I Inherited Billions

Chapter 43

My mind was filled with questions about what Nadia might want from me.

Right at that moment, a snigger suddenly appeared on her face. “Freddie, I’m gonna make you pay twofold for the humiliation you caused me.”

“What? What do you mean?”

I was baffled by her random words, but Nadia was not planning on answering my question.

She sneered and left after saying those words to me.

“Crazy woman!”

I cursed at her and continued playing basketball.

When the class came close to an end, the Physical Education teacher got the entire class to gather around.

He would usually just let us go after class, but today, he chose to gather suddenly everyone together with a grim look on his face.

I knew something serious must have happened.

Just as I had expected.

When everyone was together, our Physical Education teacher, James Richardson, said with a serious expression, “Class, I’ve gathered everyone here because something horrible has happened. Howard Lincoln from class has had his Vacheron Constantin watch worth two hundred thousand dollars stolen!”

“What?”

There was a commotion among my classmates after this was announced.

“Is this true? There’s a thief in our class?”

“Is that watch really worth that much?”

“Howard is a rich second-generation heir. Do you think he would wear an ordinary watch?”

The Physical Education teacher, James, gestured for everyone to stay silent. “Quiet, everyone, please be quiet. Let’s get Howard to explain the situation to everybody.”

Howard stepped forward and turned to everybody. “Alright. Thank you, Mr. Richardson. My watch is a silver Vacheron Constantin. I love it a lot, and I cherish it too much to wear it often. I wore it today for my interview, and before our Physical Education class started, I left it on the ground at the side of the basketball court.”

He pointed to where everyone had left their schoolbags.

I had a bad feeling when he said this.

Nadia had pulled me there for a short chat just now. Were they trying to frame me?

“Howard, did you remember correctly that you brought it to the court?” Mr. Richardson confirmed again with Howard.

“I definitely remember correctly, Mr. Jameson. My buddy, William Zeller, even reminded me to remove my watch before playing basketball, in case I damaged it.”

“That’s right. I can bear witness to that. Howard did bring his watch to the court, and he stuffed it into his bag by the courtside,” said William.

“Hmm… That would mean your watch really was lost around the basketball court.”

James’ gaze swept across the room to size up everyone present.

“You all heard it. Howard’s watch was lost around the basketball court. It’s an expensive watch, and if anyone has found it or taken it by mistake, please return the watch to him immediately, and we will let this matter go. However, if we manage to catch you, we will send you straight to the police station.”

“What do you mean by that, Mr. Richardson? Are you suspecting us of theft?”

“That’s right, we’re all classmates here. We would never do such a thing.”

“Your words are quite insulting, Mr. Richardson!”

Everyone was growing uncomfortable with the Physical Education teacher’s gaze and began to verbally object.

“I know you’re all mostly good students, but not everyone is that way. What if there’s someone here without an upright character?” Howard coldly suggested.

James gestured for everyone to be quiet again. “Alright, be quiet, everyone. No one wanted this to happen, but since it has, we have to get to the bottom of this. It is already quite serious that the watch is worth two hundred thousand. If someone has really stolen it and is caught, that person would have committed a heinous crime. That is why I hope you can all investigate amongst yourselves to clear your names.”

“Investigate? How do we investigate this?” Everyone began muttering unhappily.

“As for how you can investigate this, you need to come up with a plan. None of you are allowed to leave before the watch is found. If you are not able to investigate this among yourselves, we can wait here for the police,” said James.

Everyone began mumbling unhappily when they heard the entire class would not be allowed to leave before the watch was found.

“Who took it? Hurry up and give it up.”

“That’s right. The sun is unforgiving today. We’re all gonna be burned to death.”

“Whoever took the watch, just hand it over! Are you trying to get the whole class in trouble?”

“I wasn’t the one who took it. I’ve been playing basketball from the beginning of class, and I never got off the court. Everyone, please be my witness for this!”

“I didn’t leave the court either.”

“Come to think of it, Freddie left the court once. He went to where the schoolbags were.”

Someone suddenly mentioned my name.

Everyone turned to look at me at that point.

“Tell the truth, Freddie. Did you take the watch?”

“Stop maligning others. Freddie isn’t that kind of person.” My buddy Chris immediately spoke up for me before I said anything.

“That’s hard to say. People can do anything when they’re poor enough. Isn’t Freddie known for doing anything as long as he gets paid?”

“That’s bullshit. Freddie’s house was just relocated, so he doesn’t lack money now.” Chris reasoned for me.

“How much money can you get from relocating your house? He’s been spending so much, that money could all be gone by now.”

“That’s true. It’s easy for a miser to become a spendthrift, but difficult for a spendthrift to become a miser. Besides, he’s enemies with Howard. Not only does he have a motive, but he also had the opportunity…”

“Shut up, everyone. I didn’t take the watch. Besides, our class representative was there with me too. Why doesn’t anyone suspect her?” I looked at Howard and the others coldly.

I knew that this whole thing must have been arranged by Howard.

Nadia had pulled me there for a chat.

The chat had been a ploy. Getting me by the schoolbags was her real motive.

“Our class representative comes from a well-to-do family. Why would she do something like that?” William said.

“So, I guess being poor is a crime?” I sneered.

Nadia suddenly stepped up and joined the conversation. “Quiet, everyone! Since I’m a suspect, please feel free to search me and my school bag. I’ll let you search them however you want.”

She went to the side of the basketball court and brought her schoolbag over.

After pouring the contents out of her bag, she spread her arms out and made a display of her willingness to be searched. “Go ahead and search me.”

“Let me do it, Mr. Richardson.” A female classmate stood up.

After a while of searching, she turned to the Physical Education teacher to say, “I’ve found nothing, Mr. Richardson.”

“Alright.” The Physical Education teacher nodded.

At this point, Nadia suddenly said to him, “Mr. Richardson, since everyone suspects me and Freddie, shouldn’t it be Freddie’s turn to be searched now that I’m done with?”

“Alright,” James nodded.

With that, he said to me, “Freddie, bring your schoolbag over here and let your classmates search you.”

I was a little unwilling when I heard his words.

However, the situation did not allow me to reject his words.

I could only nod in the end. “Alright.”

When I went to get my bag, I realized it felt heavier, and my heart sank.

It was now clear that Howard and Nadia had ganged up to frame me.

There was a high possibility that the watch was in my schoolbag.

“I’ll search it.” Nadia snatched my bag over when I returned and poured the contents out without another word.

My textbooks and phone fell on the ground and scattered all over.

What came next shocked me.

There were two additional items that did not belong to me in the schoolbag. One was wrapped up in a paper shell, the other was in a black plastic bag.

“Let me see what this is.”

Nadia said as she opened the first box.

She was flabbergasted when she opened it and flung the object to the ground.

The object revealed itself when it fell.

It was a pink m**********n cup.

I was stunned. That thing did not belong to me.

However, it was something that had fallen out of my bag, so there was no way for me to explain it away.

My classmates screamed one after the other when they saw it. The girls went pale and quickly backed away.

“Freddie, you’re disgusting…”

“f**k, why does someone in our class have such a shameless toy?”

“No, this isn’t mine. It doesn’t belong to me. Someone is framing me!” I was angry and embarrassed as I explained anxiously.

However, my classmates were not willing to listen to me and gave me looks of disdain.

Next, Nadia opened the black plastic bag.

After she unwrapped each layer, the contents of the bag were revealed…

It was none other than the Vacheron Constantin watch Howard had lost.