EID 28

A threat from a woman he could easily overpower was as laughable as a barking dog, but the man still raised his hands and tried to calm Diane down.

“Oh dear, such a temper.”

The item had come from the duke’s estate. It was not something to compare with the cheap loot brought by petty thieves—so he had to hold it in.

“Please, calm down. Calm down. You’re scaring me so much I might wet myself.”

Feigning innocence, the man gently lowered the gun barrel pointed at him.

“If you understand, start sketching the design.”

It wasn’t the first time. Diane gave instructions with practiced ease.

Every time the Brooke barony needed a large sum of money in a hurry, they did it this way.

She’d receive a replica from the man and switch it with the real thing. The Great Hill estate already held four fakes in their collection. By now, they were all likely imitations.

Even if this was discovered after Diane left, by then they would never find her. And even if the man was caught, there would be nothing to worry about.

“Who’s behind this job?”

A cold wind slipped through the rotting wooden window frame. The single candle flickered violently. The shadows dancing on Diane’s face twisted grotesquely.

“Olivia Blanchett.”

The man grinned, revealing yellowed teeth, and upended his bag. Diane burst into laughter as gems spilled across the table.

This would be framed as something Olivia did before she demanded a divorce.

Riverside 3rd Avenue was a quiet residential neighborhood downstream of the Bicenne River.

Sunlight bathed the street lined with upscale townhouses, making the water’s surface sparkle. The warm breeze that had grown stronger rustled the light muslin curtains by the window.

Spring was passing.

After a light breakfast, Olivia sat on the window ledge, hugging her knees, gazing outside in thoughtful silence.

People rowing on the river and the white yachts slicing through the current looked so peaceful.

An engagement…

What kind of person was the Archduchess of Kranz? She suddenly became curious about the princess who would become Johann’s new wife. The woman who might die in Olivia Blanchett’s place.

Would the wedding really happen?

“I told you it’s dangerous. Please come down.”

Startled, Olivia turned her head. Madam Marie, who had just brought her coffee, gasped in horror at the sight of Olivia perched recklessly on the ledge like a mischievous child.

Smiling, Olivia obediently climbed down and sat on a chair.

Marie, a maid dispatched from the hotel, was attending to Olivia.

This was arranged by Edgar, supposedly for the proper care of a sponsored athlete under the Lancelot family.

For quality meals and a balanced lifestyle. Since Ann was not skilled in the kitchen and Olivia had no intention of hiring a maid here, she quietly accepted the arrangement.

As she waited for Ann to return from running an errand at the bookstore and sipped her coffee, the front door opened.

It seemed Ann had returned with a tabloid featuring the Archduchess of Kranz. Her footsteps on the stairs were unusually quick for the normally composed Ann. She knocked hurriedly and opened the door without waiting.

“Young miss! You have a visi—”

“Olivia!”

True to her impulsive nature, Elaine brushed past Ann and entered the room, calling Olivia’s name cheerfully.

“Miss Elaine!”

Startled, Olivia shot up from her seat. Elaine had gone back to Rondo after the Rose Ball. Now, less than five days later, she appeared again—somewhat disheveled.

“What’s going on?”

“I had no choice but to come back urgently. Ann, could I have a glass of water?”

Without even giving Olivia a chance to offer her a seat, Elaine plopped down at the tea table.

“Sit. I have something to tell you. Good thing I ran into Ann—your hotel wouldn’t give me your address. I almost had to leave without even seeing you.”

“You came without even knowing my address?”

“I thought the manager or someone would tell me. Or at least you’d have left a note for me.”

“Oh! I’m sorry.”

Olivia gave an awkward smile.

Practically sprinting up the stairs, Elaine gulped down the water Ann brought and caught her breath. Then she pulled a velvet box from her bag.

“Don’t tell me you came back just to give me a gift?”

Olivia joked lightly, but Elaine’s expression remained serious.

Feeling puzzled, Olivia glanced at the case on the table. A black leather square box with gold lettering that read “Gloria.”

When she looked up at Elaine, the woman slowly opened the box.

“This is…”

Olivia’s eyes widened. The unexpected item was the infamous pink diamond necklace.

“Why do you have this?”

She stared down at the sparkling necklace, confused.

“This necklace…”

Elaine lowered her voice.

“…is real.”

“!”

Olivia’s mouth fell open, at a loss for words.

Elaine still felt dizzy just thinking about that day. She had almost accused her decent husband of being a shameless adulterer and nearly divorced him.

“I was ready to corner him. I told him I was tired of the necklace and wanted to sell it. That I wanted to reclaim my grandfather’s land. You should’ve seen his face.”

Olivia listened quietly.

“As I expected, he looked extremely troubled. As if! He had shown off with that fake—now he says he can’t resell it. I swear, at that moment, I wanted to strangle him.”

Elaine wet her lips with a sip of strong herbal tea.

She had accused him of cheating and demanded the money he’d supposedly funneled to his mistress, using the fake necklace as an excuse. Her husband, claiming innocence, had flown into a rage and eventually stormed out.

“But after he left, I started getting confused. Was I wrong? Or is he just that good an actor?”

She closed her eyes as if reliving that moment. Her hands around the teacup trembled slightly.

“So you had it appraised.”

Impatient now, Olivia urged her on.

“Yes.”

“And it was genuine.”

Elaine nodded. Olivia couldn’t believe it.

“I went to four more places. I just couldn’t trust it. One appraiser even offered to write a certificate, staking his career on it.”

“How is that possible?”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Elaine emptied the teacup and continued.

“I had to ask my husband. How on earth did he get this necklace? And then…”

She let out a long sigh and clamped her lips shut.

“And then? What did your husband say?”

Olivia couldn’t hold back.

“He said he couldn’t tell me sober…”

Elaine’s cheeks flushed as though she were already tipsy.

“It’s okay. Just tell me.”

Elaine took another deep breath and hesitated.

“So… he said he bought it as… as stolen property.”

“!”

Olivia’s brow furrowed.

Stolen?

Regardless of the excuse, her husband’s anniversary gift turned out to be something illegal. Elaine’s voice began to tremble with emotion.

“Who would dare steal from a duke’s estate? Just thinking about it makes my heart race. What if the truth comes out and my husband gets arrested? I’m terrified, Olivia.”

If her husband had unknowingly purchased stolen goods, that was one thing—but knowingly doing so was a crime.

“That’s why I’m returning it. To its rightful owner.”

Elaine closed the necklace case and pushed it toward Olivia. Olivia, startled, blinked in confusion before replying.

“…Wait. No. What do you mean, ‘rightful owner’? Elaine, you should take this to the duke.”

Olivia pushed the box back toward her.

“How could I go there? I can’t. I just can’t.”

Elaine averted her eyes. The black leather box slid back and forth across the table several times.

“Please! Olivia. Handle it for me.”

“…”

“I’m begging you.”

Elaine twisted her skirt in her hands and finally let her tears fall.

“If I hadn’t fussed about the necklace… he wouldn’t have done something so reckless. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry, Olivia.”

Overwhelmed by the mess her vanity had caused, Elaine sobbed.

From the window, Olivia watched as Madam Marie and Ann saw Elaine off. As the carriage departed, Elaine poked her head out of the window and silently mouthed something to Olivia:

Help my husband.
Then she disappeared from view.

Turning away from the window, Olivia’s eyes fell on the box left behind. A sense of unease washed over her.

Johann would soon be married, and the princess, now the new lady of Great Hill, would likely go over the estate’s jewelry inventory.

Unlike Olivia, who had grown up with little, the princess had a trained eye for fine jewels. It would be only a matter of time before she realized the pink diamond necklace was a fake.

Naturally, the first suspect would be Olivia Blanchett. Especially now—with the real necklace sitting right here.

Olivia let out a deep sigh.

Who could it be?

She sat back at the table and tapped her fingers on the smooth, glossy box.

“Who could’ve stolen the necklace…?”

The words escaped her lips unconsciously.

“Diane Brooke. It was that woman’s doing.”

A voice laced with anger snapped Olivia out of her thoughts. Ann had approached silently.

“Diane Brooke?”

“Yes, miss.”

Olivia quietly dug through her memories. Johann’s secretary. They were of similar age, and she had once trusted her like a sister.

“That woman?”

Olivia’s brows rose slightly in disbelief.