Before I could respond, the guard yanked my bag open, and a diamond ring slipped out, clinking onto the floor.
The appearance of the diamond ring felt like a death sentence, sealing my fate.
The banquet hall erupted in chaos, like boiling oil splashed by a drop of water. Guests rushed toward me, hurling wine and food in my direction.
“She’s a thief!”
“Don’t let her escape!”
“I knew she came with bad intentions; how dare she steal the diamond ring!”
Security guards swarmed and pinned me to the ground. My face was pressed harshly against the floor, like a fish caught on a chopping board, helpless and at their mercy.
Somehow, Arabelle’s engagement ring ended up in my bag. I looked up and caught sight of a waiter quickly slipping away. It dawned on me that he had bumped into my bag earlier. That must have been when the ring was planted.
Through the noise and confusion, Jaxon pushed through the crowd, snatched the ring from the floor, and looked at me with cold disdain.
“I thought you had truly repented. Turns out I was wrong to go soft on you.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. With the evidence so clear, any explanation would be pointless.