Chapter 8 Taking Without Asking is Stealing

Owen let out a sharp hiss, startling Paul and Elsie who were deep in conversation.

"What's wrong with you!" Owen scolded.

Giana, with red-rimmed eyes, hastily apologized as she frantically wiped up a spilt drink.

Owen pushed her away impatiently. "Move it."

Seeing this, Elsie was quick to interject kindly, "Owen, Giana definitely didn't do it on purpose. Don't be so hard on her."

She then turned to Giana and asked, "You've been distracted lately, and I've even seen you secretly crying a few times. Is there something on your mind?"

Hearing this, Giana became even more upset and covered her face, sobbing. "I haven't been able to reach my family for days. I miss my son..."

Elsie was confused. "How can you not reach them? Haven't they called you?"

Hearing this, Giana glanced at Owen hesitantly before whispering, "I'm afraid to say..."

Paul leaned back on the sofa behind Elsie, an amused and entertained look on his face as he watched the unfolding drama.

Elsie frowned. "Don't play guessing games with Owen. Just say it."

After gathering her courage, Giana finally gave in and yelled at Owen, "Mr. Owen, it was Ms. Yunice who stole my phone! When I caught her, she got angry and threw it down the drain! My son must be so worried since he can't reach me. Boohoo..."

Paul narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Giana once more.

She said Yunice stole her phone? Ridiculous.

Yunice might have been crazy, but she wasn't destitute. Why would she stoop to stealing a maid's phone and then have such an outburst?

Owen clearly had the same thought, but at the same time, he doubted Giana would fabricate such an outrageous lie.

So he asked, "Do you have any proof?"

Giana sobbed, "I saw it with my own eyes! What more proof do you need?"

Paul looked her up and down with disgust. "Your words aren't enough. Do you have any other proof?"

Elsie discreetly glanced at Paul. Owen hadn't even spoken yet, so why was Paul defending Yunice first?

Just then, Giana suddenly had a revelation. "If we dig up the drainage system, we'll find my phone and prove I'm not lying!"

Dig up the pipes? It's been so long, even if the phone had been flushed down a toilet, who knows where it would end up now?

Elsie generously said, "It's just a phone; don't go to all that trouble. Giana, I'll buy you a new one."

She took out her phone to place an order, but Giana protested, "Miss Elsie, it's not about the phone-I just need the contacts saved on it..."

Owen, growing more impatient, ordered, "Check the surveillance footage."

Every corner of the house was monitored. It would be simple to get to the truth.

But Giana was persistent. "But there's no camera in the bathroom! Ms. Yunice took advantage of this loophole so the footage wouldn't show anything."

A brief silence followed.

Paul clenched his fingers slightly and suggested, "Then why don't we just ask Yunice directly?"

Owen, with a gloomy face, agreed. "Just call Yunice."

A few minutes later, Yunice came out of her room listlessly.

Paul turned and saw her hair was tied in a ponytail, wearing a simple white T-shirt. It reminded him of their school days, when they used to sit together.

A sense of nostalgia softened his emotions, and he instinctively wanted to casually greet her as she walked by.

But Yunice didn't even spare him a glance.

His smile became strained at the corners of his lips. Feeling ignored, Paul's expression turned grim as he settled back into his seat.

Owen didn't wait for Yunice to get closer before harshly questioning, "Have you ever gone without food or clothes in this house? Why did you steal Giana's phone?"

Yunice's steps paused as she realized Owen hadn't even given her a chance to sit down.

Everyone else was comfortably seated while she and Giana stood under judgment.

Yunice sighed. "I didn't steal it."

Owen pressed on, "So, you're saying you've been falsely accused? Why would Giana accuse you and not someone else?"

Yunice fell silent.

"Since you won't say it, I will," Owen continued. "You stole it because I didn't get a phone for you, so you wanted to embarrass me!"

Owen had only just realized that he hadn't prepared any of Yunice's daily necessities.

His voice turned colder. "I can't believe that after three years, your resentment is still so strong. If someone doesn't give you something, you'd rather destroy it."

Elsie got up and patted Owen on the back to soothe him, then spoke to Yunice with concern. "Yunice, Owen works hard to provide for the family. He's just been too busy to think about these things. Don't be mad at him."

Hearing this, Owen sighed. If only Yunice could be as serene as Elsie.

However, Giana refused to let go. "Miss Elsie, you shouldn't protect Miss Yunice! She must admit her mistake today, or the entire Saunders family will be taken down!"

Owen turned to her and asked coldly, "What do you mean?"

Elsie hesitated, as if she didn't want Giana to say more, but Giana firmly stated, "If I was wronged over a phone, then what about Mrs. Elsie's bracelet worth a million? Will Mrs. Yunice also deny taking that?"

Paul glanced at Elsie who was biting her lip, his gaze darkening. Yunice still hadn't changed her thieving habits?

Three years ago, the gifts I gave Elsie would often go missing, only to show up in Yunice's possession.

At first, I didn't believe Yunice would steal. But after it happened repeatedly, I realized that Yunice didn't steal out of greed-she was envious.

Initially, I found her possessiveness endearing. But as time went on, I felt she was too controlling, and my heart slowly leaned toward the kinder, more considerate Elsie.

And since Yunice only took Elsie's things, Paul didn't think too much of it.

But now, things were different.

Ignoring the disdainful looks from the others, Yunice turned to Elsie and asked, "What did your bracelet look like?"

Giana immediately chimed in, "It was an eighteen-bead bracelet made of rare jade!"

Owen's eyes flickered slightly, and Yunice mused, "Were the beads also engraved with Confucian scriptures?"

Giana's eyes lit up. She pointed at Yunice and exclaimed, "See, Mr. Owen! She must have stolen it-otherwise, how would she know such details?"

Paul, annoyed by Giana's sharp accusation, sneered, "Because the bracelet belonged to her in the first place. Of course, she knows what it looks like."

Elsie stared at Paul in astonishment. Why was he defending Yunice again?

And if even Paul knew the truth, then Owen must know too.

The bracelet was a gift from Father to Yunice a few years ago when she was suffering from a high fever. It was meant to be a charm for her safety.

Realizing the shift in momentum, Giana immediately changed her argument. "Even if it was hers, she should have asked Mrs. Elsie for permission before taking it! Her belongings were in Mrs. Elsie's room. Taking them without permission is stealing!"

Upon hearing those words, the room went dead silent.

Because everyone knew.

Not only did the bracelet belong to Yunice, but the room was also originally hers.

How could taking your own belongings from a room be considered stealing?