Alice was an orphan, adopted by the Thomas family at a young age. As a child, whenever she was bullied, she would curl up in the pearwood wardrobe. That was until Charles found her and pulled her out. They lived as siblings for many years, with Alice being cherished and raised by him like a precious gem. Over the course of ten years, a love, hidden in the corners of their hearts, grew uncontrollably. It wasn't until the humid summer of her nineteenth year, in her room, that Charles personally put a star necklace around her neck- "Alice, do me a favor." ... He asked Alice to seduce Stuart, the heir of The William family, to ruin his engagement and prevent him from marrying the eldest daughter of the Green family. Alice agreed. Everyone said that Stuart, the head of The William family, was like a poisonous thorn-deep, calculating, ruthless, and sinister. At a cruise ship banquet, the young girl, holding her skirt, stumbled into his room... Stuart pinned her to the head of the bed, his fingers tracing the star necklace at her collarbone: "This gift from Charles, how many layers of wrapping do you want me to take off?" Later, he personally unwrapped the "gift." Day and night, they sank deeper and deeper into obsession, unable to escape. ... Three months later, Stuart announced his engagement, and all of London was in an uproar! The man who had always been indifferent to women, obsessed with studying human anatomy, and willing to break off his parents' arranged engagement... was actually getting married? At the engagement party, Stuart tore off the star necklace Charles had given her, carelessly tossed it aside, and placed a Graff pink diamond necklace around Alice's neck- "Did it hurt when I threw it away?" Alice didn't answer. She grabbed Stuart's tie, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him. The guests screamed, and the reporters snapped photos frantically. Alice's eyes narrowed, and she turned her head toward the guests- In the crowd, Charles, who had "gotten what he wanted," tightly gripped his wine glass. His dark eyes... were cold enough to freeze.
Chapter 1 False Accusation
Alice opened the locker door, and a clear sapphire bracelet slid out.
Before she could react, a girl exclaimed, "Elizabeth's bracelet, you stole it!"
"..."
In just one morning, rumors of Alice stealing the bracelet quickly spread throughout the entire academy.
This "Tears of the Stars" bracelet was a gift from Elizabeth's father to her for her eighteenth birthday. It was auctioned at Ston's Auction House for thirty-six million, attracting media attention and becoming a hot topic.
With such a precious item stolen, if the accusation stuck, Alice would likely spend the rest of her life behind bars-both this life, the next, and the one after that...
Fortunately, the academy had yet to inform the police, taking Charles's position into consideration.
After all, Alice had grown up with The Thomas family. Though she was a sponsored student, she had been by Charles's side for eight years. Everyone knew how much Charles adored his "sister," despite not being biologically related.
A group of teachers, directors, and board members questioned Alice for the entire morning.
She explained tirelessly, but no one believed her innocence.
The dean, always skilled at smoothing over issues, said, "Alice, the women's changing room has no surveillance. Although we trust your character..."
"But in front of so many people, we all saw the bracelet fall out of your locker. It's hard to explain."
"It's okay. Since the bracelet has been found, I don't want to hold Alice accountable," Elizabeth, the owner of the bracelet, graciously said, "I believe she didn't do it on purpose. It was probably just a moment of carelessness. There's no need to involve the police. She should just apologize, and it'll be over."
Everyone turned to look at Alice in the corner.
She stood alone by the door, dressed in a school uniform just like Elizabeth, with a blazer and a white shirt inside.
Her thick black hair was casually tied up into a small bun, with a playful wave at the tips.
Her face was calm.
If it were anyone else, they would have been trembling with fear at such a situation, but she remained unflustered.
Her mental fortitude was too strong.
......
Actually, it was impossible for Alice not to be anxious inside.
From the beginning, this was a one-sided trial. She explained, but no one believed her.
Without investigation, they immediately pushed her into apologizing.
Alice was very clear that she could not let them sweep this under the rug.
A theft of such a huge amount would draw the police, and with that, media attention. The Thomas family's reputation would be at stake.
Apologizing would be equivalent to admitting the theft, and she might be kicked out of The Thomas family.
Alice didn't want to leave The Thomas family. She didn't want to return to the poor, crime-ridden fishing village, where every night she would be watched by disgusting, lecherous old men. She didn't want to live in constant fear.
She could not back down and admit to something she didn't do.
"I didn't steal anything." She looked around and calmly gazed at them. "I won't apologize for something I didn't do."
At such a moment, she couldn't show weakness, or she'd be bullied to death.
"Still stubborn? The bracelet fell out of your locker. How do you prove you didn't steal it?"
Alice looked at Elizabeth's group of friends, "I have no way to prove it, so we should call the police and let them investigate."
The school leaders exchanged glances. They didn't want to call the police.
If this became a big deal, it would affect the school's reputation and the relationship between The Green family and The Thomas family.
The situation seemed to reach a deadlock.
The dean looked helplessly at the owner of the bracelet, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth didn't want to offend Charles, so she immediately said, "This is just a small issue. There's no need to involve the police. Since Alice insists she didn't steal it, I'll believe her. Maybe she just found it. Anyway, it's been returned, and that's enough. Everyone, please disperse."
Thanks to Elizabeth's graciousness, the matter was finally brushed aside.
Some students still muttered behind her back,
"Doesn't she need to apologize for what she did?" "Mr. Charles spoils her. With all her designer clothes, why would she steal something?" "She's probably too shallow." "She's lucky that Elizabeth is so kind-hearted. If it were anyone else, she'd be in jail by now."
Alice coldly looked at the people around her, fully aware that here, she wouldn't get any fair treatment.
After the crowd dispersed, the counselor informed Alice that the school would discipline her.
Heaton Academy was London's top noble school-a cradle for entrepreneurs, politicians, and world-class artists.
Such a prestigious institution would never allow a "rotten apple" to spoil the whole bunch.
If she couldn't prove her innocence before the punishment was handed down, she would be expelled.
Alice knew it would be hard to prove her innocence, but she had to try.
This incident happened while Charles was abroad. The school knew her relationship with Charles but still didn't want to investigate the truth thoroughly. They were just going along with the flow and preparing to "discipline" her.
There was undoubtedly someone behind the scenes, scheming to frame her and drive her away.
She wasn't one to be easily manipulated.
......
Alice caught up with Elizabeth in the Duke's Hall and smiled.
"Elizabeth, thank you earlier. If it weren't for your generosity, I might have been sent to the police."
Her friends seemed to admire how she stood firm earlier in the dean's office, adamantly denying the theft and insisting on proving her innocence. But now, she suddenly switched to thanking Elizabeth as if she were a life-saver.
Elizabeth had always been good at accepting gratitude.
"It's fine," she patted Alice on the shoulder, smiling. "It's all over. Let's pretend it never happened."
"Hmm, I want to ask, how did you realize the bracelet was missing?"
"Don't ask if you already know," one of Elizabeth's friends mocked. "You stole Elizabeth's bracelet and now you're asking how it disappeared? Are you still trying to argue?"
Alice ignored the side remarks, earnestly looking at Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, please, I need to know."
Elizabeth thought for a moment before replying, "It was during dance class. I took off the bracelet and put it in my pocket. When I returned to the classroom, it was gone."
"Is it possible... it fell out and someone else picked it up?"
"I've already explained to the teachers. Even if you picked it up and didn't want to return it, it's fine. I won't pursue the matter," Elizabeth said with a pitying look. "But, you know, Alice, sometimes one should know when to stop, right?"
Picking something up and not returning it was indeed different from stealing, but Alice didn't understand what "knowing when to stop" meant.
If she hadn't done it, she wouldn't admit to it.
"Elizabeth, after you put the bracelet in your pocket and before you noticed it was gone, where did you go?"
Seeing that Alice was still stubbornly "pretending ignorance," Elizabeth's face turned colder. "The dance studio and the beautiful drink shop."
"Got it. Thanks."
After Alice left, some girls around Elizabeth commented, "Elizabeth, she stole your jewelry, and you're still talking to her like this?"
Elizabeth gently touched the fine blue bracelet on her wrist. "One mistake can lead to a lifetime of regret. It's sad she's so stubborn and unwilling to repent."
"Society will teach her a lesson," one of her friends sneered. "I still don't understand how someone like Charles can keep her by his side."
......
In Washington, USA.
After the meeting, Charles took out his phone and saw the photo sent by his friend Joyce.
The girl in the photo stood alone in the corner of the dean's office, pale and thin, with flawless skin and sharp, delicate features. There was a small, seductive red mark on her neck.
A rare beauty.
Over the years, Charles had truly "raised" her like a flower.
Joyce's voice message carried a hint of teasing, "Brother Charles, your little follower is in trouble. Shouldn't you come back?"
"I've known for a while." Charles replied calmly.
"Are you really going to sit this out? Every time she's been in trouble, haven't you always rushed to be her protector?"
"Why don't you rush down and show me how it's done?" Charles looked out at the Pentagon, its shape barely visible through the haze of sunset, and said in a calm voice, "If she can't solve this little issue on her own, she doesn't deserve to stay by my side."
......
In the dimming evening, rain fell softly, the streets dark, and raindrops scattered in the air, blown by the wind.
The weather reminded Alice of the time when she first came to London with Charles.
A poor girl from a fishing island, who had been taken in and raised by the wealthy Thomas family.
All because of Charles's mercy.
At her most helpless moment, she had encountered the kindest of saviors.
Now, she didn't have much time. If she didn't clear her name, she might be sent back to that poor, miserable island, with no future ahead.
Alice arrived at the entrance of the "Beautiful Drink Shop."
She suspected that the people who framed her didn't have the courage to directly search Elizabeth's pocket.
Most likely, the bracelet fell out, was picked up by someone, and then framed her.
It wasn't a particularly clever scheme.
Everything seemed to have happened by chance.
Previously, Alice had already tried to access the surveillance footage from the classroom but was denied.
No one would risk offending the other wealthy students at Heaton Academy just to clear a poor sponsored student like her.
The footage from the drink shop might hold a clue.
She entered the shop, saying she had left important exam materials behind and asked to check the surveillance footage.
The shop staff refused.
Alice even offered a sum of fifty thousand London pounds, but the staff remained unmoved, almost as if they had a personal grudge against money.
It was strange.
If money couldn't buy this favor, it must have been offered at a higher price by someone else.
Alice didn't have much money. Everything she had was earned through hard work, little by little.
Charles bought her designer clothes and bags, but her allowance was not substantial.
If she had more money, it might make her think of other things, but in terms of living expenses, she was far behind the other rich kids.
So, she couldn't outbid those who were framing her.
She walked out of the drink shop without leaving immediately, instead glancing around cautiously.
The rain fell lightly, pedestrians walked in small groups, umbrellas in hand.
Every now and then, someone would glance at her oddly. She didn't carry an umbrella, and the rain dampened her bangs.
Maybe it was because she had been bullied since childhood, but she gave off a vulnerable, harmless vibe, one that easily triggered a sense of protection in men.
A few boys even came over and asked if she needed an umbrella.
Alice declined.
What she needed wasn't an umbrella.
She suspected that the people who framed her were following her. Seeing her come out of the drink shop, they would likely go back in to confirm the loyalty of the shop staff.
All she needed to do was wait for the right moment.
Alice stood in the rain, walked across the street to the park, and stepped into the lush bushes, looking for a good spot to observe.
Just as she crouched down, she saw, two meters away, a girl holding a knife, the thin blade pressed against her wrist.
The girl was trembling, fearfully.
Choosing to commit suicide here? Not a bad choice of location.
The two of them made eye contact.
The girl expected Alice to stop her, but Alice simply blinked, then turned her head away.
"..."
A little awkward.
Alice ignored her and crouched down, not caring about the rain soaking her skirt or the mud staining her little shoes.
Two minutes later, she looked at the girl again, as though urging her to hurry up and not delay her own business.
The girl bit her lip. She clearly couldn't bring herself to cut her wrist. Instead, she pulled out her phone and sent a video message.
"Stuart, if you don't delete those videos, I'll die right in front of you!"
In the video, almost no one could be seen.
Only the cold white light of the lab was blinding.
Then, a voice, indifferent and dismissive, came from the video. "I'm watching."
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