Chapter 43

Cassandra was calm and composed, showing absolutely no sign of alarm. "Gretchen, words carry weight. You're accusing me of theft, but what proof do you have?" Gretchen let out an exasperated laugh. "Enough with the act. Elle has told us everything!" Cassandra's face dimmed as her heart broke. She asked, "Elle, are you saying that you saw me stealing your Aunt Gretchen's diamond bracelet?" All that answered her was silence. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Noelle was currently sitting on Gregory's lap, burying her head in his arms timidly like an ostrich, too afraid to look at her. But in the other Hart family members' eyes, her behavior made it look like she was afraid. Christina comforted Noelle. "Don't be afraid, Elle. You're at the Hart residence. It's not like my precious granddaughter can be frightened by an outsider." She enunciated the word "outsider" intentionally as she gave Cassandra a side-eye, making her implied meaning absolutely obvious. In the Har