Chapter 4

The moment I finished speaking, the sun broke free of the clouds.

Light poured down, hot and bright, and the diamonds on the bracelet on my left wrist scattered it into a dazzle.

Antony scoffed. "Gladys, that bracelet on your wrist is a limited edition by a world-famous designer. There are only two in all of Harbor City. One I gave Rosie for her birthday this year, the other's with the James family. So tell me, how exactly is it yours?"

I said nothing.

Mom looked at me, disappointed, and Dad said coldly, "Gladys, you steal and you lie. You're rotten to the core. You really do need to be taught a lesson."

"Antony, make the call. Get the police."

Rose pressed down the corners of her mouth before they could lift. "Dad, isn't that too much? Gladys just never had a proper education. She'll get better slowly, now that she's back with us."

"Rosie, you're just too kind," Antony said. "A leopard doesn't change its spots. Whatever Gladys didn't learn at home as a kid, society will have to teach her."

He was already dialing as he spoke. He'd barely finished telling the dispatcher there was a thief in the house when Freda James and her husband arrived at the Fox family gate.

Freda had hardly stepped inside, hadn't even had a chance to greet my parents, when she saw the mark on my face.

She rushed straight over, cupping my cheek. "Gladys, what happened? Who hurt you? You tell me, and I'll make them answer for it!"

The Foxes might be the richest family in Harbor City, but they were new money, only clawed their way up these past two years.

The James family was a century-old house, their web of connections in Harbor City deep and dense. The Foxes wouldn't dare cross them.

Mom hurried forward, smiling. "Freda, it's nothing serious. We were just disciplining the child."

"Disciplining a child doesn't mean hitting this hard. Look at the state you've left our Gladys in."

"And Gladys is such a sweet girl. Don't you people have anything better to do than teach her lessons?"

The instant she finished, Rose's tears started rolling down like beads off a snapped string.

"Freda, honestly, this is all my fault. I took Gladys's things, and now I'm just giving them back to her."

Antony gave a cold laugh. "Rosie, you don't need to cover for her."

"Freda, I'm not afraid to admit the shame of it. Let me put it plainly. Gladys waited until the whole family was away and stole from the house."

Freda clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. "That can't be. Gladys is such a good child. How could she steal anything?"

Without another word, Antony grabbed my arm and thrust the silver diamond bracelet in front of Freda.

"Freda, you know this bracelet. There are only two in all of Harbor City. One's at your house, and the other is Rosie's."

"Gladys was jealous of Rosie, so she stole Rosie's bracelet!"

Freda's expression shifted. "Oh, no, you've all got it wrong! Gladys didn't steal that bracelet. I gave it to her."

"What?" Antony froze where he stood.

Freda looked thoroughly put out. "One quick question and you'd have known you had it all wrong. How could you not even ask?"

"And the way you're carrying on, how is Gladys supposed to host everyone in a bit?"

"Host?"

"Everyone?"

Mom and Dad said it at the same time, baffled.

Just then, the servant happened to open the front door, and inside sat a whole crowd of people.

At the very same moment, police sirens rose outside the villa.