Madisyn pursed her lips in exasperation.


    Were these people stupid?


    She was the one who wanted to call the police in the first ce!


    Just then, a waiter entered the room, holding up another identical ne.


    “Excuse me.


    We found this in the restroom.


    Does it belong to one of you?”


    The room fell into a stunned silence, every eye locked on the ne dangling from the waiter’s hand.


    “Isn’t that Teresa’s ne?” someone whispered incredulously.


    “What’s going on here?” another voice murmured in disbelief.


    “So, Madisyn didn’t steal it?”


    “But I thought that ne was a limited edition.


    How could Madisyn have the exact same one?” The confusion spread like wildfire through the room.


    Teresa, who had been basking in the attention just moments ago, hadn’t anticipated this turn of events.


    She snatched the ne from the waiter’s hand and said to Madisyn, “Madisyn, you’re ridiculous! You must have bought a fake!”


    Madisyn remained unfazed, her expression as cool as ice.


    “Shall we have them appraised?” she suggested calmly, her eyes locked onto Teresa’s ne with an unsettling confidence.


    For a split second, Teresa’s bravado faltered.


    But she quickly masked her hesitation with a dismissive wave of her hand.


    “I don’t have time for this nonsense.


    ”


    “Exactly!” Liza, ever the loyal follower, chimed in with a smirk.


    “There’s no way Teresa would wear a fake.


    After all, she’s a member of the Johns family!”


    Madisyn, sick of the charade, nced at the group indifferently.


    “We’re done here.


    Teresa, are you going to pay the bill?” she asked in a voice that carried an edge of finality.


    The waiter turned to Teresa expectantly, as did everyone else.


    The weight of their stares pressed down on her, making her palms mmy.


    Gritting her teeth, she reluctantly handed over her card.


    “Use this,” she ordered, trying to maintain herposure.


    “Certainly, miss.


    That will be sixty-six thousand dors,” the waiter announced with a hospitable smile.


    Teresa’s heart dropped.


    novelbin


    Sixty-six thousand dors?!


    She had been so meticulously careful with her spending for years, and yet she only had eighty thousand dors to her name.


    How could a single meal cost sixty-six thousand dors?


    Regret washed over her like a cold wave.


    Liza, however, failed to read the room and eximed, “We’re so lucky to have had such a delicious meal! Thank you, Teresa!”


    “Yes, I’ve walked by this ce so many times but never got the chance to try it.


    Thank you, Teresa!” another chimed in.