Chapter 15 Framing Anne
Tina smirked inwardly. “What does this woman think she is? She’s just using the Chastain family name to get her way. That figure isn’t pocket change. No matter how rich the Chastain family is, she can’t just spend money like it’s nothing.”
James was known for being strict, and there was no rumor of him ever pampering Anne.
If she actually spent 3.88 million dollars on that necklace, Alicia could easily report her to Chastain Holdings.
Hearing this, Anne glanced over at Alicia, raising an eyebrow. “Seems like your friend doesn’t really care about you if she won’t even buy you a necklace like this.”
Alicia’s face tightened with embarrassment, while Tina fell silent. She wanted to refuse, but the truth was, she didn’t have enough money.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Alicia isn’t that shallow. What matters is our friendship, not the price.” Tina quickly tried to save face, linking arms with Alicia. “Right, darling?”
Alicia forced a smile, clearly unhappy with Tina’s slip–up. “Of
course.”
Anne tilted her head, smiling lightly, “So, are you going to buy the necklace?”
Chapter 15 Framing Anne
Alicia’s smile faltered. She hadn’t brought that much money with
her. If she wanted to buy it, she’d have to ask her parents or maybe even get Hugh to cover it for her.
Anne clearly wanted to provoke her, making it a challenge. If she said yes, she’d be falling right into her trap. After a brief pause, Alicia answered carefully, “If you like it, go ahead and buy it. It’s really beautiful and would suit you perfectly.”
Anne smiled knowingly, her lips curling slightly. “It is beautiful, isn’t it? A great gift for someone special.” She then pulled out a gold card and handed it to the cashier. “Thank you.”
The cashier smiled and took the card, briefly glancing at Tina and Alicia. Their attempt to show off had been painfully obvious.
Alicia stood frozen, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Curiosity tugged at her. Who could possibly deserve such an extravagant gift? She thought of Chloe for a moment but quickly dismissed the idea. The necklace wasn’t really suited for a woman of Chloe’s age.
A small part of her began to wonder if Anne was just showing off.
Soon, the sound of the payment being processed echoed through the store. Anne had actually bought the necklace.
Alicia’s expression twisted, her hands clenched into fists.
Chapter 15 Framing Anne
3/5
She gave Tina a quick look, then her eyes landed on a diamond ring at the counter. It caught the light nicely, definitely worth a few hundred thousand dollars at least, and was positioned just perfectly for an easy grab.
Anne had won this round, but Tina wasn’t going to back down so easily. As the cashier was busy with Anne, Tina quietly made her move. She had noticed a diamond ring on the counter earlier, and now, taking advantage of the distraction, she swiped it.
While Anne was still signing the receipt, Tina slipped the ring. into her bag.
It was so subtle that no one would notice. She made sure to avoid the security cameras, knowing that if things went wrong, she wouldn’t be caught on tape.
After finishing everything, Tina returned to Alicia’s side, unaware that the entire scene had been watched by someone standing nearby.
At the top of the stairs, Killian stood quietly, watching everything that had just unfolded in the jewelry store.
He was accompanied by Justin, and several sharply dressed men stood behind them. They were managers from the mall. This shopping center was a global chain, and while it appeared to be managed by these executives, the real owner was Killian.
Killian had come for a routine inspection, but he hadn’t expected
to run into Anne.
Chapter 15 Framing Anne
Justin knew that Killian’s visit had everything to do with her, but neither of them expected to witness such a scene.
4/5
Tina’s attempt to frame Anne had been subtle, but from Killian’s angle, everything was clear.
Despite his calm expression, those who had followed Killian for years, like Justin, could feel the anger brewing beneath the surface. The tension in the air was palpable.
Once Anne paid and prepared to leave, the alarm would go off as soon as she stepped out of the store. At that moment, everyone would know she had taken the jewelry.
Justin waited for Killian to make his move.
When he didn’t, Justin cautiously asked, “Mr. Kendrick, should I send someone to handle things for Ms. Chastain?”
Killian didn’t respond. His focus remained entirely on Anne, his eyes locked on her as she completed her purchase.
The cashier wrapped up the pendant, handing it to Anne along with the receipt.
“Thank you,” Anne said, slipping the items into her bag.
She glanced over at Alicia and Tina, then walked toward them at a steady pace.
Tina stared at her, feeling a sudden wave of guilt. She hadn’t
Chapter 15 Framing Anne
expected Anne to come over to them.
5/5
“Ms. Chastain, you’re really something, huh? Just casually buying a few million dollars‘ worth of jewelry. Congratulations, I guess,” Tina said, her words dripping with forced politeness.
Anne gave a faint smile and glanced at Tina’s dress. She reached out and lightly touched the hem.
Tina jumped back, startled.
“What are you doing?”
“This dress… it’s from Sofia’s haute couture, right? So why is there a loose thread here?” Anne asked, gently lifting the thread. that was hanging from Tina’s skirt.
A brand like Sofia would never make such a mistake. Only a fake would have something like this..
Tina quickly grabbed the thread, her face turning red. “You’re imagining things. There’s no loose thread. You must have…
made a mistake.”
