Stella instantly caught her mother's meaning. She glanced at the wooden box Yvonne had casually left on the side table against the wall. "Mom, relax. I'll get it back for Simon."
When Yvonne came out of the restroom, she spotted Stella slipping away from the side table, and the wooden box she had placed there was gone.
"Stop right there. What are you hiding?"
Stella startled and quickly tucked her hands behind her back. "I didn't take anything."
Yvonne nearly laughed from sheer anger. "Then show me your hands. I never expected the Brown family to raise a thief."
"Who are you calling a thief?"
Yvonne said nothing, only gesturing for Stella to bring her hands forward.
Stella realized she couldn't talk her way out of it, so she gave up the act, pulled the wooden box from behind her bac
