[Chapter 52]
"Miss, please wait!" The store manager ran over and blocked Natalie's way.
Everyone in the store also turned to look at her curiously.
"Is she a thief?"
"She doesn't look like one…"
Natalie frowned slightly and was even more confused.
She hadn't taken anything and had walked past the door twice. "Why is the alarm going off? Is it broken?"
"Miss, have you taken anything that you haven't paid for?" The manager smiled politely.
Natalie tilted her head to the side and replied calmly, "No."
But the alarm kept ringing incessantly.
With an embarrassed look, the manager leaned closer and whispered, "Miss, please tell us the truth, or we will have no choice but to frisk you."
Just then, Elaine sauntered over.
"Hey, what's that in your pocket?" Pretending to be shocked, Elaine pointed at the pocket of Natalie's coat.
Natalie frowned and fished her hand into her pocket. Sure enough, there was something inside. To her surprise, she pulled out a wallet.
With a puzzled look, Elaine pointed at an empty spot on the shelf and said to the manager, "Look over there. Are you missing a wallet?"
The manager looked at the wallet in Natalie's hand. His eyes instantly darkened and he said with disdain, "Yes, this is the most expensive wallet in our store."
Hearing this, Elaine feigned shock and her hand flew to cover her mouth. "I always thought those things they said about you were just rumors back then. It turns out that our classmates were right all along. Why do you still misbehave? You've even resorted to stealing!"
Natalie looked back at her, bewildered. She had no idea how the wallet had ended up in her pocket.
She slapped the wallet onto the counter and said firmly, "I didn't take this. I've never stolen anything in my life. You stop trying to ruin my reputation. If you don't believe me, check the store's security camera footage."
"Yes, check the footage. My friend's always been a decent, upright person. She would never do such a thing." Christopher stood by Natalie firmly.
Irritated, Elaine crossed her arms over her chest. "Christopher, haven't you heard what people have said about her back in college? She's not as decent as you think."
"Elaine, unlike you, I don't fall for whatever other people say so easily." Christopher's usually gentle eyes turned fierce in that moment.
"Then check the security camera footage!" Elaine snorted and said nothing more.
The best way to have this matter cleared was to check the security cameras.
And so the manager scurried off to check the footage, as asked. In the video, Natalie and Christopher were standing next to the shelf with the wallet. Unfortunately, Elaine's body blocked Natalie's, including her arms. So it was impossible to see whether Natalie had taken the wallet or not.
Elaine smiled smugly. She sneered, "Just admit it already. Did you steal the wallet?"
Natalie frowned deeply. "The footage can't prove that I stole the wallet. Why are you so hell-bent on slandering me? Perhaps it was you who took the wallet and slipped it into my pocket to frame me."
Elaine's nostrils flared and her eyes went wide. To cover up her ploy, she raised her voice and pointed a finger at Natalie. "Don't you dare accuse me! The wallet was found in your pocket, so obviously, you were the one who stole it!"
"Elaine, how many times do we have to say that the footage doesn't show that it was Natalie who stole it? Stop framing her." Christopher looked at her coldly and added, "I know she didn't steal the wallet."
Elaine had wanted to paint Natalie as a thief so that Christopher would dislike her. But now that Christopher was even protecting Natalie, Elaine was utterly enraged.
"Christopher, just how well do you know Natalie? Maybe she's not the good girl you make her out to be. There were a lot of rumors about her back in college. Her classmates wouldn't make up stories for no reason. Plus, now she's trying to put the blame on me. You heard it yourself!" Elaine's voice was shrill, which made her sound as though she really believed what she was saying.
Clenching her fists, Natalie said through gritted teeth, "You were the one who started all those rumors. Years have passed and we're supposed to be more mature now. Haven't you grown up yet?"
At the time, Natalie had ignored what Elaine did because they were about to graduate. There was no use getting worked up over such a trivial thing.
"How dare you accuse me of starting those rumors? Do you have any proof?"
Elaine couldn't help but snicker at Natalie's stupidity. They had graduated years ago. Even if Elaine indeed was the one who spread the rumors, Natalie had no evidence.
Moreover, the video didn't show that Elaine deliberately framed Natalie.
All the bystanders in the store watched this scene unfold with great interest. Since the wallet was found in Natalie's pocket, surely she was the prime suspect.
"But she's so pretty. I'd never have thought she was a thief!"
"You know what they say: you can't judge a book by its cover."
Hearing their whispers, Christopher raised his head and cleared his throat loudly. "The matter hasn't been investigated thoroughly. Don't draw conclusions just yet."
The manager couldn't just let Natalie go after what happened. "Miss, store policy dictates that you have to pay ten times the price of what you stole. The wallet was found in your pocket. You must pay us back, or we'll call the police."
Natalie looked at him, speechless.
Hesitating, she clutched her bag so tightly until her knuckles turned white. Suddenly, she saw something at the corridor outside the store.
Turning around, she sneered smugly. "Okay. Call the police."
Elaine's eyes widened as she couldn't believe her luck. Snickering, she said arrogantly, "It sounds like you don't have the money to pay for it. That's probably why you resorted to stealing, you poor thing."
Elaine nearly jumped with joy. If Natalie was sent to jail for shoplifting, her career would be ruined.
Elaine's words undoubtedly smeared Natalie's name even further.
"I'm asking the manager to call the police precisely because I didn't steal the wallet! Why do I have to pay ten times the item's price? I'll wait for the police to deal with this matter." Natalie's voice was clear, confident, and had no trace of fear.
But Elaine was unfazed. She firmly believed that Natalie would be put behind bars. Seeing Natalie act as stubborn as a mule, she couldn't help but sneer with satisfaction.
Realizing that this matter was about to get out of hand, Christopher decided to put an end to this.
He pulled Natalie aside and said in a low voice, "How about this? I'll pay for it. The Larson Group values its reputation. If they find out about this, you'll probably be fired. Besides, the wallet was found in your pocket. If they really call the police, you might really end up in jail."