Chapter 9 - The Empty Box
Evelyn froze, her eyes narrowing as she absorbed the bride's admission. "The box was already empty?"
Violet nodded frantically, taking a hesitant step down the stairs. "Andrew took the sapphire two weeks ago, Evelyn. He used it as collateral for his gambling debts in the city. The whole story about Sophie taking it from the velvet tray... it was planned the moment you walked through that door. They needed a scapegoat so his mother wouldn't realize the ring was gone before the insurance claim was filed."
The disgust that washed over Evelyn was cold and absolute. She looked at Violet—a woman who had sat quietly in that room, watching a child get struck and branded a criminal, all to protect her new husband's financial rot.
"And you let them do it," Evelyn said, her voice dropping into a deadly whisper that made Violet flinch. "You traded my daughter's safety for a ring that wasn't even there."
May you like
"I was afraid!" Violet cried out softly, tears breaking through her carefully painted mascara. "If the wedding fell apart, my family's firm—"
"I don't care about your family's firm," Evelyn cut her off, turning back toward the exit. "And God help every single one of you when the police see this face."
