The Billionaire's Amnesiac Darling

Chapter 4: Don't Celebrate The Birthday

Sophia didn't intend to cause a scene tonight.

She wasn't in the mood for trouble; the heartache from James's callous words in the car left her disinclined to make waves. She just wanted to eat, drink, and fill the void in her heart with food.

Moreover, she had taken Mrs. Abigail's money, and it wouldn't be right to cause trouble now. For a seven-digit sum, she had to show some restraint tonight.

However, she didn't seek trouble, yet it found her.

James was surrounded by people toasting him, and Sophia was pulled away by Abigail to play the role of a supportive sister in front of everyone, acting out a scene of sisterly affection with Emily.

After the act, she glanced at James, who was deeply engaged in conversation, knowing he would be occupied for a while, so she turned and went to the second floor, planning to lie down in her room for a while to sober up.

She had drunk several glasses earlier and was feeling a bit tipsy.

As she turned into the restroom, someone ran out. Sophia was about to dodge but was forcefully shoulder-checked, causing her to stumble backward and lean against the wall to steady herself.

Snap—

Her white, fully-diamond-encrusted square handbag fell to the ground, the zipper open, spilling its contents everywhere.

Sophia rubbed her shoulder and looked down, her gaze falling on the translucent emerald earrings by her feet.

The earrings seemed familiar at first glance, and as she was about to pick them up, someone else beat her to it.

Sophia looked up, stunned.

"Isabella?"

Seeing her rival suddenly, Sophia immediately thought of James. Did James bring her here?

The thought had just crossed her mind when she dismissed it.

Impossible. James kept Isabella well-protected; no one knew about their relationship. He wouldn't bring Isabella to such an event.

Especially with her here.

Now, in James's eyes, she was a venomous woman. He was afraid she would bully Isabella, afraid Isabella would be wronged, and he wouldn't bring her here.

During Sophia's moment of shock, Isabella had already stuffed everything back into the bag, stood up with the bag in hand, placed the tightly clenched earrings in her palm inside as well, and then responded to her.

"Emily invited me."

Sophia then remembered that Emily and Isabella were college alumni with a good relationship. It seemed reasonable for Emily to invite Isabella to her birthday.

"You..."

"I have to go," Isabella said, already rushing out with her bag, seemingly in a hurry.

Sophia watched her retreating figure but didn't follow. She did want to have a serious talk with Isabella, but not today.

After leaving the restroom, Sophia returned to her room and played two games. Just as she started the third game, there was a knock on the door.

She had been on a losing streak, losing the first two games, and was in a foul mood as she stomped to the door in her slippers.

It was her nanny, Walker.

Seeing the princess's unhappy expression, Walker didn't dare to linger and quickly got to the point.

"The eldest miss's earrings are missing, and the madam sent me to ask if you've seen them?"

Earrings?

Sophia slowly narrowed her eyes and suddenly asked, "Emerald earrings?"

Walker nodded vigorously, "Yes, emerald earrings, a birthday gift from the madam to the eldest miss.

"They were left by the elderly lady, too precious, and the eldest miss didn't even dare to wear them tonight.

"Just now, when the eldest miss's dress got stained with wine, she changed clothes, and the madam said the dress matched the earrings, so the eldest miss was about to put them on, only to find the box empty."

Left by the elderly lady.

Sophia finally understood why the earring by her feet seemed familiar.

They were left by her grandmother, one earring, one bracelet, an heirloom in the Parker family, practically antiques.

On her deathbed, her grandmother instructed Mrs. Abigail, "Pass the bracelet to your daughter-in-law, and keep the earrings for Sophia."

Mrs. Abigail said she would give them to her on her wedding day.

Now, Mrs. Abigail had given the earrings to Emily.

As Sophia followed the nanny downstairs, Emily was upset about the lost earrings, and Abigail was comforting her, looking up at Sophia and quickly asking,

"Where are the earrings?"

The slightly accusatory tone seemed to assume that Sophia had taken the earrings.

Sophia casually glanced at Isabella next to Emily, met her guilty gaze, and with no expression, she smirked and first confirmed with Abigail.

"The ones left by grandma?"

Seeing Abigail nod, Sophia gestured towards Isabella with her chin.

"Half an hour ago, you bumped into me in the restroom... Shall I get it out for you, or will you do it yourself?"

Isabella's face changed, and she exclaimed, "Miss Sophia, what do you mean? Are you accusing me of stealing Emily's earrings?"

The people around were originally busy networking, and few paid attention to this commotion, but Isabella's sudden outburst, sharp and agitated, quickly attracted many glances.

James, surrounded by people in the middle, also heard it.

As he followed the crowd to see what was happening, Isabella was trying to prove her innocence, opening her bag's zipper and turning it upside down, spilling its contents on the floor.

There were no earrings on the ground.

"Miss Sophia, I know my status is humble, not comparable to your nobility, but I also have my pride. I don't covet what's not mine, let alone steal it."

Isabella had a sweet appearance, slim and petite, wearing a conservatively curved lavender evening gown adorned with pearls, giving off a bit of a girl-next-door elegance.

At this moment, her eyes were red, her pale face slightly raised, her back very straight, the humiliation and vulnerability in her eyes silently accusing Sophia.

Sophia was a beauty with striking features, delicate and gorgeous, tall and statuesque. The dress she wore tonight was chosen by Abigail, only changed into it after arriving at the Parker family, a sisterly style with Emily.

It happened to be purple as well, but unlike Isabella's conservative and bland style, hers was a design-heavy ash-purple long dress, off-the-shoulder and fitted, with a seductive and enchanting figure.

A petite and fragile girl-next-door, a coldly gorgeous and noble rich young lady.

In this situation, it seemed like Sophia was bullying Isabella.

Especially with the disdainful mockery on Sophia's face and her condescending arrogance, it made Isabella appear even more pitiful.

During their standoff, Isabella bit her lip and said again, "Should I be searched?"

It was humiliating, but Emily said it was the only way to completely break Sophia and James apart.

So, Isabella was willing to take a chance.

She trembled as she pulled down her dress, revealing her left shoulder and a large area of fair and smooth skin.

James rushed out at this moment.

He took off his suit jacket and draped it over Isabella, pulling her hand back and completely shielding her behind him, his handsome face flushed with anger, his sharp gaze sweeping towards Sophia.

"Sophia, don't go too far!"

Sophia stared intently at the hand he held Isabella with, her brows furrowed, speechless.

"I'm going too far? What did I do? I just spoke the truth, and she got excited and started emptying her bag and taking off her clothes herself."

Sophia pointed at the bag on the ground, "When I saw it, there was indeed an earring in her bag. I'm not lying; there are surveillance cameras in the house."

She was bumped into by Isabella at the restroom door; the surveillance angle wasn't complete, but it could see a bit.

Sophia asked someone to check the surveillance, and at this moment, Emily stepped forward, saying that the house's surveillance had broken down yesterday and hadn't been fixed yet.

So convenient?

Sophia suddenly turned to look at her, her sharp gaze scrutinizing.

Emily seemed not to see her question, smiling gently and magnanimously.

"Sophia, that pair of earrings was a birthday gift from mom.

"I know you've always liked them. Since we were little, I've always given you whatever you liked. If you like the earrings, take them, but don't wrong an innocent person."

Abigail had already started to suspect Isabella, but hearing Emily's words and recalling the origin of the earrings, she thought it was more likely that Sophia had taken them.

"Sophia, those earrings match your sister well. I'll buy you another one. Stop making a scene, return the earrings to your sister, and apologize to Isabella."

Sophia's gaze swept over the crowd, directly looking at Isabella behind James, seeing her tearful appearance, and let out a cold laugh.

Indeed, the child who cries gets candy.

But she never liked to cry when she was young.

The accusations continued around her, and the discussions rose and fell. Sophia waved her hand, took a glass of champagne from the waiter, and smashed it towards Emily.

Daring to scheme against her.

Fine, don't celebrate the birthday.