"It's not over yet!"
Janet's voice cracked through the ballroom, halting the chaos. Her tone was sharp, accusatory, vibrating with a triumph that froze everyone in place.
She pointed a trembling finger at Malik. "No! Not when the gift was stolen! How could Malik, a cleaner, suddenly produce relics worth billions? Ancient scrolls? Obsidian locks that break valuation software? It's impossible!"
Her words hung in the air, and the stunned awe curdled into thick, suffocating doubt.
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. "It doesn't add up," someone muttered. "He's just a thief."
Paul Roy looked around, and the flicker of respect he'd felt moments ago died, replaced by cold suspicion. "Is this true, boy? Did you steal these treasures?" His voice rasped like grinding stone.
Malik s
