Chapter 3

Ashley grabbed Sara's arm, sobbing. "Mom, please don't be angry with Selina. I don't think she meant any harm. Maybe she just snapped, you know?"

Sara's anger cooled slightly. She hadn't been fair, creating a scene and accusing Selina of theft without proof in public. "Alright," she said. "If you're innocent, then I owe you an apology." Sara wasn't one to shirk responsibility. If she was wrong about Selina, she would admit it. Selina shot Sara a look but said nothing, following a store clerk to the checkout.

Ashley's eyes shimmered with tears. "Mom, do you think maybe Selina's different now?"

"Sweetie," Sara sighed, "she's been away for twenty-one years, not raised by us. At first, she tried to fit in, to be humble and likable. But sooner or later, everyone's true self emerges, for better or worse. Ashley, you have to remember that Selina may be a Harvey, but you are the real pride of the Harvey family. Stay away from her bad influences."

It was Sara's worst fear realized: Selina addressing her by her first name, acting indifferent to Ashley. Sara had sensed Selina was holding back; now, seeing her true colors so quickly was unsettling.

Tears welled in Ashley's eyes. She shook her head. "I can't believe Selina would steal. I just can't."

Sara sighed and stroked Ashley's hair. "You're too good, too innocent. We've sheltered you too much." Seeing Ashley's distress intensified Sara's resentment toward Selina. She even questioned whether bringing Selina back had been a mistake.

Selina returned with the store manager, who apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Harvey. We didn't remove a security tag correctly, and that's entirely our fault. We'll compensate you fully."

"What?" Sara was stunned. A faulty tag hadn't even crossed her mind. Losing her composure, she exclaimed, "This is a serious error!"

"We're so sorry... It won't happen again," the manager stammered.

Ashley's eyes flickered with hidden panic. She murmured, "It's supposed to be!"

A glance from Selina made Ashley's heart race, and she blurted out, "Thank goodness this mess is sorted. I told you Selina wouldn't do something like this, right?"

Cornered, Sara mumbled, "I... I apologize, Selina. I was—"

"Let's go home. We need to talk," Selina interrupted, her gaze unwavering.

Sara glared at the manager. "We'll discuss your mistake later!"

The manager, near tears, thought, A mistake like this might have gone unnoticed if it weren't Mrs. Harvey. What bad luck!

After leaving the store, tension hung heavy in the car. Ashley, attempting to ease the situation, cautiously began, "Selina, don't be upset, okay? Mom really didn't mean to—"

"Ashley, what were you thinking, slipping those Chanel lipsticks into your bag at the store?" Selina cut her off sharply.

Ashley went pale. "No, I didn't."

Before Sara could intervene, Selina grabbed Ashley's purse and emptied it onto the seat. Two limited-edition Chanel lipsticks rolled out. "Explain these," Selina demanded.

Ashley stammered, panic-stricken. "They... I don't know how they got there."

Sara protectively wrapped her arm around Ashley. "Selina, you can't just throw around accusations. If those are Ashley's, why didn't the alarms go off when we left the store?"

"Because those are samples, not for sale. They don't have security tags. Looks like Ashley's got expensive taste." Selina's sarcasm was dripping. Sara, defending Ashley, retorted, "That's enough, Selina! It must have been an accident. We'll return them; no harm done. You're not going to bully Ashley."

"Bully! You called me a thief at the first sign of an alarm. But with Ashley, it's a mistake? If it was so accidental, why are there two? You're incredible, Mrs. Harvey. You always have an excuse ready for Ashley."

"Selina! We give Ashley plenty of those every season. She wouldn't need to steal them. And she's been with us all her life, treated right," Sara declared. "I won't let you smear your sister's name, not in my house."

Selina shrugged. Watching Sara defend Ashley so blindly was absurd. She sometimes wondered if there had been a mix-up, but the DNA test was undeniable. She was a genuine Harvey child, just as much as Ashley. Yet the double standards were glaring. A simple suspicion forced Selina to beg forgiveness, while Ashley was trusted without question. The irony was almost comical. Well, after today, it wouldn't be her problem anymore.

She discreetly stopped a recording on her phone and stared blankly out the window.

"Mom, I swear I don't understand how this happened," Ashley cried, clinging to Sara and casting a wary glance at Selina.

Sara squeezed Ashley's hand. "It's alright, I believe you. You wouldn't do something like this."

As the luxury car pulled into the Harvey residence, a cheerful voice called out, "Mom, Ashley, did you have fun shopping?" The speaker brushed past Selina as if she were invisible.