Chapter 75: Pass the Buck

"Maggie," the police officer said, "can you explain why Vanessa's bracelet was found in your bag?"

The discovery sent whispers rippling through the students gathered inside and outside the classroom.

"I can't believe it was in Maggie's bag! What's going on?"

"Someone must have planted it."

"But Maggie's from a good family, and so is Vanessa. They're always friendly—how could this happen?"

"You never really know anyone. Even though Maggie comes from a good family, she's adopted. It's not the same as being a real heiress."

"But she couldn't have stolen it, could she? There must be a misunderstanding."

Maggie's gaze darkened as she looked intently at Vanessa. "I don't know why it was in my bag," she said slowly.

Vanessa, her face hurt, replied, "Maggie, we've had disagreements, and you can blame me, but you can't do this and ruin your future!"

Maggie chuckled lightly. "You seem to care more about my future than my mother does," she said nonchalantly.

The tension broke; laughter erupted.

"You!" Vanessa seethed, malice flashing in her eyes. She hadn't expected Maggie's calm, mocking response. "Fine," she muttered, "don't blame me for being merciless." She added under her breath, "I'd like to see how Maggie handles this."

"Blame me for being sentimental," Vanessa said, regaining her composure. "We may not be close, but taking my things without permission is wrong. I may not press charges, but I expect an apology." Her eyes were red-rimmed, but her resolve was firm. She looked like someone pushed to the edge.

Maggie smirked. "Apology? Dream on!"

Vanessa felt Maggie had changed, her growing arrogance unsettling and even frightening. Unable to argue further, she turned to the department leader, teacher, and police officers. "I may not pursue this, but I want an explanation."

The leader frowned, clearly struggling with the situation. Maggie was a star student, excelling in her department and winning numerous national and international awards for the school. This incident was hard to believe.

The teacher, a woman in her forties who had always favored Maggie, soothed her gently. "Maggie, don't worry, we believe in you. Try to remember if anything seemed amiss."

Vanessa protested vehemently. "Ms. Gelb, what do you mean? You've always favored Maggie, but now that the truth is out, you can't ignore it! If you do this, our school doesn't deserve its reputation!"

Maggie remained unconcerned about the accusations against herself, but Vanessa's attack on her respected mentor sharpened her gaze. She looked directly at Vanessa and said coldly, "Funny, I happen to want an explanation, too."

"What do you mean?" Vanessa frowned.

Ignoring her, Maggie addressed the police. "Let's check the fingerprints. The bracelet is K gold and diamonds; it'll leave prints. The velvet box will also show traces."

The police agreed. "No objections? Our forensic colleagues will examine it."

Vanessa remained calm. She'd wiped the bracelet clean. There was no proof Maggie stole it, but no proof she didn't either. A single bracelet wouldn't be enough to convict Maggie. But if she could tarnish Maggie's reputation and sow doubt, the coveted study abroad opportunity might fall into her own hands. Otherwise, with the teachers' and leaders' favoritism toward Maggie, Yatria was Maggie's for the taking. She refused to accept that. Maggie had everything; she had nothing. She'd worked hard her whole life, barely leaving Aquapolis. She, too, longed to go to Yatria, to experience its culture and architecture, to meet famous architects and boost her resume.

Forensic experts returned, shaking their heads. "No fingerprints. It's been wiped clean."

A cold look flashed in Vanessa's eyes—no surprise.

Maggie then said, "Please also test my bag for fingerprints."

Vanessa was stunned. She hadn't considered this. Maggie calmly explained, "My bag hasn't moved much. When you placed the bracelet, you likely avoided disturbing it to maintain appearances. You probably didn't touch the bag itself."

Vanessa's eyes flickered with panic. She hadn't touched the bag much—it was full of items; she only opened it slightly to insert the box.

After the police took Maggie's bag, Maggie smiled faintly at Vanessa. "Miss Brown, you take such good care of your things—not a single fingerprint on the bracelet. You must clean it regularly."

Suspicions arose. Whispers filled the room.

"Yeah, how could there be no fingerprints of her own?" "Is it new? Has she never touched it?" "Even if new, wouldn't she try it on when she bought something so valuable?" "Maybe it was wiped clean before being put back?" "No, if it was from the shop, it wouldn't be in this packaging. Vanessa must have touched it—unless she wiped it herself."

Discussion intensified. Soon, the results arrived. The police looked at Vanessa with a complex expression. "Vanessa, we found half your fingerprint on the metal clasp of Maggie's bag."