?Chapter 248:


    The light-hearted atmosphere snapped like a fragile thread.


    Tina’s smile faded into a mask of concern, mirroring the sudden tension that gripped the room.


    Sadie’s stomach clenched with a sinking feeling, an ominous premonition creeping up her spine.


    She drew a deep, steadying breath, her brows furrowing with determination. “Pierre, slow down. Breathe. Then tell me, what’s going on?”


    Pierre inhaled shakily, his voice barely above a whisper. “The… the Cardi Pink Diamond… it’s gone, missing.”


    “What?” Sadie’s voice cracked in disbelief, her hand identally sweeping a pile of documents off her desk. Papers fluttered to the floor like fallen leaves, scattering in a chaotic dance as herplexion paled.


    The Cardi Pink Diamond, the irreceable gemstone that was the heart of Leanna’s “Ten Year Promise,” priceless in both value and prestige.


    Dread pooled in Sadie’s chest as the room seemed to tilt around her, her vision dimming with the weight of the catastrophe.


    If they had to find a recement now, especially from an international source, meeting the looming deadline would be nothing short of a miracle.


    Sadie shut her eyes for a fleeting moment, summoning every ounce of her will to maintain herposure. Panic was not an option here.


    “What in the world has happened? Lay it out for me—clearly,” she demanded, her voice quivering yet imbued with an unmistakablemand. “When did we discover it was missing? And who was thest one to handle it?”


    Pierre, visibly flustered, scoured his memory. “This morning, I checked the safe, intending to take it to the production room. The lock seemed untouched, but when I opened it… it was empty. The diamond—gone.


    I also checked the surveince footage, but it seemsst night’s recordings have vanished.”


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    Sadie’s breath hitched as an eerie coldness washed over her entire body.


    The surveince footage had vanished?


    How the hell did that happen?


    Her fists clenched unconsciously, nails biting into the flesh of her palms.


    Tina, witnessing the ghostly pallor of Sadie’s face, stepped closer and gently took her hand, offering aforting squeeze. “Sadie, don’t worry. We’ll figure this out and get the diamond back.”


    Managing a strained smile, Sadie replied, “Thank you, Tina. I just need a moment to process this. You should head back now.”


    With a sympathetic nod, Tina exited the office, leaving Sadie and Pierre alone.


    Silence enveloped the room, punctuated only by the rhythmic tapping of Sadie’s fingers against her desk—a sharp, insistent sound that seemed to echo her inner turmoil.


    “Pierre, just stay calm. It already happened. Losing yourposure isn’t going to help us fix this.”


    Despite the turmoil that raged inside her, Sadie’s voice was steady and resolute. “Our main priority right now is solving the problem at hand. Contact all the jewelers we know abroad. We need a pink diamond of the same grade shipped over as soon as possible. Tell them price is not an issue, but they need to send it over at the earliest avable time.”


    Pierre paused for a moment before snapping back to his senses and nodded eagerly. “Yes, Miss Hudson. I’m on it!”


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