Indeed, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But she never liked to cry.
Amid the ongoing accusations and chatter, Lily signaled for a glass of champagne from a server. She hurled it toward Zoya.
Nobody expected Lily to smash a glass suddenly. The sharp sound startled everyone, including the gossipers hiding in the corners.
Zoya couldn't dodge in time, and the champagne soaked her skirt, making her look incredibly disheveled.
Once Layla regained her composure, she pulled Zoya to her side. After confirming Zoya wasn't hurt, she glared at Lily.
"What are you doing!"
Lily met her accusing gaze with a smile. "She lost the earrings grandmother left me, right?"
"Yes," Layla answered somewhat guiltily. The earrings were indeed left for Lily by her grandmother. She had originally intended to keep them for Lily, but Zoya had seen them and expressed a strong liking. Zoya rarely asked for anything, so Layla had given them to her. They were just a pair of earrings, nothing special, just expensive.
Knowing her younger daughter was petty and liked to argue, Layla had planned to buy an even more expensive piece of jewelry for Lily as compensation.
So she didn't feel she had done anything wrong and thought Lily was being unreasonable.
"I'll buy you another pair, even more expensive. Those earrings were meant for your sister. If you're angry, take it out on me, not your sister."
"Buy another pair?"
Lily's delicate eyebrows arched coldly, her smile growing more sarcastic.
"Those were left to me by grandmother, and you gave them to an adopted daughter. Do you have the right?"
"Lily!" Layla gasped in anger.
The term "adopted daughter" was a sensitive subject for Zoya. It had been years since she heard it. Hearing the murmurs around her now, Zoya's face turned visibly sour.
Ignoring Layla's warning, Lily turned slightly, her eyes fixed on Royce. Gone was her usual frivolity, replaced by a simple, earnest question.
"I wasn't lying. She did bump into me, and I did see those earrings. Royce, do you believe her or me?"
By "her," she meant Nadia. The question left Royce no room for hesitation.
The twenty-year-old Royce would have unconditionally believed Lily. At twenty-five, even if Lily didn't seem like she was lying, he would side with Nadia.
He said, "Lily, stop this. Give the earrings back to your sister."
He held Nadia's hand protectively, "And apologize to Nadia."
The crowd watched in astonishment, eyes darting between the hand-holding pair and the solitary Lily. Gossip buzzed with intrigue.
What the heck? Aren't they getting married soon? Is the young master having an affair? Lily didn't expect Royce to expose Nadia now, but upon reflection, she wasn't surprised.
Royce was impulsive in love. When he loved her, he would stand up for her regardless of the occasion if she was wronged.
Nadia's clothes were all off now, and tears of grievance streamed down her face. He loved her, so he rushed out recklessly to stand up for her.
"Apologize—"
Lily drew out the last syllable, grabbed a champagne glass from a young man nearby, and threw it at Royce. The glass shattered at his feet.
After throwing it, Lily tilted her head.
"I'm sorry."
Everyone: "..."
Royce's face darkened, and he said nothing, not even moving. He only looked at Lily with a sharp gaze, and Lily met his eyes without flinching.
As the atmosphere grew tense, a maid ran over, holding a half-opened brown and red carved wooden box, revealing a glimpse of a translucent green item inside.
The earrings had been found, reportedly in the corner of the sofa in Zoya's room.
Zoya slapped her forehead as if she suddenly remembered, then guiltily took Lily's arm.
"When Mom gave them to me, I was so happy that I took them out to look at them and forgot to put them back."
"I didn't sleep well last night going over the documents, my brain's a mess, Lily, I'm sorry."
No one doubted the part about looking over documents all night. Zoya was known as a workaholic, at thirty, she was the vice president of L&S Group.
She hadn't dated for years, devoting all her time to L&S, which made the Brooks couple both proud and pity her more. Hence, the male guests at this birthday party were all carefully selected young talents.
With the earrings found, Lily's suspicion was cleared, but she didn't take her eyes off Royce.
"Did you hear that? Zoya forgot because she was tired. I didn't steal anything, Royce. Has your brain also gone bad after cheating? Do I need to steal what I want?"
She shot a provocative glance at Nadia, calling her out by name.
"I'm not as pathetic as Nadia, who even steals men."
While saying this, she lifted her long, fair swan neck, her posture haughty.
Royce wasn't afraid of exposing Nadia, nor was he afraid that protecting Nadia would disgrace his fiancée. So why should she give them any face?
If she was humiliated, then no one should keep their dignity. Let everyone be embarrassed together.