Chapter 4 - The Stolen Diamonds
Two days passed in a blur of anxiety and whispered conversations with Marcus.
The security chief had discovered that Selene was feeding Damian's private shipping routes to a rival cartel operated by her father.
She was trying to weaken Bellucci Maritime just enough to force a merger after the wedding.
But before Marcus could gather enough hard evidence to present to Damian, Selene made her move.
It happened on a quiet Thursday afternoon while Lily was doing her homework at the kitchen table.
The piercing sound of the estate's internal security alarm shattered the peace of the house.
I rushed out into the main hallway just as three security guards sprinted past me toward the East Wing.
Selene was standing in the center of the grand foyer, weeping loudly and dramatically into her hands.
Damian came down the stairs two at a time, his face a mask of furious concern.
"What happened?" he demanded, looking at the guards.
"My diamonds," Selene sobbed, pointing a shaking finger toward the guest wing.
"The vintage necklace my grandmother gave me for the wedding is gone."
"I left it in its velvet case on my vanity, and now the entire box is missing."
Damian’s expression darkened as he ordered the guards to lock down the perimeter.
"Nobody leaves the estate," he commanded.
Selene wiped a fake tear from her cheek and suddenly turned to look directly at me.
"She was the last one in my room," Selene accused loudly.
"I saw Elena carrying fresh towels into my suite just an hour ago."
The entire foyer went completely silent as all eyes turned toward me.
Panic seized my throat, choking off the air in my lungs.
"I did not take your necklace," I said firmly, my voice shaking despite my best efforts.
"I placed the towels in the bathroom and left immediately."
Selene scoffed, stepping closer to Damian and grabbing his arm.
"She is a single mother struggling with debt, Damian."
"She probably saw those diamonds and realized they could pay for her brat's college tuition."
Damian looked at me, his dark eyes searching my face for any sign of guilt.
"Search her room," Selene demanded, her voice shrill and commanding.
"Search the staff quarters right now."
Damian hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing his stoic features.
Before he could speak, Marcus stepped out of the shadows near the staircase.
"I will conduct the search myself," the security chief stated flatly.
I nodded quickly, desperate to clear my name and protect my daughter.
"Please, Marcus, search everything," I pleaded.
We walked down the long corridor to the small room I shared with Lily.
My daughter looked up from her math workbook, her large eyes wide with confusion and fear as the guards entered.
I pulled her into my arms, pressing her face against my apron so she would not see the men tearing our meager belongings apart.
Marcus opened my small wooden dresser, lifting the stack of folded sweaters I kept in the bottom drawer.
My heart completely stopped when he pulled out a black velvet jewelry box.
He opened the lid, revealing the blinding sparkle of Selene’s vintage diamond necklace.
"I swear to God, I have never seen that before," I gasped, the room spinning around me.
Selene walked into the doorway, a look of triumphant, malicious victory shining in her eyes.
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"Call the police, Damian," she sneered.
"I want her arrested for grand larceny, and I want that child sent to child services."
