Chapter 7: Bessie Is the Thief

In Ophelia's past life, Cullen returned after a long absence to retrieve her notes, which were still there. Wait. Ophelia squinted. Cullen had been secretly seeing Bessie. Perhaps he hadn't retrieved the notes from her room after all. A suspicion formed. She went outside, just as Bessie returned.

"Ophelia, you're back," Bessie said with a strained smile. "What happened? You look terrible."

Ophelia glanced at her. "Something valuable is missing. Did any of you enter my room?"

Samuel snapped, "What do you mean? Are you accusing one of us of theft?"

Ophelia stated flatly, "I left it in my room. If it wasn't one of you, it must have been a thief. How could a thief get in unseen?"

Erin interjected smoothly, "Maybe the servants misplaced it while cleaning. Ophelia, what was it?"

"My mother's notes."

The others fell silent. Everyone knew about the notes; a previous offer of millions for them had been refused. They were incredibly valuable.

The servants were summoned and lined up. Their faces showed their awareness of the missing millions; none spoke.

Bessie sighed, feigning helplessness. "Ophelia, the servants didn't know the notes were worth so much. They might have thought they were just papers and discarded them. You can't blame them, right? Let's just drop it. Even if you find out who did it, they can't pay you millions. What will you do? Force them? Just let it go."

The servants shot her grateful glances. Secretly, they thought, Ms. Bessie is kinder than Ms. Ophelia. Does Ms. Ophelia really want us to beg her?

Ophelia smiled coldly. "My cabinet was locked. No one could open it unless they intended to steal something. So, it's impossible the notes were discarded while cleaning. I gathered you all to give the culprit a chance to confess; you've worked for us for years. You really think I have no proof? But since you don't appreciate the chance, I'll call the police. Let the law decide."

She reached for her phone.

Bessie's heart pounded. "What proof?" she blurted.

Ophelia's gaze hardened as she looked at Bessie. "I have a camera—in the top right corner of my desk. Didn't any of you notice?"

Bessie's face paled. She remembered seeing something that looked like a camera.

Seeing Ophelia about to call the police, Bessie snatched the phone, throwing caution to the wind. All eyes turned to her.

Ophelia said meaningfully, "Bessie, what are you doing?"

"I..." Bessie forced a smile. "I just remembered I might have the notes."

"Oh?" Ophelia's tone was suggestive. "I've been asking for a long time, and you remembered nothing. Now it suddenly occurs to you after I mention the police?"

The servants' gazes shifted towards Bessie. Their earlier gratitude was replaced by suspicion. The coincidence was too striking. Bessie felt their scrutiny intensely.

Muttering a curse at Ophelia, Bessie forced a smile. "Lenora came earlier to see the notes, so I took them. I forgot to put them back…"

Lenora Whitaker was Ophelia's uncle's daughter.

"I see," Ophelia said coolly. "Then please return them. Let me remind you, these are my mother's legacy, and you know their value. Keep your hands off them, or people might think you stole them."

The smile froze on Bessie's face. She gritted her teeth. "Fine. I'll get them."

She returned with a locked box containing the notes. Ophelia instantly recognized that Bessie hadn't been able to open the box.

Ophelia took the box and began packing. She packed everything related to Harriet and other important items, filling a suitcase.

Erin approached, her expression changing. "What are you doing, Ophelia? You aren't coming back?"

Ophelia replied, "I'm married and have my own home. I'm not returning." Thinking of Winford, she smiled sweetly. After Harriet's death, this place was no longer her home. It was a shame she hadn't realized it sooner. Winford's home would be hers.

"You don't need to take so much," Erin said gently. "What will people think?"

"No. I'm taking it all. What if someone steals them again?"

Bessie, having approached, heard this, and her smile faltered.

Ignoring them, Ophelia dragged her suitcase towards the door. Remembering something, she returned, retrieved the "camera" from her desk, and tossed it in the trash.

Bessie was stunned.

Ophelia said innocently, yet suggestively, "Oh, I forgot to mention it's just an ornament, not a camera. I said that to lure the thief. What a surprise... it was you, Bessie."

Bessie's face contorted in anger, which pleased Ophelia. Ophelia left with her suitcase, taking a cab back to Sunset Vista.

Back at Sunset Vista, she sensed a strange atmosphere. The servants were startled at her arrival but didn't explain. They all looked upwards. Anticipation and schadenfreude gleamed in their eyes; they awaited a spectacle.

Before she could ask, a voice boomed from upstairs, "Toss this out! And this! Who put this crap here? This is my room! No one enters without my permission!" (The sentence is repeated in the original text; it is omitted here in the edit).