Chapter 6 - The Found Diamond
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Panic descended upon the Cross mansion like a poisonous cloud.
Adrian ran out of the study and sprinted down the hallway toward his private office, his heart hammering violently against his ribs.
"Celeste!" he roared over his shoulder. "Get in here! Now!"
Celeste rushed after him, her silk robe fluttering behind her, her fake tears completely replaced by sheer panic.
"Adrian, darling, don't scream at me!" she whined, clutching his arm. "So what if she’s rich? You're a successful CEO too! Your construction firm is worth millions!"
"My construction firm has twenty-five million dollars in outstanding loans with Vance National Bank!" Adrian yelled, slamming his hand onto his mahogany desk. "If she snaps her fingers, my credit lines die in five minutes!"
He turned around and began pacing frantically like a caged animal.
"The ring," Adrian muttered, his eyes darting around the room. "We need to find that damn ring! If I find it and prove she didn't take it, I can call her... I can explain... I can say it was a misunderstanding!"
"I told you she stole it!" Celeste insisted loudly. "She hid it somewhere before she left!"
Adrian stopped pacing. He looked at Celeste, really looking at her for the first time in months. He saw the heavy makeup, the greedy glint in her eyes, and the desperate way she was holding her designer handbag against her hip.
"Where did you look for it on Friday?" Adrian asked, his tone dropping into a cold, suspicious register.
"Everywhere!" Celeste stammered. "In her room, in her drawers—"
"Give me your bag," Adrian demanded, holding out his hand.
Celeste took a step back, her eyes flashing with fear. "What? No! Adrian, that’s invasive!"
"GIVE ME THE BAG!" Adrian screamed, snatching the five-thousand-dollar leather bag from her hands.
He unzipped the main compartment and dumped the entire contents onto the glass coffee table. Lipsticks, compact powders, designer sunglasses, and a small velvet pouch spilled out across the surface.
Adrian picked up the velvet pouch and pulled the drawstring open.
Inside, catching the morning sunlight, sat the four-carat diamond ring.
The exact ring Celeste had claimed was stolen three days ago.
The room went completely quiet.
Adrian looked up from the glittering diamond to Celeste’s pale, trembling face.
"You had it the entire time," Adrian whispered, a terrifying wave of realization crashing over him. "You framed my wife."
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"Adrian... listen to me!" Celeste whimpered, reaching out to touch his chest. "I did it for us! She was standing in our way! She was boring and quiet and—"
"GET OUT!" Adrian roared, pointing a shaking finger toward the front door. "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"
