Hearing this, the wealthy woman who had lost her necklace immediately teared up as she turned to me and my mom.

“Give me back my necklace, you thieves!” she shouted with visible agitation.

“Ma’am, please calm down. We’ve never even seen your necklace.”

I shielded my mother behind me and glared at Sasha.

“There are security cameras all over the lobby. Just pull up the footage, and everything will be crystal clear!”

However, Sasha wore a sly, cold smile and said with complete confidence, “What a coincidence. The camera near the couch in the lobby just happened to break down yesterday.

“But we don’t even need the footage. Who else in the lobby would steal something besides you two bums dressed in cheap knockoffs?”

“Security, search their bodies and their bags!”

Ignoring my objections, she forced the security guards, who had been hesitating just moments before, to step forward.

Faced with a theft case involving two million dollars, the security guards seemed to regain their confidence.

My mom clung desperately to her dignity as she clutched the tote bag tightly in her hands.

“Without a police officer present to present a search warrant, none of you have the right to search my personal belongings!”

“If you won’t let us search you, it’s because you have something to hide!”

When Sasha saw that the security guards were moving too slowly, she rushed forward herself.

Taking advantage of the chaos, she suddenly rammed into my mom.

“Mom!” I cried out in alarm and hurriedly reached out to steady her.

Sasha stuck her hand into my mom’s open tote bag and shook it violently.

There was a loud clatter.

Then, a sparkling diamond necklace fell out of my mom’s tote bag and hit the floor.

Several diamonds fell out instantly. The necklace was bent out of shape from the impact too.

My mom and I were both stunned. We had no idea when the necklace had ended up in her bag.

“You’ve been caught red-handed. What excuse could you possibly have now?

“That necklace is worth two million dollars! Now that it’s broken, you have to compensate our guest!” Sasha immediately yelled.

The wealthy woman had already rushed over to pick up the necklace and the scattered jewels.

Then, she pointed at my mom and screamed, “You old hag! You’re dressed decently, but you’re actually a thief!”

Having suddenly been framed, my mom was so furious that she was trembling all over.

“She purposely slipped the necklace into my bag when she bumped into me earlier. I didn’t steal it at all!”

Sasha stood with her hands on her hips and spoke with absolute conviction. “I slipped it in? Everyone saw it fall out of your bag!”

I hugged my trembling mother tightly, and my gaze turned cold.

“Since you dare to frame us, let’s call the police. When they arrive, they can check the fingerprints on the necklace right away.

“If there are no fingerprints belonging to my mom and only yours, I guarantee you’ll be in prison for several years!

“Without concrete evidence, none of you will lay a finger on us!”

When she heard about the fingerprint check, a flash of panic crossed Sasha’s eyes.

She did not expect me to remain so calm. For a moment, she was at a loss.

Security did not dare to do anything much either. They simply blocked our path, so we were both at an impasse.

Just then, a slightly impatient baritone voice came from the hotel lobby entrance. “What’s going on? What’s all this commotion in the lobby? What a disgrace!”

Hearing the voice, Sasha’s eyes lit up instantly.

She sprinted toward the person in her high heels.

“Howard, my brother in all but blood! You’re finally here!”

She hooked her arm around his. Then, she pointed at me and my mom as she played the victim.

“It’s these two cheapskates. Not only did they hack into our system, but they even stole a VIP guest’s diamond necklace. You’d better get them arrested right away!”

I turned my head, and my gaze landed on the man’s face.

The moment I recognized him, I froze for a second before smiling.

So, it was him!