?Chapter 122:


    Box in hand, Ellie departed the vi, severing ties with the ce. Yet, she acknowledged that the bond wasn’t fully severed. Cecelia remained her Achilles’ heel.


    “Ellie, wait!”


    Demi’s voice rang out as Ellie neared the gate, her toneced with fury. “My sapphire brooch is missing. Did you steal it?” she used. The sun was setting, and the neighborhood was alive with evening strollers. Onlookers quickly focused on the unfolding drama.


    “Are you using me of theft?” Ellie was struck by the absurdity of the usation.


    Before she could continue, Demi had already rummaged through the kraft-paper box and retrieved the fragile sapphire brooch.


    Demi’s voice rose in anger. “This is the piece! Caught in the act, yet you deny it? Ellie, you promised to take only what belonged to you. Why did you take my brooch?”


    A few onlookers began to whisper among themselves.


    “Is that Ellie over there?”


    “And the one confronting her, isn’t she from the Gordon family?”


    “usations of theft? This will certainly be intriguing!”


    Ellie recognized those familiar faces of affluence and realized Demi’s outrageous behavior was a deliberate spectacle.


    Demi was using the onlookers as pawns in her scheme to brand Ellie as greedy and dishonest.


    Demi’s intent was clear. She wanted to smear Ellie’s reputation.


    “Demi, to set the record straight, this brooch is mine. You saw me ce it in the box,” Ellie countered, astounded by the audacity of the usation.


    “Demi, how can you twist the truth like this? How can you… How…” Ovee with emotion, Demi started to cry.


    Ellie couldn’t help but wonder if Demi had taken lessons in drama.


    Stay connected gα?ησv????s


    How else could she cry onmand?


    Litzy, drawn by the uproar, appeared just in time to see her daughter in distress. She was incensed.


    After being briefed, Litzy confronted Ellie. “This brooch was a gift from me to Demi. Are you iming it’s yours?”


    Ellie stared at Litzy, incredulous.


    This brooch was a gift to Ellie from a significant figure in her high school days, and Litzy was well aware of it. Yet now, Litzy was asserting it was her gift to Demi.


    “Unbelievable,” Ellie chuckled, lowering her gaze.


    Every time, Litzy found new ways to astonish Ellie. Litzy’s brow creased. “Ellie, what’s so funny?” Was Ellie mocking her?


    “If you’re so certain it’s your gift to Demi, it must be of the finest quality, correct?” Ellie said, holding the brooch up to the sunlight, its blue light captivating the onlookers.


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