Chapter 7

Victoria POV

I didn't even furrow my brow, speaking calmly into the miniature earpiece clipped to my collar. "Guest in Zone C near the display platform accidentally spilled beverages. Cleaning staff needed immediately."

My disregard completely enraged her.

She suddenly reached out, trying to grab the work pass on my chest. "I'm talking to you! Are you deaf? A bottom-tier worker pretending to be something here!"

I sidestepped smoothly, avoiding her. Her hand grasped empty air, her body swaying from momentum.

I raised my eyes, my gaze cold and sharp, then pointed with my white-gloved hand to a crown inside the glass display case behind me.

"This diamond crown has a starting bid marked at two million eight hundred thousand dollars."

My voice wasn't loud, but clear enough. "If it's damaged, I imagine even Mr. Hayes wouldn't be happy to shoulder that compensation responsibility for you."

Mia's hand froze mid-air, her face instantly pale. That figure was like ice water, extinguishing all her arrogance.

She looked into my calm, unwavering eyes, seeming to clearly realize for the first time that my gaze had long since moved past her to places she could never reach.

Just then, Ethan apparently noticed the commotion here and strode over with a dark expression.

His gaze passed over Mia and landed directly on me.

I was conversing quietly with two collectors who had arrived early and were interested in the lots, answering some professional questions.

Ethan approached, obvious anger on his face.

He eventually cornered me in the lounge off the side hall.

"Is this your tactic?"

Ethan looked down at me, his eyes full of disgust. "Running to my territory to play independent woman?"

I straightened my cuffs, my expression indifferent.

"Ethan, I'm a consultant hired by the organizers. Your female companion, on the other hand, nearly destroyed an exhibit."

"Shut up."

Ethan didn't listen to explanations at all.

"Are you this desperate for money? So desperate you'd come to this kind of complicated place to show yourself off?"

He pulled out a card from inside his jacket and tossed it carelessly onto the table.

"Take it. Leave immediately. Stop embarrassing yourself here."

I didn't even glance at the card.

"I don't need money."

I raised my head, looking directly into Ethan's eyes. "I thought I had already severed ties with the Hayes family."

Ethan laughed coldly, his eyes sinister.

"Severed ties? What do you have that wasn't given by the Hayes family? Without the Hayes family, you couldn't even get through this door."

My hand reached into my collar, pulling out the gemstone necklace that had been broken in two and barely repaired.

This was something I had before coming to the Hayes family, the only token my biological parents left me.

It was also my only spiritual anchor when I suffered grievances in the Hayes family.

"This is mine."

My voice was resolute. "Other than this, I didn't take a single thing from the Hayes family."

Just then, the lounge door was suddenly pushed open.

Mia rushed in.

Seeing that necklace, her eyes shifted and she shrieked, "Isn't that the necklace Rachel said was lost? So you stole it!"

I gripped the necklace tightly. "What nonsense are you talking! This was left to me by my parents!"

"You're lying!"

Mia rushed over, grabbing Ethan's sleeve, crying like her heart was breaking.

"Ethan, last time Rachel was so upset about losing this necklace she ended up hospitalized. Victoria, how could you do this? Stealing is one thing, but using your dead parents as a shield."

Ethan was annoyed by the crying, but he was even more disgusted by my attitude of wanting to settle accounts with him just now.

"Hand it over."

Ethan extended his hand.

"Ethan, you know perfectly well. " I looked at him in disbelief.

"A broken pendant, and you'd use it as an excuse to lie?"

Ethan snatched the gemstone pendant from my hand.

That was my last line.

I tried to grab it back, but Ethan shoved me away.

Ethan strode to the balcony edge.

He held up the pendant, his eyes ice cold. "Since it's stolen goods, no one gets it. This should wake you up and make you recognize your place."

His hand opened.The gemstone pendant traced an arc through the air, disappearing into the pitch-black rainy night.

I didn't scream, didn't chase after it.

I stood there, my blood seeming to freeze.

The last glimmer of light in my eyes extinguished.

"Let's go."

Ethan put his arm around the smug Mia, not even glancing at me, turning to leave.

As if he'd merely thrown away a piece of garbage.

Cold wind rushed into the terrace.

I stood there.

The downpour soaked half my shoulder. Very cold, but not as cold as my heart at this moment.

That necklace was my only clue to finding my biological parents. Now it was gone.

Maybe it was for the best.

This time we were truly even.

Ethan, from now on, we're enemies.