Chapter 801
“Uncle Silas, Uncle Douglas, I really want to believe Serena’s friends.” Isabella hesitated, looking torn. “But we all know she grew up in the country. The people she crossed paths with… the environment was complicated. Even though she’s back with our family now, bringing her friends up to our standard of living, those rough street habits might not disappear overnight p>
Worry etched across her face. “I’m not trying to point fingers, but… everyone else here is of high standing. Her friends are the most obvious suspects. Shouldn’t we question them first p>
She paused, turning to the royal guest. “Princess Isadora, The Heart of the Sea you gifted is priceless. If it’s truly stolen, the Vintons won’t be able to face The Royal House of Vaelion p>
Her words caused a ripple of tension among the Vinton family.
“Isabella, that’s enough,” Kiera Montrose snapped, her gaze dark with profound disappointment.
She saw right through the girl.
Isabella was intentionally baiting the crowd to turn on Serena’s friends.
Kiera had thought locking her up for the past few days would have taught her a lesson.
She had only allowed Isabella to attend this gala to squash the malicious rumors about Anna Vinton’s arrest, intending for her to simply stand there and look pretty.
She hadn’t expected this.
Isabella was actually stirring up trouble at a critical moment like this.
Did the girl not understand that their family’s reputation rose and fell together?
Did she really think that by directing suspicion toward Serena’s friends and throwing
the Vinton family into the fire, she could somehow emerge unscathed?
The Heart of the Sea was a national treasure gifted by the royals.
If it was truly lost p>
Had she even considered the consequences for the Vinton family?
The more Kiera thought about it, the deeper her disappointment in her adopted granddaughter grew.
But Isabella was too lost in the thrill of her own scheme, reveling in the fact that she was making Serena’s foul-mouthed friends the center of public scrutiny.
Many guests were already starting to whisper, aiming their judgmental glances at Serena.
Why would Isabella care about her grandmother’s disappointment right now?
As long as she survived tonight.
She was confident her grandparents would go back to treating her like their favorite grandbaby.
Still, she had to play the part.
Isabella forced tears into her eyes, looking thoroughly wronged but dutiful. Grandma, Grandpa, I didn’t mean it like that… But a priceless national treasure is missing. We have to give them an answer p>
She approached the royal. “Princess Isadora, to find the treasure quickly and avoid disrupting the gala further, I suggest a search p>
“I volunteer to be searched first, and I hope… everyone else will cooperate too p>
As she spoke, she shot a pointed look at Black Jack and her crew.
Then, she opened her arms wide, looking like a paragon of innocence ready to be patted down by the princess’s guards.
Black Jack had been casually enjoying a slice of cake, but when she caught Isabella’s challenging glare, she slammed her plate down on the table.
“You psycho, I’ve had enough of your bullshit p>
Black Jack closed the distance in her stilettos, stopping right in
Isabella’s face. “You’ve been
slandering me since the second walked in. You’re just trying to drag my name through the mud so you can make my girl look bad aren’t you? I let it slide because this is Serena’s Debutante Ball, but you just don’t know when to quit, do you p>
“I might run with a rough crowd, but l don’t stoop to cheap theft. If you’ve got a problem with me, say it to my face instead of pulling this passive-aggressive crap p>
Her aggressive stance only amplified her wild, untamed aura.