7
374words
“I’ll call the cops if she doesn’t pay up.Don’t blame me for the PR mess.”
Lana fanned the flames,accusing me of theft.
“Jasmine's always so friendly with that guard and is constantly at Elite Gardens. Who knows if things have gone missing there?”
The hospital leaders knew I wasn’t like that and tried mediating.
Lana pounced,refusing reason,demanding police.
“You’re all covering for her—none of you are innocent.”
Theft talk jogged my memory.Aunt Laura’s butler mentioned two pigeon-egg diamond necklaces missing.
Her condo was so big,I assumed they were misplaced and didn’t pursue it.
Lana’s necklace matched one from the photos.
I texted the butler to check Aunt Laura’s facial-recognition lock records.
Police arrived,chuckling at the absurdity.
“Mr.Carter,your claims are completely baseless.”
Ethan stood up,indignant.“If I hadn't been with her, I could have worked overtime and earned an extra $60,000. It's only fair that she pays me. She's swimming in money, booking entire restaurants. She's just provoking me by refusing.”
Lana vowed to keep stirring trouble unless I paid up.
Ethan knew his claim was ridiculous but wak making a scene to pressure the leaders into forcing me to pay.
For his dad’s bills,he ditched all shame.
As he hoped,leaders and police urged me to compromise.
Pay him a single cent?Not a chance.
I pulled up Ethan’s and his friends’medical records.
“Pay?Fine,let’s settle the accounts properly.”
“Ethan bragged about hospital connections,getting his friends’bills on my tab,promising to repay.He never did—$78,000 total.”
“On top of that, he used hospital staff perks in my name. Let's call that $100,000.”
“After calculating everything,Ethan owes me$40,000.”
Mimicking Lana,I crossed my arms.“Evidence is airtight.If he doesn't pay up today, I'm not backing down.”
Ethan,cornered,begged Lana for a loan.
“Lana,at least help with Dad’s bills.Your family’s wealthy.”
She clutched her diamond pendant,dodging him.“You’re really that broke now?”
Ethan clutched his hair,nearly kneeling.
The butler sent a lock record photo:It showed that the cleaner's daughter had been living in Aunt Laura's condo.
“My fault—I rarely checked after entrusting the place to the cleaner.She wore Laura’s clothes,shoes,and likely took the necklaces.Should we call the police?”
And in the photo? It was Lana.
