Chapter 6

Sophia Bennett POV

The charity gala was held at the city's largest estate.

As night fell, luxury cars gathered.

Lily Hayes wore the custom-made gown Ethan Pierce had spent a fortune on for her, her arm linked with his as she moved among the guests like a star surrounded by admirers.

I wore an inconspicuous black business suit with a walkie-talkie earpiece, standing in the shadows at the edge of the banquet hall, coldly watching it all.

As the gala reached its climax and the most important charity auction was about to begin, a scream suddenly came from backstage.

Lily Hayes, holding up her dress, ran out of the lounge with a pale face and red-rimmed eyes, throwing herself into Ethan Pierce's arms:

"Ethan! It's gone! The 'Heart of the Ocean' sapphire brooch that was supposed to be the finale auction piece is missing!"

The entire venue erupted in shock. That brooch was worth nearly a hundred million dollars—Ethan Pierce had specifically acquired it to bolster Lily Hayes's standing.

"What happened?"

Ethan Pierce held her, his brow furrowed.

Lily Hayes trembled all over, then suddenly turned and pointed directly at me standing in the corner:

"It's her! Only Lily and Sophia knew the safe's password! When I was changing clothes earlier, only she went into the lounge!"

All eyes instantly turned to me like spotlights.

Skeptical, contemptuous, eager gazes.

I removed my earpiece and walked calmly into the center of the crowd.

I looked at Lily Hayes's face:

"I entered the lounge to deliver tonight's speaking notes to you. I put them down and left. I never touched the safe."

"Who else could it be but you?!"

Lily Hayes cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Sophia, I know you've always resented me, thinking I took your position, but you can't jeopardize the company's reputation like this!"

The surrounding guests began whispering among themselves.

I ignored the gossip and simply looked quietly at Ethan Pierce.

Eight years.

I'd known him for eight years, managed over ten billion dollars for him, and never made a single error.

Yet Ethan Pierce looked at me with eyes that held no trust—only coldness and impatience.

"Sophia, open your bag and let security search it."

Ethan Pierce said coldly.

"If you didn't take it, a search will prove your innocence. Don't make things difficult for Lily."

"Search my bag?"

I softly repeated those words, feeling the last trace of warmth in my chest being drained away.

In this circle, being publicly searched was tantamount to having my dignity stripped away and trampled on the ground.

To calm Lily Hayes's tears, Ethan Pierce chose without hesitation to sacrifice my dignity.

"Ethan, are you really going to search my bag?"

I looked at him.

Ethan Pierce hesitated for a moment, but seeing Lily Hayes in his arms, he frowned:

"It's just a formality. Sophia, think of the bigger picture."

Think of the bigger picture.

I laughed.

I didn't wait for security to approach. I opened the zipper of my cheap black canvas bag myself and dumped everything inside onto the polished marble floor.

Lipstick, a notebook, several pens, a box of stomach medicine, and a few access cards.

Scattered everywhere.

No sapphire brooch.

Just then, a security guard ran out of the lounge, sweating profusely, holding up the brilliant brooch:

"Found it! Miss Hayes, the brooch fell into the velvet gap behind the safe. It wasn't stolen!"

The banquet hall fell into deathly silence.

Lily Hayes froze for a moment, then covered her mouth with a regretful and innocent expression:

"Oh my, so it fell into the gap. Sophia, I'm so sorry. I was too anxious just now and spoke without thinking. Please don't be angry with me."

Ethan Pierce also breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the mess on the floor, frowned, and said to me:

"Alright, since it was a misunderstanding, that's resolved. Sophia, pick up your things. Don't let this affect the gala's atmosphere."

Casual and dismissive, as though the trampling of my dignity moments ago had been nothing more than an insignificant joke.

I looked down at those things on the floor.

I didn't pick them up.

I slowly bent down, unclipped the Pierce Corporation employee badge from around my neck, and gently tossed it onto that pile of belongings.

"I'm not picking them up."

I straightened, my gaze calmly sweeping past Lily Hayes before finally landing on Ethan Pierce's shocked face.

"Ethan, I quit."

With that, I turned and, under everyone's stunned gazes, walked step by step out of the brilliantly lit banquet hall without looking back.