Chapter 6

Bria's heels stomped aggressively against the marble floor. Her eyes were bloodshot. She pointed a shaking finger directly at Clara's pocket.

"You parasite!" Bria shrieked, her voice tearing through the quiet foyer. "You're trying to drain this family dry before you leave!"

The screaming drew Eleanor out of the sitting room. The old woman leaned heavily on her cane, flanked by two maids.

Preston hurried out from the hallway and immediately positioned himself next to Bria, playing the protective hero.

Felix stopped on the bottom step of the staircase. He slipped his hands into his suit pockets and watched the impending trainwreck with cold detachment.

Seeing her audience assemble, Bria burst into violent, theatrical tears. She threw herself at Helen.

"How could you?" Bria sobbed, clutching Helen's arm. "I suffered for eighteen years, and you give a limitless black card to a thief?"

Helen panicked. "Bria, please, it's just to help her get settled-"

Bria spun around to face Eleanor. She dropped her ultimate bomb.

"Grandma, she stole your pearl earring!" Bria yelled. "She just admitted it to me in the greenhouse! She was going to sell it on the black market!"

Eleanor's face contorted with pure fury. She slammed her cane against the floor. "A thief in my house!"

Preston scoffed loudly. "No wonder she canceled the engagement so fast. She was trying to run with the loot."

Clara stood perfectly still. She watched Bria's desperate performance. A slow, chilling smile spread across Clara's lips.

Helen's face went completely white. Her hand dropped into her own pocket, her fingers brushing against the pearl earring Clara had returned. Her heart hammered against her ribs.

"Make her give the card back!" Bria demanded, stepping closer to Helen. "Call the police! Search her!"

Every eye in the room snapped to Helen.

Helen looked at her biological daughter's manic, hateful face. Then she looked at Clara's calm, waiting stance.

Helen took a shaky breath. She kept her hand in her pocket. She couldn't bring herself to pull the earring out.

"There... there might be a misunderstanding," Helen stammered, her voice weak.

Bria lost her mind. "If you don't throw this thief out right now, I am leaving this house forever!"

Eleanor wouldn't stand for it. She pointed a trembling finger at Clara. "Security! Take her bag and get that card back!"

Two massive men in black suits stepped forward from the doors, moving in on Clara.

On the stairs, Felix's eyes turned lethal. He shifted his weight, preparing to signal Alex to intervene.

Clara moved faster.

She dropped her duffel bag onto the floor.

"Touch me and see what happens," Clara ordered. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a terrifying, violent weight.

She reached into her trench coat pocket and pulled out her phone. Her thumb swiped across the screen.

The bodyguards hesitated, intimidated by her sudden shift in demeanor.

Bria laughed through her tears. "What, are you calling the cops? Go ahead! Tell them you're a thief!"

Clara ignored the barking dog. She tapped the audio file on her screen and dragged the volume slider to maximum.

She looked dead into Bria's eyes.

"Since you love telling stories," Clara said, her voice dropping to a whisper that carried across the room, "let's listen to yours."