Amelia showed no fear. She sighed, as if deeply disappointed. "Evelyn, I considered you a friend. That is the only reason I invited you to my birthday celebration tonight. But look at you. You are the Design Director at Aethelgard Industries. Why would you stoop to this?"

Evelyn drew a sharp breath. She understood Amelia's true motive. This was a deliberate setup.

Whispers erupted around her before she could speak.

"She's the Aethelgard Design Director?"

"Now I recall! She's that designer, Evelyn. The one involved in that massive online scandal."

"Exactly! Wasn't she accused of plagiarism before?"

Evelyn's chest constricted at the harsh words.

She had been exonerated. Yet the stigma remained.

No. She would not be a passive victim.

She stood taller, her voice firm. "I am no plagiarist. And I am certainly not a thief tonight. If you accuse me of stealing from the Sterling family, present your evidence! Without it, these are baseless slanders. I will not tolerate false accusations!"

She paused, steadying her nerves. "If you persist without proof, I will have no choice but to call the police."

A murmur of shock traveled through the guests.

"Calling the police at Miss Sterling's birthday? This is a serious escalation."

"Tonight's party is certainly not dull."

Amelia's eyes narrowed. She hadn't anticipated such defiance.

Very well. If Evelyn demanded proof, proof she would get.

There was no one left to rescue her now.

A message alert chimed on Amelia's phone.

A smirk of victory curled her lips as she glanced at the screen.

"You want evidence? How convenient. Everyone is here. Let them see for themselves if you stole my necklace!"

She raised her phone for all to see. With a tap, she played the newly received video.

Every eye fixed on the screen. It showed security footage from a hotel lounge.

Within seconds, a familiar figure appeared. It was Evelyn, clear as day.

Even Evelyn stared in disbelief.

This was impossible. She had never been in that room.

In the video, "Evelyn" glanced around furtively. She opened a gift box on a table. She lifted a glittering necklace. She swiftly tucked it into her clutch purse.

Gasps filled the air.

"She did steal it!"

"After all her righteous talk! I actually believed her."

"This is despicable. A Design Director from Aethelgard, involved in theft."

"Her name is Evelyn, right? She'll be blacklisted from every society event after this."

"And she threatened to call the police. Now it's she who should be arrested!"

"Miss Sterling, you were right! Have this thief apprehended at once!"