Chapter 68: The Lost Diamond Ring
"I’ll take this unit. Can we finalize all the paperwork right now?"
"Of course, Miss Rowan. I’ll drive you back to the agency right away to process the paperwork."
Without delay, they headed straight back to Summit Real Estate.
Not long after, they arrived at the office. Even from outside the front doors, loud shouting was already audible. Shani immediately felt a bad premonition.
The moment Sharpe pushed the door open, every eye in the room snapped toward them.
"She’s the one! She’s the thief who stole my diamond ring!" The middle-aged woman from earlier shrieked, her face flushed red with rage as she pointed an accusing finger at Shani.
"Give me back my ring, you thief!" She lunged toward Shani, but fortunately, Sharpe had quick reflexes and stepped in to hold her back.
Shani’s brow furrowed. She didn’t utter a single word, her eyes quietly scanning the room to assess the situation.
"Mrs. Rourken, please calm down. Our staff is currently reviewing the surveillance footage to find your ring." A female security guard swiftly took over from Sharpe, restraining the frantic woman.
"My client and I just returned from inspecting external units. We aren’t involved and have no idea what transpired here," Sharpe explained to a uniformed officer, who appeared to be the head of security for the agency or the building.
"She took my ring in the restroom right before you left!" Mrs. Rourken howled, desperately struggling against the guard trying to guide her onto a sofa.
Shani recalled crossing paths with her in the restroom, but the woman knew full well that Shani hadn’t gotten anywhere near her.
"I didn’t steal anyone’s ring," Shani stated, her tone short and firm. She suspected the woman had ulterior motives, babbling excuses without concrete proof would only make her look guilty.
"What thief ever admits to stealing?!" The woman’s son roared, refusing to be outdone by his mother.
Another guard stepped swiftly in front of him before he could march over to Shani.
Tension inside the room grew suffocatingly thick.
Sharpe, standing protectively in front of Shani, tactfully tried to guide her toward a private office. However, Mrs. Rourken’s son caught sight of his movement.
"Hey, you little bitch, are you trying to run away?!" the young man yelled.
"Sir, please mind your language. I am simply escorting my client to another room," Sharpe interjected firmly.
The mother and son were about to shower Shani with another barrage of insults when several security guards walked back into the room.
"We checked the surveillance footage. Mrs. Rourken was clearly wearing the ring before entering the restroom, but she wasn’t wearing it when she walked out."
"The young lady was indeed inside the restroom at the same time as Mrs. Rourken. As for what actually occurred insi—"
"See?! I told you! She really is the thief!" Mrs. Rourken shrieked, cutting off the guard.
However, everyone present understood that surveillance footage proved nothing, as there were no cameras inside the restrooms. Nobody actually knew what had happened.
"Just look at how poor she looks! She definitely came here specifically to steal!" Mrs. Rourken’s son spat venomously.
Instinctively, everyone turned their eyes toward Shani. Noble-like silver hair, striking crimson eyes, and a healthy, rosy complexion.
Though her blue dress and white cardigan were unbranded, paired with the rose gold watch encrusted with diamonds, her overall appearance oozed pure class.
Shani stood tall with effortless poise, acting as if she couldn’t care less about this petty farce.
From any angle, she looked nothing like the ’poor’ girl the young man described. If anything, she looked like an elegant princess.
Realizing he had misspoken, the young man coughed awkwardly to divert attention before blurting out, "Bottom line, it’s obvious she’s the thief!"
"You little thief, hand over my diamond ring right now! If you don’t, I’m calling the police!" Mrs. Rourken added to the uproar.
"Mom, she can just give you that watch of hers to compensate for your ring. I see diamonds on it. It must be worth around 60,000 Credits." The son’s eyes glinted with unbridled greed.
Hearing that, Shani felt like coughing up blood. ’My watch is worth 320,000 Credits!’
’Are these two fraudsters using a fake lost item to extort people? Did they target me after seeing this watch, thinking I was an easy mark just because I’m young and unaccompanied?’
Shani silently analyzed the situation while the mother and son continued to hurl threats at her.
Sharpe was about to step in to silence them when Shani spoke up first. "I’ve already called the police. They’re waiting right outside."
Everyone was taken aback by Shani’s bold, assertive stance.
Deep down, the agency staff were siding with Shani. Not necessarily because they knew she was innocent, but because they were fed up with Mrs. Rourken’s arrogance.
Shani carefully watched the troublemakers’ reactions. ’If they really are scammers, the mention of the police should make them panic.’
Instead, the pair only looked even more smug.
"I’ll make sure you rot in prison, you little bitch," Mrs. Rourken sneered.
"Mom, don’t settle unless she hands over that watch as compensation," her son chimed in greedily.
Before long, the police arrived and escorted them, along with several Summit Real Estate staff members, to the station to file a formal report.
’They aren’t scammers? The diamond ring was actually lost? Then who on earth actually stole it?’ Shani wondered, genuinely bewildered.
Upon arriving at the station, Shani presented her Grand Academy crest badge as proof of identity, as she lacked an official Aurelis City ID.
Seeing the crest, the officers’ stern expressions softened immediately.
Mrs. Rourken, however, zeroed in on the fact that Shani wasn’t a native of Argenor.
"You wretched flying creature! You came here just to cause trouble. Go back to your backwater village where you belong!"
"You’re right, Mom. I bet that watch is stolen, too. As if someone like her could ever afford something that expensive! Officer, arrest her right now!"
Shani was completely fed up with this mother-son duo’s ridiculous behavior.
Turning to the officer taking down her details, she said, "Sir, I’d like to press charges against both of them for defamation."
...