Stolen?
1310 Words
Seeing that it was about time, Veronica smiled and called out, "Rosalie, come over to Mommy. It's time to open the presents."
"Okay," Rosalie replied with a sweet smile. Then she hesitated and looked at Elena. "Sister, it's your birthday too today, but it seems like everyone forgot to prepare a gift for you. You don't mind, do you?"
Elena shook her head expressionlessly. "No, I don't."
She just hoped this party would end soon.
"That's good," Rosalie said, seeming relieved. She then beamed and added, "There are so many presents today. If you see something you like, I'll give it to you."
Elena nodded indifferently.
With that, Rosalie eagerly started unwrapping the presents.
She had been missing for many years and had just returned. Richard and Veronica hosted this party clearly to make a big deal out of her return.
With their emphasis and Williams' clever hints, everyone naturally tried to give the best gifts.
Each gift Rosalie unwrapped was more extravagant than the last, and her eyes began to sparkle with excitement.
As the cherished daughter of the Miller Family, she shouldn't have been so easily swayed by material things.
However, those years away from home had been difficult. So now, looking at these expensive gifts, she couldn't help but feel her breath quicken.
But remembering the occasion, she forced herself to calm down, maintaining the grace and poise expected of a Miller.
Indeed, there's no place like home!
Three years ago, what had possessed her to disappear?
Rosalie opened each gift, thanking the giver with every unwrapping.
"Rosalie, this one is from your father and me. Open it and see," Veronica said with a smile, handing her a beautifully crafted rosewood box.
"Thank you, Mom and Dad," Rosalie said sweetly, then opened the box.
But inside, it was completely empty.
Richard and Veronica both froze.
"Where's the gift?" Veronica exclaimed. "I personally put the white jade bracelet in there!"
Elena had been quietly standing aside.
But a white jade bracelet?
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, a sense of unease creeping in.
"A bracelet?" Rosalie looked surprised.
"This white jade bracelet was handpicked by your mother and me," Richard said seriously. "It's made from the finest jade, worth at least half a million dollars!"
"That's so expensive," Rosalie exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise. "But now, the bracelet is gone! Could it be... stolen?"
"The box has always been kept in the house's storage room. Who else could take it besides someone from the family?" Richard frowned.
"Someone from the family?" Rosalie looked puzzled. "There are only four of us in the family: Dad, Mom, me, and my sister. Dad and Mom definitely wouldn't take it, and I have no reason to steal it. Could it be..."
Rosalie instinctively glanced at Elena, then quickly waved her hands as if realizing she had misspoken. "Sister, I'm not saying you took it! The bracelet must have been stolen by one of the servants. Dad, Mom! This is worth five hundred thousand dollars! We need to investigate thoroughly."
"Of course!" Richard said coldly.
Elena stood there, her hands trembling slightly.
The spot where the bracelet had been felt like it was burning, the pain intense.
Now, she was almost certain.
This was a setup.
A trap aimed at her.
But what she wasn't sure of was how many people were involved in this scheme.
Rosalie resented and disliked her, so if she had set this up to harm her, Elena wouldn't be surprised.
"But Richard and Veronica... did they... did they take part in this?"
Elena's expression turned slightly dazed.
She remembered years ago.
It was winter.
Veronica reached out her hand to her, smiling so gently. She said, "Child, come home with me."
Elena looked at this elegant and noble woman and placed her hand in hers.
She thought she had finally found a home.
For the past three years, Richard and Veronica had been kind and caring to her, except for asking her to imitate Rosalie. They were gentle and considerate.
Because she cherished that warmth, even if it meant being a replacement, Elena accepted it willingly.
But now, Rosalie had returned.
So, her existence was an eyesore.
So, did they also find her intolerable?
No.
Richard and Veronica couldn't possibly treat her like this.
While Elena was in a daze, Richard had already called all the servants with swift decisiveness.
The other guests, not expecting this turn of events, gathered around eagerly to watch.
As soon as the servants were assembled, Richard said coldly, "Speak up, who took the bracelet! If you confess now, I'll give you a chance. But if we find out who did it, you'll be kicked out of the Miller Family!"
A servant immediately burst into tears and said, "Master, I'm sorry, it's my fault."
"Your fault?" Richard's gaze was icy. "Did you steal the bracelet?"
The servant cried even harder. "I shouldn't have let Miss threaten me into helping her steal the bracelet."
She then turned towards Elena and said, "Miss, I'll give you back the fifty thousand dollars. You should return the bracelet."
Elena felt a chill run through her entire body.
This servant was the one who had personally put the bracelet on her earlier.
"Rosalie," Elena looked at her in disbelief, "if you liked it, you could have told me. Why would I steal from you?"
Rosalie looked at Elena in surprise, her eyes already turning red. "Sister, if you liked it, you could have told me. I could have given it to you. Why did you... why did you have to steal it?"
"I... didn't steal it," Elena said slowly.
"Miss, please don't get me into trouble," the servant said, suddenly rushing over and pulling up Elena's sleeve. "Everyone, look, the bracelet is right here."
On her fair wrist, the bracelet shimmered with a translucent glow, dazzling and beautiful.
The crowd was in an uproar.
"I can't believe it. After all these years, they raised a thief."
"Tsk tsk, she's really not fit for high society."
"What a disgrace."
"A sparrow will always be a sparrow. It can never become a phoenix."
Harsh words pierced Elena's ears, one after another.
"Elena, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Richard glared at her and raised his hand, slapping her across the face.
Elena turned her head to the side, stunned and motionless for a moment.
"Elena, how could you do something like this?" Veronica said, her voice filled with disappointment. "All these years, we've given you everything you needed. How could you be so short-sighted?"
Elena bit her lip, thinking that this must be a misunderstanding. If she could just explain, they would surely believe her.
"Mom, Dad," Elena said, trying to hold back the bitterness in her heart. "I didn't steal anything. Really, I didn't. This bracelet, the maid forced it on me."
The maid's eyes flashed and she cried out, "Miss, if I had stolen the bracelet, why wouldn't I take it for myself? Why would I put it on you? Even if you want to clear your name, you can't make up such lies."
Richard snorted, pointing angrily at Elena. "At a time like this, you still dare to argue?"
Elena took a deep breath. "I'm not arguing! Isn't there a camera in the hallway? This bracelet, the maid really forced it on me. If you don't believe me, we can check the footage."
Rosalie's eyes glinted as she softly said, "Sister, why are you saying this on purpose? You know very well that the cameras at home were just taken down today to be replaced with new ones. Where are we supposed to find the footage now?"
All the cameras were taken down?
Elena's pupils contracted.
How could it be such a coincidence?
Why such a coincidence?
Elena suddenly turned to Rosalie.
"It was you.”
- Writer
