Chapter 35

Lily and Annabelle, weary of watching Grace's dejected rummaging through the rubbish, decided to leave.

"How long are you going to let her look?" Annabelle asked.

Lily replied casually, "Until late tonight, just before I go to bed. Then I'll call the director and tell them it's fine if they can't find the ring. I'll just accept my bad luck."

"Heh, you're letting her off easy," Annabelle said. "If Sean saw her now, he'd probably vomit. Grace isn't worthy of someone like Sean. Only a socialite like you could match him."

As their red Maserati started, several police cars converged on them. In an instant, the Maserati was surrounded.

A policeman approached and knocked on the Maserati's window. Lily lowered it.

"We received a report that a ring worth hundreds of thousands of dollars was lost here," the policeman said. "We're investigating whether it was lost or stolen."

"A report?" Lily and Annabelle were stunned.

"But we didn't call the police!" Annabelle exclaimed.

The policeman ignored her and continued, "Anything over a hundred thousand dollars is a major case. We appreciate your cooperation and hope to help you recover the ring."

The problem was, no ring was lost. They exchanged glances. Lily said through clenched teeth, "I don't want to investigate further. It's fine if it can't be found."

"If this is a theft, the value makes it a criminal case, requiring an investigation," the officer said firmly. "Please get out of the car and indicate where you last saw the ring."

"We're following procedure, ma'am," he added, opening the car door for Lily. "Now, please step out. We'll take statements separately."

Lily and Annabelle stepped out into the cold air. They walked to where they'd been speaking to Grace, now a scene of scattered rubbish. A large amount of rubbish, originally in the bins, had been emptied onto the ground to facilitate the search.

The stench was overpowering. Lily and Annabelle, in their flashy clothes, stood out starkly amidst the piles of refuse. The officer, however, refused to let them leave, insisting they remain while recounting their experience.

Their account was an ordeal. Even after finishing, they were told, "Since we're searching for the ring, please wait. If it's found, you can confirm if it's yours."

"Stand here?" Annabelle asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"But it's so dirty and smelly"

Suddenly, a loud voice exclaimed, "Oh my god, it's Lily! I can't believe I'm seeing a huge celebrity!"

A large crowd gathered.

"Why is she standing in a rubbish pile?"

"Are those police officers? Are they filming a movie?"

The crowd buzzed with speculation.

"I think I should leave," Lily said, desperate to escape. "I'll have my assistant and lawyer assist the police."

"Miss Atkinson, I know you're a celebrity, but the sanitation workers are working hard to find your ring," the policeman retorted. "You're involved; you need to wait. Or do you think you're above everyone else?"