Chapter 60: Just Admit It
With a half-smile, he addressed Caleb. “Mr. Quixall, let’s cut to the chase. You’ve caught the thief, but where are the stolen items?”
The other items didn’t matter; he had to get the necklace back—the one he’d given his daughter. The necklace, named “Cloudlet,” was a masterpiece by Dream, a renowned designer who had achieved global fame. Despite his acclaim, Dream had only ever designed one piece of jewelry. So, when that singular creation was unveiled as a necklace, the crowd was left in stunned silence.
After the initial shock, came the frenzy. The necklace, originally priced at ten million, was swiftly driven up to three hundred and fifty million in the bidding war. In less than five minutes, its value had soared to astronomical heights, beyond the reach of most. Even Phillip paused for a moment, hesitating when he saw the price. But then he thought of his daughter’s love for Dream’s work. With a resolute grimace, he made the purchase. After all, money could be earned again, but familial ties were priceless.
As anticipated, when Gianna first laid eyes on “Cloudlet,” her face lit up with sheer delight. Seeing that radiant smile, Phillip knew the money had been well spent. As long as his daughter was happy, he wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice everything for her joy. Gianna treasured the necklace so much that she could hardly bring herself to wear it. Instead, she locked it away in a safe, carefully hiding the key in a secret compartment within the wall.
Though it was Raquel’s first time visiting this particular mansion, she knew Gianna’s habits all too well. Using that knowledge to her advantage, Raquel quickly discovered the hidden compartment and retrieved the key to the safe. At the time, her only goal had been to unsettle Gianna. Little did she realize the mess she was about to create.
As Phillip considered the necklace’s value, his expression hardened. The tension in the air thickened, sending a chill down George’s spine. His heart raced. This was bad. This wasn’t going to end well.
In all the time George had known Phillip, he had never seen him this furious. The Quixall family had truly pushed their luck this time. If they mishandled this and provoked Phillip’s wrath, there would be no telling how severe the consequences could be.
“We’re still searching for the items, but we guarantee they’ll be delivered to the Sherman family by the end of the day,” George said, his tone somewhat forced.
Phillip dearly did not believe what George said. “Haven’t you already caught the culprit? Why is it taking so long to find the items?” he pressed, his voice sharp.
“He’s hidden the items. Right now, all we can do is hope he hasn’t thrown them away. If not, we might still have a chance of finding them.”
As he spoke, he slammed a fist into Caleb’s shoulder, his voice rising in anger. “Hand over the items now! Don’t keep Mr. Sherman waiting!”
Caleb’s body swayed. He spat out blood and grimaced in pain. “I didn’t steal anything. What do you want me to hand over?”
George hadn’t anticipated Caleb’s defiance. Despite the blows, the kid still hadn’t learned his lesson. Frustrated and panicking, George shot a glance at Phillip and slapped Caleb hard across the face. “Just admit it! You stole the items! The victim is right here—what are you still pretending for?”
With bitterness in his eyes, Caleb muttered, “I truly wish I had never met any of you.”
A sharp jolt pierced through George’s chest, a momentary wave of guilt rising within him. But it was fleeting, quickly consumed by something darker. This was a debt Caleb had to settle, and he would repay it personally. The image of Jesse lying in a hospital bed reignited George’s determination. His tone became firm, edged with anger. “You don’t want to meet us? Well, let me tell you, we wish we’d never met you either!”