Chapter 152
Claudia Bennett's frustration was palpable as she paced the room, her fingers nervously twisting the strand of pearls around her neck. Margaret Blackwood, never one to mince words, cut straight to the chase. "You claim there's something wrong with Vivienne Monroe's character. What exactly is the issue?"
Claudia hesitated, then muttered under her breath, "Isn't she rumored to have tax evasion problems?"
Margaret blinked, her expression shifting to disbelief. "Do you live under a rock? If a celebrity was actually evading taxes, they'd be blacklisted from the industry. The fact that she’s still thriving proves she’s clean."
"How is that possible?" Claudia protested, her brows knitting together. "I distinctly remember Gabriel mentioning she had to go back and settle her taxes!"
Julian Blackwood stepped in, his tone firm. "That issue was tied to her family’s agency—something she wasn’t even aware of. The moment she found out, she took immediate action to fix it."
He went on to explain how Vivienne had become somewhat of a role model in the industry, voluntarily auditing her finances when others were still scrambling to cover their tracks.
"It’s honestly tragic," Julian continued. "Her family exploited her relentlessly. Her mother and uncle controlled her agency, forcing her into back-to-back projects while pocketing the profits. If not for them holding her back, she could’ve reached even greater heights. And then, just when she thought she’d found happiness with Gabriel, they nearly dragged her into another mess."
The Blackwood family listened, their expressions darkening with each revelation.
Meanwhile, Claudia, having lost her initial argument, could only grumble, "Well, regardless, she’s still problematic."
Margaret rolled her eyes. "You just don’t like her, do you?"
Some mothers-in-law resented their sons’ partners out of possessiveness, but in this case, it was Claudia who seemed irrational.
Claudia’s grip tightened around her pearls, her face flushing with indignation. "Fine, since you’re all so determined to defend her, I’ll tell you the truth—but you must swear to secrecy. I promised Gabriel I wouldn’t reveal this. He’s too kind, even after their breakup, he didn’t want to humiliate her. But if he’s still hung up on her, I have no choice." She took a deep breath. "Just… when you deal with her, don’t let her know it came from me."
The Blackwoods exchanged glances, sensing Claudia’s desperation to protect her godson.
"Because," Claudia hissed, her voice trembling with anger, "when Gabriel brought her to visit me once, she tried to steal this necklace!" She clutched the pearls dramatically. "Can you believe the audacity? What kind of woman does that?"
Margaret’s jaw dropped, mirroring the shock rippling through the room.
The accusation hung in the air, heavy and damning.
Everyone knew Vivienne Monroe as a down-to-earth, diligent woman with an impeccable reputation—law-abiding, principled, and morally unshakable.
Claudia Bennett, still fuming, recounted the incident with sharp precision. "I had intended to flaunt my emerald necklace to that woman, so I invited her into my private jewelry room. But during dinner, my housekeeper informed me the necklace had vanished. I turned the entire household upside down searching for it—nothing. Just as I was about to call the police, the necklace miraculously reappeared in the bathroom. And let me be clear—I had checked that spot myself earlier. How could it just materialize out of thin air? It had to be her, panicked and slipping it back. When I retrieved it, the damn thing was still warm from her skin!"
"Back then, I wanted to press charges, but Gabriel stopped me. After their breakup, I washed my hands of it. But now my foolish godson wants to reconcile with that thief? I shudder to think what she’d do to my collection next. That woman will never set foot near Gabriel again!" Claudia concluded, righteous fury lacing every word.
The Blackwoods exchanged uneasy glances, some considering the possibility that the young woman might have acted impulsively—though the idea seemed ludicrous.
Evelyn Sinclair’s mind raced. That can’t be true. I need to verify this myself.
As Evelyn processed the accusation, the rest of the family dove into debate.
"Did she ever confess?" Genevieve Blackwood pressed, brows knitted.
Claudia scoffed. "Without catching her red-handed? She’d never admit a thing."
"So there’s no concrete evidence?" Sophia Blackwood interjected. "Could it have been someone else?"
Claudia bristled. "Are you implying my staff? They’ve served me faithfully for decades. The very thought is insulting!"
Julian Blackwood, ever the skeptic, mused aloud, "Is it possible you accidentally took it to the bathroom yourself?"
Claudia’s face flushed with indignation. "Do I strike you as senile?"
At this, Nathan Blackwood—usually reserved—leaned forward, his analytical mind dissecting the scenario. "Stealing such a distinctive piece makes no sense. It’s too recognizable, especially for someone in the public eye. The only logical motive would be financial desperation, but given her wealth, that’s improbable. Alternatively, a compulsive collector might take it, but the risk far outweighs the reward."
The moment Nathan , he felt Evelyn’s gaze lock onto him. When their eyes met, hers sparkled with admiration, sending an unexpected warmth through his chest.
Wow. Nathan’s brilliant.
Nathan, caught off guard by her silent praise, felt his ears heat.
The rest of the Blackwoods, sensing the charged moment, exchanged knowing glances but said nothing.
Evelyn, however, was lost in thought, Nathan’s words echoing in her mind.
He’s right. It was stolen to be sold.
The realization settled like ice in her veins.
The room fell into stunned silence as the Bennett family struggled to process the shocking revelation.
However, the thief wasn’t Vivienne Monroe, nor any of the household staff—it was Gabriel Ramirez, the last person Claudia Bennett would have ever suspected.
The Blackwoods, though shocked, found this explanation oddly fitting.
Now it made sense why Gabriel had been so adamant about Claudia dropping the issue—he wasn’t just defending his girlfriend out of loyalty, but out of fear that his own misdeeds would be exposed.
Still, there were puzzling gaps in the story. Claudia had always doted on him, yet he had resorted to theft. If he truly needed money, why hadn’t he simply asked her?
As the Blackwoods mulled over the situation, Evelyn finally pieced everything together.
Because Mrs. Harrison was such a strict disciplinarian, Gabriel had very limited access to funds. Worse, she meticulously tracked every penny Claudia gave him, further restricting his spending. That was why he had turned to stealing. Initially, he hadn’t even considered taking the most valuable item—the pearl necklace.
But who could blame him? His gambling debts had spiraled out of control. He didn’t just want to clear them—he wanted to win back his losses and make a grand return to the gambling tables. That was why he had targeted the most valuable asset—the pearl necklace.
The Blackwood family collectively exhaled in disbelief.
Gabriel wasn’t just a gambler—he was a master at hiding his addiction.
He had brought Vivienne along as a decoy, knowing Claudia’s habit of flaunting her jewelry. He was confident she would showcase her collection, giving him the perfect opportunity to steal. If caught, he could argue on Vivienne’s behalf, banking on Claudia’s affection to avoid serious consequences—or at least buy himself time to recover his losses. What he hadn’t anticipated was being caught so soon, ruining his entire plan.
As the Blackwoods processed this revelation, their understanding deepened.
Oh, now it makes sense. His plan had failed, forcing him to grit his teeth and borrow money from Vivienne under the pretense of funding a concert.
Whispers spread among the family. Could this be connected to an unpaid debt?
Before long, Vivienne realized there had never been any concert. After some discreet digging, she uncovered the truth—Gabriel was a chronic gambler drowning in debt. She knew her money was gone for good, especially without a formal IOU. Recognizing the futility of expecting a gambler to change, she wisely cut her losses and walked away.
The Blackwoods couldn’t help but admire Vivienne’s decisiveness—she knew when to walk away.
But ten million! She let him off too easily! What a naive girl! Every time I think about it, it makes my blood boil! And he still had the nerve to try to win her back—probably just to use her again! Pay her back first, you little brat!
At this point, Claudia still harbored suspicions toward Vivienne. The mere thought was infuriating. Perhaps…
After all this, we still haven’t addressed Gabriel. Does he even have an alibi? Mrs. Harrison, it’s always the ones closest to us we need to watch out for, isn’t it?