Chapter 2
I didn't sleep a wink that night.
I thought the first day was as bad as it could get.
But I was wrong. That was the beginning.
Early the next morning, as the sky was starting to lighten, a sharp scream shattered the peace of the villa.
"My earrings. My diamond earrings are gone!"
It was Blanche's voice.
I rushed out of my room and saw her, her hair wild and disheveled, frantically searching the living room.
As soon as Blanche spotted me, it was like she'd found her prey. She charged straight at me.
"It has to be you. You stole them, didn't you?" she shouted.
She jabbed her finger right in my face, her eyes bloodshot with anger.
"You're the only stranger in this house. If it wasn't you, then who else?" she accused.
I was totally blindsided by her sudden accusation.
"I didn't," I protested weakly, feeling completely helpless.
Tristan came downstairs in his robe, looking half-asleep.
"Mom, what's all the noise about?" he asked.
Blanche said, "Tristan, my diamond earrings are gone.
"They were the anniversary gift your dad gave me!
"It must've been this sneaky woman who stole them!"
Tristan's eyes turned razor-sharp, like daggers slicing right through me.
"Hand over the earrings, or I'll call the cops right now!" he threatened.
I was so furious that my whole body shook.
"I told you, I didn't take them!" I snapped back.
Blanche sneered, her voice icy, "Didn't take them? Then will you let us search you?"
As she said it, she actually lunged for my clothes, trying to pull at them.
"What are you doing?" I yelled in panic, stumbling back and clutching my collar tightly.
Getting frisked in front of everyone like this would be humiliating.
"Mom, don't do this," a calm, chilly voice drifted over.
It was Lorelei.
She was wearing her postpartum robe, slowly stepping out of her room.
Hope flared up in my chest.
I wondered if she would take my side.
She was my boss, after all.
But her next words froze me to the core.
"A body search in front of everyone is too disgraceful," she said.
She paused, her eyes settling on me, her expression utterly calm and unreadable.
"Go search her room," Lorelei said.
In that moment, all my hope vanished.
It turned out that her "protection" was about saving face for the family.
It had nothing to do with my dignity.
They tore my room apart, leaving it a complete mess.
They dumped out every last thing from my suitcase, scattering it all over the floor.
My clothes, books, and even my most private underwear were on the floor.
Blanche picked through everything, her face twisted in disgust, like she was afraid my things might contaminate her.
I stood at the doorway, feeling like a criminal on display for everyone to judge.
My nails dug deep into my palms, sending waves of sharp pain.
But that pain was nothing compared to the ache in my heart.
Another maid, Faye Slater, couldn't stand it anymore and quietly pleaded with Blanche.
"Please, Mrs. Mccarthy, Emily doesn't seem like someone who would do such a thing.
Blanche snapped, "What do you know? You will never know someone's true colors!"
In the end, Faye found the sparkling diamond earrings hidden deep in the couch cushions.
"Mrs. Mccarthy, look. Here they are!" she called out.
The truth was laid bare for everyone to see.
I thought, at the very least, I'd get an apology.
Even if it was a casual, throwaway "sorry."
And yet, there was nothing.
Blanche picked up the earrings and blew the dust off.
She said offhandedly, "Finally found them."
She gave me a quick, mocking glance, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.
"If you haven't done anything shady, you don't need to be concerned," Blanche sneered.
With that, she swaggered upstairs, humming to herself like nothing ever happened.
Tristan gave a cold snort, like it was only natural for me to be treated this way.
Lorelei watched with icy indifference the whole time.
I crouched down in silence, picking up my dignity one by one from the floor.
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
I fought to keep them from falling.
I told myself not to cry.
I believed that crying meant I had lost.