Chapter 113
I stared at Leah, saying nothing. Was this the kind of outdated trick she was going with?
Leah seemed to get a little flustered under my gaze. She straightened her back, but the moment our eyes met, she quickly recoiled, as if hiding behind others would somehow give her more confidence.
“You’re the only person I’ve been around with, and that bracelet is really important to me,” she said. “Can you please just return it?”
I stayed silent, and a flash of smugness crossed her face. “Are you feeling guilty? If you hand it over now, I can forgive you since we’re classmates. But if you don’t, we’ll have no choice but to search your stuff.”
Her words instantly shifted the atmosphere. The people standing beside her gave me suspicious glances. They looked as if they were already convinced I was a thief. In just a few sentences, she’d practically condemned me.
I took a deep breath, feeling both irritated and amused. How much longer was this woman going to keep stirring up trouble?
“I didn’t take it. Why should I let you search my stuff? If that bracelet was so important to you, why weren’t you wearing it instead of leaving it lying around? And now that it’s missing, you’re blaming me. Doesn’t seem like you valued it that much. Was it a fake?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I could see Leah’s eyes widen in shock, her voice rising in response. “Of course not! It’s a gift from my mom. Are you saying that because you’re jealous, Evelyn?”
Realizing she had overreacted, she paused, clearly caught off guard by her own outburst.
The professor coughed, her patience wearing thin. “Leah, watch your language.”
Then she turned to me, frowning. “Evelyn, if you didn’t take it, why not just let us check your bag? That way, we can clear your name.” Leah’s face flushed to her ears as she continued, “I wouldn’t wear a fake bracelet.”
Her teary-eyed act immediately earned her sympathy from a few classmates. Some girls stood by her, glaring at me in disapproval. I hadn’t meant to provoke her so much, but seeing her so rattled and her usual composure falling apart, I was amused.
An idea popped into my head. Leah’s family wasn’t particularly wealthy. Sure, they could probably afford Cartier, but someone like her would never miss a chance to flaunt something so valuable. She’d want everyone to know about it.
Yet, this time, she had been oddly low-key, and her reaction to the word “fake” was far too intense. Could the bracelet really be a fake?
I glanced at her, feeling like I had found a new piece of the puzzle.
“Leah, you better be careful with your accusations. You’re claiming I stole your precious bracelet. If you don’t find it, that’s slander, and you could face legal consequences.”
Ignoring her, I turned to the professor, speaking clearly, “What if I say I didn’t take it?”
“We’ll make sure you’re treated fairly,” she replied.
I pressed on, “Fairly? How fair? A slap on the wrist afterward won’t fix the damage to my reputation now.”
“If the real thief is found, Leah will apologize to you. You should understand that she’s upset about losing her bracelet.”
I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the response, but I knew it wasn’t the right time to push. So, I held back
“There’s no mistake. It has to be in your bag,” Leah insisted, her words rushing out as she skipped past everyone and went straight to where my bag was kept.
By now, a small crowd had gathered, drawn by the commotion. Some were even recording the scene on their phones.
Ah, these innocent, nosy college students. They were always ready for a spectacle.
Leah stretched her arm out and easily grabbed the key from the top of the dressing room lockers, where I had tossed it earlier because carrying it around felt like a hassle. 1
With surprising accuracy, she headed straight for the bottom locker where my things were kept. She yanked out my bag and wasted no time, dumping all its contents onto the table in one swift motion.
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