Just as the standoff was going nowhere, Sophia Chandler appeared at the doorway. Taking in the scene inside, she quickly snapped several photos with the camera in her hand.
Zhu Yurou shot her a look of annoyance. "What are you doing?"
"Taking pictures, of course. Losing a necklace is quite the scandal—should make tomorrow’s headlines," Sophia Chandler replied, waving her camera around, nearly shoving it right in Zhu Yurou's face.
Zhu Yurou swatted the camera away from her with a glare, unable to hold back her anger. "Are you out of your mind?"
"Why so fierce? I'm just taking a few photos," Sophia Chandler replied, all innocent and wide-eyed.
Her actions seemed less like journalism and more like she was deliberately goading Zhu Yurou. Who could stand having a camera shoved in their face like that? But Sophia Chandler, clearly, was unafraid.
Staring at Sophia Chandler, Zhu Yurou clenched her teeth, determined not to lose her temper in front of everyone. Between gritted teeth, she forced out, "Have you had enough?"
"Miss Zhu, can I get your thoughts about the missing necklace? Do you think it was stolen or just an accident? If it isn’t found, will you demand compensation from anyone?" Sophia Chandler fired off, totally unphased by the murderous glare she was getting.
Zhu Yurou's face turned ashen with rage. She wanted to explode but had no choice but to restrain herself with so many people around.
Standing off to the side, Claire Xu couldn’t help but chuckle. "That girl’s something else. Zhu Yurou looks like she’s about to go mad just because of her."
Zhu Yurou always cared about her public image, so she would never cause a scene in front of a crowd. But Sophia Chandler had a talent for pushing her to the brink.
The photos Sophia Chandler was taking—those unflattering angles—who could possibly look good in those?
Just then, Lauren Shaw spoke up, calm and steady, "There’s surveillance in the back. If we want to know who took the necklace, shouldn’t we just check the cameras?" She looked meaningfully at several of the staff members present.
"Whoever took it, I expect you to hand it over right now. I won’t pursue it if you come clean. But if we find out later, it won’t be this simple," her voice was cold, gaze razor-sharp.
Mandy Snow walked in from outside, pausing at the scene before her. "What’s going on here? The press conference is over, so what’s everyone still doing here?"
One of the staff explained, "Director Xue, a necklace has gone missing and we’re trying to find it."
"A necklace? Gone?" Mandy Snow feigned surprise, though she’d already heard rumors outside. She’d actually just come in to see what the commotion was about.
On one side stood a famous celebrity, on the other, the Zhu family heiress—she wouldn't want to offend either. Instead, she was keen to see how Lauren Shaw would handle this mess.
With arms crossed, Zhu Yurou eyed Li Qiuchi, who sat silently on a bench. "I suggest that certain someone produce the necklace before this gets any uglier. Don’t humiliate yourself," she said smugly.
"You keep insisting I took it—where’s your proof? Show me your evidence!" Li Qiuchi met Zhu Yurou's gaze head-on. The tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"Evidence? Hmph. Do you even dare let someone search you?" Zhu Yurou pressed on, acting like she knew the necklace was on Li Qiuchi.
Xiao Qi stepped forward, shielding Li Qiuchi, her expression cold as she stared down Zhu Yurou.
"Go ahead, let them search," Li Qiuchi said without a care, patting Xiao Qi on the shoulder to reassure her.
Zhu Yurou called over a staff member to search her.
After searching, the staff member shook his head. "Miss Zhu, we’ve checked—Ms. Li doesn’t have the necklace. I think we should wait for the police rather than jump to conclusions," Lauren Shaw interjected, now more convinced than ever that Zhu Yurou had something to do with the missing necklace.
"I—I took it." Suddenly, a trembling staff member stepped out, producing the necklace from his pocket.
No one was more shocked than Zhu Yurou. "You..."
"I was just confused for a moment. I’m sorry, Ms. Li," the staffer apologized to Li Qiuchi.
So quick to confess? They hadn’t even started searching her. Not just Claire Xu—even Lauren Shaw found it strange.
Zhu Yurou, her face now impassive, took the necklace. Her attitude had changed completely. "Well, since the necklace has been found, everyone, you can go now."
"That’s it?" Claire Xu protested, unable to hold back, "You caused all this fuss, and now it's over just like that?"
"Since the necklace is found, there’s no need to escalate or call the police." Zhu Yurou no longer sounded so domineering as she had earlier.
The matter was resolved, but the way it ended left a sense that she was trying to cover something up.
"The police are already here," someone announced from the door.
Trying to keep calm, Zhu Yurou watched as the staffer was taken away by the police.
With the chaos over, Zhu Yurou turned to leave, but Li Qiuchi called out to stop her.
"Miss Zhu, do you really think this is over?"
Zhu Yurou had been aggressive from the start, but now she seemed to have forgotten her earlier attitude.
"And if it isn’t?" she shot back.
Lauren Shaw stepped close, eyes sharp as blades. "Just now, Miss Zhu, you wrongfully accused Ms. Li of stealing the necklace. Don’t you owe her an apology?"
Everyone could see Zhu Yurou was targeting Li Qiuchi.
"Me? Apologize to her? Are you joking? I never slandered her—it was her necklace, how do we know she didn’t have ulterior motives?" Zhu Yurou argued.
"But now it’s clear she had nothing to do with it. There’s no need to be so aggressive, is there?" Lauren Shaw responded, ever protective of her own.
Claire Xu piped up with a mocking smile, "But, Miss Zhu, you’re the chairwoman of Feican. Shengsheng, how could you address her like that? It's not like everyone doesn't know her reputation—arrogant and lacking manners, that's what people in the industry say."
"You..." Zhu Yurou didn't expect them to gang up on her like this.
"Hey, big sis, maybe just admit you were wrong. After all, Ms. Li is a major figure in the entertainment world—aren't you worried this might affect your own reputation later?" Sophia Chandler chimed in, always siding with reason not relatives—even when it meant "sacrificing family for justice."
Though reluctant, Zhu Yurou gritted her teeth and muttered, "Sorry."
"What? I didn’t hear you," Li Qiuchi leaned in closer.
"I said, sorry!" Zhu Yurou’s voice was louder now, so everyone could hear it. Only then did Li Qiuchi let her go.
As Zhu Yurou strode away, Li Qiuchi couldn’t help but curl her lips into a satisfied smile.
Earlier, when she was changing, she’d discovered that the necklace she'd taken off had somehow ended up in the pocket of her clothes. She had called in Xiao Qi and handed her the necklace, leading to the scene that unfolded a moment ago.
Claire Xu whispered in Lauren Shaw’s ear, "Was there really a camera in the back?"