Chapter 561
She hurriedly tried to stop her. “Helena, you’re overthinking this. Mr. Pierce is just trying to scare you.
Every single one of your pieces is heavily guarded and priceless.
Who would have the guts to swap them out on such a massive scale?
What happened at the exhibition was just an accident. The rest of the collection is perfectly safe. There’s no need to make such a scene p>
But Helena was already consumed by a suffocating wave of despair.
She couldn’t hear anyone’s reassurances.
The mere thought that her life’s work might be entirely compromised left no room for wishful thinking.
Her attitude was absolute.
“No, we listen to Mr. Pierce. Call the police right now.
And… they must be appraised. That jewelry is half a lifetime of blood, sweat, and tears. It’s my entire life.
I won’t let anyone tamper with it in the shadows.
Until I see the appraisal with my own eyes, I won’t be able to breathe p>
Helena might not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but she was incredibly stubborn. Once she made up her mind, it was nearly impossible to sway her.
Celeste stared at Helena’s terrified, unyielding expression.
She knew that pushing back any further would only arouse suspicion.
With her back against the wall, she had no choice but to compromise.
Dark clouds gathered in her eyes as she turned to her waiting subordinates and ordered in a low voice.
“Do as she asked. Call the police, and contact Master Lyra immediately.
Beg her to make time to visit Sterling Manor for an urgent appraisal of the remaining jewelry p>
“Yes, ma’am p>
Celeste put away her phone and cast a covert glance at Helena.
Once Master Lyra stepped foot in the manor, the truth would be exposed.
This seemingly resolved storm was about to escalate into an uncontrollable disaster.
But with a room full of guests and Helena standing right there, she had to play the part of a calm, unbothered victim.
Clutching her phone tightly, Celeste waited until Helena looked away before discreetly typing and sending a text message.
After mulling it over, Helena still felt anxious.
One Master Lyra wasn’t enough; she needed to drag Quentin Pierce back home with her too.
With that thought, she began scanning the room for the grandmaster.
However, Quentin, ever the dignified figure, had already slowly exited the venue under the awestruck gazes of the crowd.
Once he was gone, the room completely exploded into chaos.
The crowd’s gaze toward Helena shifted from envy and flattery to blatant mockery and pity.
Sienna Sloan watched the frantic woman and walked over with a faint smile.
“Mrs. Sterling, I happen to know some excellent appraisers too. Since there’s still an audience here, why don’t you bring the rest of your jewelry over?
Should I have someone take a look for you?
If that doesn’t work, we could always host another livestream. With so many eyes on it, no one would dare scam you p>
As soon as the words left her mouth, the bystanders chimed in.
“Mrs. Sterling, for such a grand collector, your eyes aren’t even as sharp as the people on the internet. You should let everyone check it for you p>
“Exactly! Maybe there’s someone who actually knows their stuff, so you won’t get scammed so badly next time p>
To Helena, Sienna’s seemingly helpful words were nothing but naked humiliation.
Especially with the crowd’s thinly veiled insults piling on.
She had been worshipped her entire life; when had she ever endured such treatment?
Helena couldn’t take another second of it. “Get out of my way! Keep your fake sympathy to yourself p>
She shoved Sienna aside and scurried out of the venue under the heavy protection of her bodyguards.
Celeste kept her head down and followed closely behind.
Sienna stood her ground, watching the two of them flee in disgrace, and offered a dismissive smirk.
Turning her head, she exchanged a knowing glance with Thea Stanton nearby.