Chapter 307

"I'm afraid I must leave now!" Evelyn ended the call abruptly, setting her phone down with deliberate calm.

Turning to Giselle with an icy composure, Evelyn arched an eyebrow. "Ms. Sterling, you recognized the voice on that call, didn't you?"

Giselle's face flushed crimson, her lips parting soundlessly.

Daphne, standing nearby, looked equally stunned.

"Who was that?" a guest whispered. "That voice—it sounded so familiar!"

"That was Adrian Hawthorne, rema's world-renowned art director! Who knew Evelyn had such close ties to him? Their conversation clearly indicates they're more than just acquaintances!"

"Then... does this mean Giselle's necklace is a fake?"

"Is there any doubt? Adrian, an expert from rema, identified it as counterfeit instantly. Would someone of his stature lie about such a thing?"

"He mentioned gifting the genuine piece to Evelyn, which means she possesses the real one! Why would she bother stealing Giselle's imitation? Looking back, it's almost laughable how confidently Giselle accused her!"

"Exactly! Flaunting a fake like that... How mortifying!"

The murmurs of the crowd made Giselle wish the ground would swallow her whole.

She never anticipated Evelyn being so closely connected to Adrian Hawthorne, rema's global art director.

Instead of tarnishing Evelyn's reputation, Giselle had only succeeded in humiliating herself, while Evelyn emerged more admired than ever.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, Giselle clenched her fists.

Evelyn, meanwhile, allowed a knowing smirk to play on her lips before shifting her attention elsewhere. Her gaze landed on Nathan.

Their eyes locked.

For a fleeting moment, an unspoken tension crackled between them.

Nathan hadn't expected Evelyn to share such an intimate rapport with Adrian...

What other secrets was she keeping from him?

After five charged seconds, Evelyn broke the stare. She approached the male officer, returning the necklace with a polite nod. The officer accepted it and departed with his colleague, escorting Daphne away.

Giselle, pale-faced, turned to leave.

"Stop." Nathan's commanding voice cut through the room like a blade. The sheer authority in his tone froze Giselle mid-step.

"Miss Sterling," he said coolly, "do you truly believe you can simply walk away after slandering someone like that?"

His piercing gaze then shifted to a middle-aged man in the crowd, a frosty smile curling his lips. "Mr. Sterling, your daughter appears to lack basic manners."

Edmund Sterling had no choice but to step forward, forcing an uneasy smile. "This is all a misunderstanding, Mr. Black." He turned to Giselle, his voice firm. "Apologize to Ms. Hartley at once."