Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
“Actually, I could go for a snack,” Isabella replied with a grin, enjoying the relaxed moment with her friend.
Just as they were about to grab some food, someone bumped into Susan, nearly sending her plate flying.
“I’m sorry,” the person who bumped into Susan quickly apologized before moving on. Isabella scowled, ready to confront the individual, but Susan pulled at her sleeve. “It’s okay. It was an accident,” Susan reassured her.
Isabella decided not to pursue it further and returned to their table to enjoy the food. As they sat down, something caught her eye—there was a small object protruding from Susan’s pocket. She squinted. “What’s in your pocket?”
“Nothing,” Susan responded, blinking in confusion.
But when Isabella reached into the pocket, she pulled out a ring. Susan’s face turned pale. “That’s not mine!” she exclaimed, panic creeping into her voice.
Isabella quickly pocketed the ring, scanning the hall, her mind racing. “Of course, it’s not. Just wait here,” she said calmly before stepping away.
Moments later, a scream pierced the air. “My ring is gone!” The voice was unmistakably Josie’s.
Josie appeared distressed, her voice trembling. “No! That ring is a family heirloom from my grandmother!”
A murmur of concern swept through the room.
“That ring is extremely valuable,” someone commented. “How could it just vanish?”
“I took it off when I washed my hands in the restroom and forgot to put it back on. When I returned, it was gone!” Josie explained, her eyes filling with tears.
The guests began searching the area, but the ring was nowhere to be found. Josie’s gaze suddenly landed on Susan.
“Everyone here is affluent and respected. I can’t imagine any of them stealing,” Josie said, her tone dripping with suspicion. “But Isabella’s friend… she doesn’t exactly look like she belongs here.”
All eyes turned toward Susan, scrutinizing her simple attire.
Susan, caught off guard by the accusation, stammered, “I didn’t take it! I never even saw it!”
“I saw you go into the restroom,” one woman chimed in. “How could you not have seen it? You must be lying!”
“Please, just give back my ring!” Josie’s voice wavered as she moved closer to Susan. “If you took anything else, I’d forgive you for Isabella’s sake, but this ring belonged to my grandmother. I can’t lose it!”
“I didn’t take it!” Susan repeated, her face reddening with frustration.
Isabella, her patience wearing thin, stepped forward. “Do you have any proof that she took it?” she asked coolly.
Josie looked affronted, her tone turning defensive. “She’s the only one from an ordinary family here. Who else could it be? It’s understandable that she might be tempted by something so valuable, but now that she’s caught, she should return it. Don’t worry, Isabella, for your sake, I won’t press charges.”
Josie’s words effectively branded Susan a thief, and the other guests began murmuring amongst themselves.
“Yes, she’s the only one who could’ve done it.”
“I can’t believe Miss Patton’ friend would stoop to such a level.”
“People are judged by the company they keep. Was Miss Patton like this before?”
The crowd’s whispers were filled with disdain, casting doubt not just on Susan, but also on Isabella’s reputation. The admiration they had once shown Isabella now soured, as some guests distanced themselves from her.
Kristine, ever the tactful one, stepped forward with a sympathetic smile. “Isabella, I understand you want to protect your friend, but Josie is being gracious. Let’s have your friend return the ring. Now that you’re part of the Patton family, you can help her avoid such behavior in the future.”
Susan, on the verge of tears, cried, “Just because I’m not dressed like the rest of you doesn’t mean I’m a thief!”
Kristine sighed softly, as though torn. “Perhaps we should handle this after the banquet?” she suggested.
Josie hesitated but eventually nodded. “Alright,” she agreed reluctantly.
The guests watched the exchange, praising Kristine for her sensitivity. “Kristine is always so considerate,” one whispered. “She’s trying to spare Isabella from further embarrassment.”
“Kristine’s upbringing is shining through,” another added. “She clearly knows how to handle situations with grace.”
Isabella rolled her eyes inwardly. Kristine’s manipulation was all too transparent, yet it was working—everyone was now convinced Susan had stolen the ring.
Glenn, noticing the growing disturbance, approached to see what was going on. Kristine was quick to explain the situation, painting Susan as a suspect.
“Kristine,” Isabella said sharply, “why are you so eager to accuse my friend of theft?”
Kristine appeared flustered. “Isabella, please don’t misunderstand me. I’m just trying to keep the peace. Let’s address this after the banquet so we don’t disrupt your celebration.”
“I’m telling you, she didn’t take Josie’s ring!” Isabella insisted, her eyes narrowing.
Josie, growing frustrated with Isabella’s defense of Susan, stepped forward. “Fine,” she snapped, “let’s search her. If we don’t find the ring, I’ll apologize. But if we do, I’ll involve the police!”
The tension in the room thickened as all eyes turned to Susan, waiting for the truth to unfold.
How could Isabella still act so arrogant at a moment like this?
Josie was certain that if her friend was arrested, Isabella would definitely bear the consequences. She would pay for her defiance.
“If you can’t find the ring on her, is an apology enough?” Isabella asked coolly.
“What do you want, then?” Josie snapped, her composure faltering slightly.
“If you don’t find the ring on her, you owe my friend a million dollars for emotional distress,” Isabella replied, her voice calm but resolute.
A million dollars?
Josie’s confidence wavered. She only received tens of thousands as her monthly allowance, yet she couldn’t back down now. “Fine!” she agreed with forced determination. “Let’s start searching her right now!”
After all, Josie had arranged for someone to slip the ring into Susan’s pocket. She was sure it would be found there.
Kristine opened her mouth as if to intervene but merely sighed, casting a disapproving glance at Isabella.
Isabella, unphased by the mounting tension, turned to Susan. “Do you trust me?”
Susan, who had been trembling, met Isabella’s gaze. Being publicly accused and searched was humiliating, guilty or not. But without the search, she couldn’t prove her innocence. With Isabella by her side, she felt a flicker of hope. She nodded firmly, her voice barely above a whisper, “Okay, I consent.”
The search began, and all eyes were glued to Susan. Josie watched with eager anticipation, waiting for the moment the ring would be discovered.
But then…
The waitress who performed the search looked up, puzzled. “There’s nothing on her.”
Josie’s smug expression faltered. “That’s impossible! She must have hidden it somewhere else!” she sputtered.
Isabella stepped in, her voice razor-sharp. “Josie, why are you so sure she has the ring? Did you put it in her pocket yourself?”
Josie’s face drained of color as Isabella’s words hit her like a hammer. She stammered, “I… I just know she’s the only one who would stoop so low.”
Isabella’s icy gaze pierced through Josie’s defense. “Do you think wealth gives you the right to falsely accuse others? My friend may not be as rich as you, but she’s honest, hardworking, and has integrity. She’s nothing like you—someone who uses her wealth to cover up her bad manners and baseless accusations.”
Josie’s expression darkened, her pride wounded. “How dare you!”
Isabella remained unfazed. “Your ring is missing, but anyone here could have taken it.”
Glenn, seeing the growing chaos, suggested calmly, “Let’s check everyone’s bags, just to be sure.”
The guests exchanged uneasy glances but began opening their bags. One by one, they complied, but the ring was nowhere to be found.
“No one else has it,” Josie insisted, her desperation mounting. “Susan must have hidden it. I can’t believe anyone else would take my ring!”
Tears welled up in Susan’s eyes as she cried out, “This is insane! You’re accusing me without any evidence!”
Isabella, her patience wearing thin, glanced toward Josie’s friends. “There are still some people we haven’t checked,” she said pointedly.
The red-haired woman who had bumped into Susan earlier shifted uncomfortably.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.