Chapter 7
Everyone just looked at each other,
obviously confused as hell about what I was doing.
My aunt and uncle, though? They were on edge.
They gave me this disappointed glare before my uncle started talking to the cops.
“Officer, it’s obvious this kid hasn’t learned her lesson. I really think-”
But I didn’t let him finish. I yanked a thick stack of photos from my bag and flung them into the air.
The pictures? Cheryl and Chuck getting all cozy, and my aunt caught on different dates with the same man.
The crowd’s reaction was priceless. The women picked up on it first, and their gossip game was strong:
“Oh my God! So her boyfriend cheated with
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her best friend, and now those two are accusing her of stealing? Sounds like a setup to me!”
“Seriously, what kind of woman steals her best friend’s man? Gross!”
“I knew something was off with those two- they were way too in sync, you know? Guess now we know why!”
And then there was my uncle. It hit him like a truck. For a second, it looked like he’d just found out about his wife’s affair. He went nuts, kicking and yelling, completely unhinged.
“You bitch! I’ve given you everything- clothes, food–and this is how you repay me? Cheating on me? I’ll kill you!”
But my aunt wasn’t about to take it lying down. She jabbed a finger at his face and fired back.
“Oh, please! Don’t act like a saint! Who’s the one who shoved me into his bed, huh? If I didn’t keep him happy, do you really think
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he’d have trusted you with his jewelry? How else could you have gone through with your grand plan?!”
“If it weren’t for me, none of this-”
Before she could finish, my uncle slapped her so hard it sounded like a gunshot.
I couldn’t help but sigh. What a waste. No way they were going to spill the full truth at this rate.
But my uncle wasn’t stupid. He saw what I was doing and quickly tried to turn it all back on me.
“Yeah, fine, they messed up. But that’s a personal issue! It’s not illegal! Don’t think you can cover up your crimes with this drama!”
“Adaline, I raised you better than this. This is your last chance–confess and make it right!”
The crowd, of course, chimed in in agreement.
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“He’s right! Don’t take our attention away from the real issue here! What they did is wrong, but it’s not the same as stealing!”
I was done wasting time. I asked them straight up.
“You’re accusing me of stealing jewelry and confidential files. Do you have any proof?”
That’s when their faces lit up.
It was like they’d been waiting for me to say that.
My aunt stepped forward and invited the cops and the crowd to the surveillance
room.
And there it was playing on the screen.
The footage showed me alone in the office, sneaking around. I looked around
nervously, locked the door, opened the safe, grabbed the jewelry, and stuffed it in my pocket.
Then I took some confidential documents
and even tucked one into Cheryl’s desk
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drawer before leaving.
The footage was clear as day, smooth, and spotless–no way anyone could say it was fake.
“You wanted evidence? Here it is! Now admit it!”
My uncle’s voice was trembling with rage as he turned to the cops, yelling.
“Officer, the evidence is undeniable. The thief is Adaline. Arrest her, sentence her–I won’t stand in your way!”
“In fact, the harsher the punishment, the better! People like her don’t deserve second chances! Letting her go would only burden society with another criminal!”
He was doing everything he could to destroy me.
Even though I knew the truth, watching
him act like this still stung.
The crowd, seeing me stay quiet, jumped to conclusions again.
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“Look at her! That’s the face of someone
guilty! She knows she’s caught and can’t even defend herself now!”
“Karma’s a bitch! She probably didn’t think they’d have this kind of evidence against her!”
“Man, I feel so stupid for defending her earlier. What a con artist!”
Meanwhile, Cheryl, Chuck, and their little crew were grinning, probably thinking they’d won.
What they didn’t notice was the quick signal I gave to Ira.
The next second…
The footage on the screen changed.
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