Chapter 21: I Believe
"This is my diamond ring!" Lucy was extremely excited and looked at Margaret with utter disdain. "Margaret, so you really stole it! Now that we have both the evidence and the witness, what do you have to say for yourself?"
Seeing the diamond ring in her bag, Margaret remained calm and unresponsive.
This was something she had anticipated.
The moment the waiter had accused her, Margaret was certain the ring would be in her bag.
She had been framed.
And it was obvious that the person who had framed her was Lucy.
"Margaret, if you had just returned the ring and apologized earlier, I could have let it go," Lucy said softly, her voice a stark contrast to her earlier arrogance, as she glanced at the tall figure she admired.
"Lucy, you're just too kind. A thief like Margaret shouldn't be let off! We should call the police and let them handle it fairly and justly!" Grace chimed in, supporting Lucy.
Lucy nodded. "I agree. Let's call the police."
"Margaret, you brought this on yourself. Stealing something so valuable is no small crime. Get ready for jail!" Abigail said with a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes, quickly distancing herself from Margaret.
Margaret's face remained serene as if she wasn't the one being accused.
They wanted to call the police?
That was exactly what she wanted.
Revealing Lucy's scheme in front of the police would be even more satisfying.
"What's going on?"
A familiar male voice pulled Margaret back to reality.
Looking up, she saw William's tall figure.
His perfectly tailored suit accentuated his impressive physique, his handsome and commanding face was striking, and his sharp, deep eyes were piercing. The ballroom lights cast a golden glow around him, and his powerful presence made people instinctively bow in submission.
"Mr. Fisher!"
The crowd parted, making way for William as he walked steadily towards Margaret.
"Margaret stole my diamond ring," Lucy accused, biting her lip in feigned distress. "It was a birthday gift from my grandfather."
William frowned, his lips barely moving. "It wasn't her."
Margaret was surprised. Was William defending her?
"Don't be fooled by her!" Abigail interjected before Lucy could speak again. "Someone saw Margaret steal Lucy's ring, and the security just found it in her bag. We all saw it with our own eyes!"
"Exactly, I didn't believe Lucy would steal either since she's your fiancée. But..." Lucy paused, moving closer to William with a pitiful look. "Everyone saw my ring in her bag. It couldn't have just walked in there by itself, right? William, you wouldn't be biased towards Margaret, would you?"
Margaret stood calmly, thinking Lucy's acting skills were wasted here; she deserved an Oscar.
William's deep gaze fell on Margaret, and he asked softly, "Did you take it?"
Margaret met his gaze and smiled slightly. "If I said no, would you believe me?"
"Yes, I believe you," William responded almost without hesitation.
Margaret's eyes were clear and confident, something that couldn't be faked. He chose to believe her.
Margaret smiled, surprised that William believed her when she was being falsely accused.
"William!" Abigail stomped her foot in frustration. She couldn't understand what was so special about this country girl who could captivate William.
"If you didn't take it, how did the ring end up in your bag?" Grace asked, prompted by a look from Lucy.
Margaret looked directly at Lucy and smirked. "Obviously, someone planted it there to frame me."
Margaret's sharp gaze made Lucy feel an unsettling pang of guilt.
Could this country girl know something?
No, it was impossible. Her plan was foolproof—there was no way it could fail. Margaret was destined for jail!
"Check the surveillance footage." William ordered his assistant, Peter Cox, with a stern face.
"Yes, sir." Peter nodded and headed to the surveillance room.
Margaret's eyebrows twitched. The ballroom was equipped with surveillance cameras and watching the footage would reveal who had taken Lucy's ring.
But considering how far Lucy had gone to frame her, she wouldn't easily let anyone see the footage.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, Peter returned with an unsettling report. "Sir, the surveillance cameras in the ballroom are broken."
"Broken?" William narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable.
Something was definitely off.
Given how important Victor's party was, the hotel would've ensured everything was perfect. How could the cameras simply be malfunctioning at such a crucial moment?
Margaret frowned slightly. "It's simple. If I took the ring, my fingerprints would be on it. We can have a professional check the fingerprints to reveal the truth."
"Margaret, stop pretending," Lucy said, glancing between Margaret and William. "How about this: you apologize to me, and I won't pursue the matter further out of respect for William."
If Margaret apologized, it would mean she admitted to stealing the ring, confessing in front of everyone that she was a thief.
Even if William said he believed her, if she admitted it, he would be disappointed.
Moreover, Daisy would never allow a thief to become her daughter-in-law.
Lucy would come off as kind and generous, enhancing her standing with William—a clear win-win for her.
Margaret cast a calm, unflinching gaze at Lucy. "What's the matter? Afraid to get it verified?"
Margaret's gaze seemed to pierce through Lucy, making her uncomfortable. She bit her lip. "Margaret, since you insist on checking the fingerprints, I have nothing to fear."
"Alright, let's have the police investigate," Margaret said calmly.
She hadn't touched the ring, so her fingerprints wouldn't be on it. A simple test would prove her innocence.
"William, what do you think..." Victor looked at William, seeking his opinion since Margaret was his fiancée by name.
William made a call, and soon, the police chief arrived at the ballroom with forensic experts.
"Mr. Fisher, these are our best forensic experts," the chief said respectfully, ushering the experts forward.
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