

She bpointed /bat the bracelet Monica was holding and tilted her head in mock confusion. “Steven, they’re saying I stole that. They even searched my bag in front of everyone. Tell me, would I really bother with something so cheap and tacky?b” /b

Wendy’s face went witte. Her body stiffened. She took two steps bback/bb, /bstunned, staring at Charlotte like she was seeing ba /bghost.

“you. You’re Mr. Sullivan’s cousin?”

Behind Stevenb, /bZacfioze.

The gift box in his hand slipped bto /bthe bfloor/b, the k bdiamond /bbne /bspilling bout /bbas /bbit /bhit the bground /b

He had just heard Charlotte call Steven “bcousin/b” with his owners.

In that moment, his mind went nk. It was like all the blood in his bbody /bhad frezen. His vision darkened. He could barely bstay /bbon /bhis feet.

Charlotte bsaid /bsomething else to Steven, but Zac couldn’t hear a word. Everything had gone silent. Even the sounds around him faded–his bears /bsinging with Madden deatness.

Monica looked like she had seen a ghost. “No bNo /bway! That’s impossible! How could you be Mr. Sullivan’s bcousin/b? bYou’re /bbjust /ba housekeeper’s daughter!”

Culotte leaned back on the couch, bcrossed /bher legs, rested her chin in hernd, and unile at Monica “sorry to disappoint byou/bb./b”

Steven finally realized what was going on

They were using Charlotte of stealing

His expression darkened, his voice tuming ice cold. “Who are you people? You came into my home and tried to frame by bcousin /bfor their? Are you tired of living?”

“N–no, Mr. Sullivan, I—I can exin. “Wendy stammered, her

voice shaking.

“I didn’t bmean /bI just…

b+25 /bbBonus /b

Before she could finish, Steven other off bwith /ba sharp, impatient re. “Get out.”

He had only stepped away for a few minutes, and in that bshort /btimeb, /bsomene dared to humiliate his cousin right in his own house?

Just then, Sean finally arrived, fashionablyte

“What’s going on?” he asked, frowning as he sensed the heavy tension in the room.

Steven didn’t miss a beat. Right in front of the crowd, he turned to Charlotte, made a weing gestureb, /band announced in a loud, clear voice.

“bThis /bis my cousin, Charlotte Riley. She’s the heiress of the Riley Corporation. She just returned to Jersey City recently, and I threw this party tonight to officially wee her back.”