💎 She Framed the Poor Housekeeper With a Stolen Diamond Necklace… But the Security Camera Exposed Everything

"Did you really think I wouldn't monitor your movements, Emily?" Margaret said as she slowly walked down the stone steps. Her heels clicked methodically against the stone, each sound like a ticking clock. "You are just like your father—stubborn, idealistic, and completely blind to how the world actually works."

Emily backed away until her shoulders hit the cold brick wall of the hidden alcove. "You helped destroy my father. You knew he was innocent!"

"Your father was a dreamer who refused to modernize," Margaret said coldly, stopping a few feet away. The two guards flanked her, blocking any escape path toward the stairs. "Arthur Sterling offered a path to unimaginable wealth. All I had to do was look the other way while he restructured the assets. Acquiring this mansion was simply a bonus."

"Daniel will find out," Emily warned, her voice trembling slightly despite her best efforts. "He knows why I'm here. If I disappear, he will look for me."

Margaret smiled a thin, hollow smile. "Daniel is currently in a high-stakes board meeting surrounded by our top shareholders. By the time he returns tonight, you will have 'left voluntarily.' After all, you just received a very large sum of money from me, didn't you? It will be quite easy to make it look like you took a bribe and fled."

Margaret nodded to the two men behind her. "Take the binder from her. Make sure she is put into the car quietly. Mr. Sterling's men are waiting at the docks to take her out of the state."

One of the guards stepped forward, his massive hand reaching out for the leather book.

Emily’s eyes darted around the cellar. Just as the guard grabbed the corner of the binder, Emily slammed her flashlight directly into his face. The man grunted in pain, stumbling back.

Capitalizing on the second of chaos, Emily ducked beneath the second guard's arm, threw her weight against a wooden wine rack, and sent dozens of heavy glass bottles crashing onto the floor.

Red wine and shattered glass exploded across the stone floor, creating a treacherous barrier.

"Catch her!" Margaret shrieked, her calm demeanor vanishing instantly.