Chapter 8 - The Bracelet in the Locker.
Gabriel reached Vale Meridian headquarters at 3:19 p.m.
Chloe did not go with him.
He insisted she return to the estate with Collins because the safe-deposit documents needed to be copied and secured before the board meeting.
Chloe agreed only after Gabriel promised to call before the vote.
Neither of them knew that Lauren had already set the next trap.
At 3:42, two estate security officers asked Chloe to come to the staff wing.
Helen stood outside Chloe's locker with a face so pale it frightened her.
"What's going on?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Calvin Collins arrived behind her.
He looked angry.
"Open the locker."
Chloe stared at him.
"Why?"
"We received a theft complaint."
Her stomach dropped.
"From who?"
Lauren walked into the corridor.
She had changed into a pale gray dress and tied her hair into a sleek ponytail.
She looked almost cheerful.
"From me."
Chloe's mouth went dry.
"You don't live here anymore."
"My belongings still do."
Lauren held up her phone.
"A diamond bracelet disappeared from my dressing room this morning."
Collins turned toward her.
"Ms. Whitmore, you were told to wait in the foyer."
"I wanted to watch."
Chloe looked at him.
"You let her in?"
"Her attorney obtained temporary access to retrieve personal property."
Lauren smiled.
"Open the locker."
Chloe looked at Helen.
"You have the master key."
Helen swallowed.
"I do."
Chloe stepped back.
"Then open it."
Helen unlocked the metal door.
A black velvet jewelry box sat on top of Chloe's folded sweater.
Chloe had never seen it before.
Lauren inhaled theatrically.
"There it is."
Collins did not touch the box.
"Nobody move."
Lauren's smile faded.
"What?"
"This is now evidence."
"Evidence that she stole from me."
"Evidence that an item was found in a locker."
Collins looked at the ceiling camera.
"Those are different statements."
Lauren folded her arms.
"Call the police."
Chloe's eyes filled with disbelief.
"You put that there."
Lauren gave her a pitying look.
"Careful."
"You did."
"You already lied about your name."
Helen turned toward Chloe.
Lauren continued.
"Did you tell everyone that part?"
Chloe's face burned.
"My mother's name is Bennett."
"Your father's name is Avery."
Lauren looked at the staff gathered at the end of the corridor.
"A man accused of stealing from Gabriel's company."
Chloe felt the old shame return even though she now had Margaret's letter proving the accusation false.
"You know that's not true."
Lauren shrugged.
"Prove it."
Collins stepped between them.
"Enough."
He called local police and requested a formal report.
Lauren seemed delighted.
Chloe felt trapped in a story Lauren had prepared in advance.
Twenty minutes later, two officers arrived.
Collins walked them through the facts without embellishment.
The jewelry box remained untouched until one officer photographed it.
Then he opened it wearing gloves.
Inside was a diamond bracelet.
Lauren identified it immediately.
"That's mine."
The officer looked at Chloe.
"When did you last open this locker?"
"Around seven this morning."
"Was the box there?"
"No."
"Who else has access?"
Helen answered.
"Management has a master key."
The officer turned to Lauren.
"When did you notice the bracelet missing?"
"About noon."
"When did you last see it?"
Lauren paused.
"Last night."
Chloe looked at Collins.
His eyes had narrowed.
"Where last night?"
The officer asked.
"In my dressing room."
"What time?"
"Around ten."
Collins took out his tablet.
"That could be a problem."
Lauren's expression shifted.
"Why?"
"Your dressing room was packed by household staff at six-thirty this morning."
"So?"
"The inventory photograph shows the bracelet box already empty."
Lauren recovered quickly.
"Then she took it before seven."
Chloe stared at her.
Collins tapped again.
"Also a problem."
He turned the screen toward the officer.
"Chloe's locker was opened at 9:08 a.m. using the master key."
Helen looked shocked.
"I didn't open it."
Collins nodded.
"I know."
"How?"
"Your access badge was upstairs with you at 9:08."
He displayed another camera timestamp.
Helen was clearly visible in the laundry room at that exact minute.
Lauren's face tightened.
The officer looked at her.
"Who had access to the master key?"
Helen answered slowly.
"The key cabinet is in my office."
"Was it locked?"
Helen swallowed.
"Usually."
Lauren stepped forward.
"This is ridiculous."
The officer raised a hand.
"Ma'am, let us ask the questions."
Chloe almost smiled.
Lauren noticed.
Her eyes hardened.
Then Helen made a quiet sound.
She was staring at the jewelry box.
"What?"
Collins asked.
Helen pointed to the bottom.
A tiny white inventory sticker had been placed beneath the velvet base.
The sticker carried a barcode and a date.
Collins scanned it.
His eyebrows rose.
"This bracelet was entered into the Whitmore household inventory three years ago."
Lauren looked impatient.
"Obviously."
"It was also listed as sold at auction eight months ago."
Silence filled the corridor.
Lauren stared at him.
"That's impossible."
Collins handed the tablet to the officer.
"Same serial number."
Chloe looked at Lauren.
"So either you planted a bracelet you bought back..."
Her voice remained calm.
"Or you forgot which lie you were using."
Lauren's composure cracked.
"You think you won something?"
The officer stepped forward.
"Ms. Whitmore, I need you to stay here."
Lauren turned on Chloe.
"You have no idea what happens if Gabriel believes you."
"Why?"
Chloe asked.
Lauren's eyes flashed.
"Because the minute he learns what North Harbor actually owns, he'll wish he never met you."
Everyone went still.
Collins looked at Chloe.
"How does she know about North Harbor?"
Chloe did not answer.
Lauren realized too late what she had said.
Her phone began ringing.
The screen displayed MARCUS DEAN.
The officer saw the name.
So did Collins.
Lauren declined the call.
Two seconds later, Chloe's phone rang instead.
Gabriel.
She answered.
His voice was low and urgent.
"Chloe, don't sign anything."
She looked directly at Lauren.
"Why?"
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"Because Marcus just told the board you're the reason I'm being removed as CEO."
The Ring on the Marble
