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After I left, my CEO boyfriend searched for me crazily for five
years
Chapter 1
The company dinner was going fine until my
boyfriend’s childhood friend, Jessica, accused
me of stealing her diamond bracelet.
Right there, in front of everyone, she dumped
out my purse, scattering everything.
When I suggested we check the security
footage to clear my name, my boyfriend,
Ethan Miller, just scoffed.
“Sarah Matthews,” he said, his voice dripping
with disdain, “even if your mom’s sick and
you need money, you can’t resort to stealing.”
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With those words, everyone branded me a
thief.
My colleagues started avoiding me, and
Jessica’s taunts became relentless.
Eventually, I quietly left with my mom.
But my oh–so–high–and–mighty CEO
boyfriend spent the next five years
desperately searching for me.
Back in the private dining room, everyone
stared at me like I was some kind of freak
show.
I couldn’t care less. I told Ethan, “Mr. Miller, I
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nave to go. Have Tun.”
The hospital had just called, saying Mom was
feeling down after her chemo and wanted me
there.
Ethan’s childhood friend, Jessica, blocked my
way. “Sarah Matthews, are you rushing off to
pawn the bracelet?”
I was completely lost. “Pawn what?”
“Don’t play dumb. You’re a thief. You stole my
diamond bracelet.”
My brow furrowed as I looked at her.
“Jessica, I don’t know anything about a
bracelet. I certainly didn’t steal it.”
Jessica gave me a condescending look.
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stayed here alone. Who else could it be?”
I hadn’t gone to the show because I was too worried about my mom to enjoy it.
“You need proof. You can’t just accuse me like this. I could sue you for slander!”
Jessica’s eyes went to my purse. “You stole
my bracelet, and now you’re in a hurry to get rid of it. I bet it’s still in your bag.”
She demanded, “Open your bag and let me
check.”
“Jessica, that’s just your assumption. I told
you, I didn’t take it. You have no right to
search my bag.”
“You’re just scared” she speered
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“You’re just scared,” she sneered.
She snatched my canvas tote and turned it
upside down, dumping everything on the
floor.
A thick stack of medical bills spilled out,
scattering everywhere.
I was already stressed about Mom’s illness,
and now this disrespectful display pushed me
over the edge.
I grabbed my bag back. “Jessica, have you no
decency?!”
Jessica just squatted down and pulled a
sparkling blue diamond bracelet from the pile
of papers.
Г
She held it up, sneering. “Sarah Matthews, what do you have to say now? You’re a thief.”
I was stunned, staring at the bracelet in her
hand.
“I don’t know… I didn’t steal it…”
Jessica chuckled. “The bracelet was in your
bag. If you didn’t steal it, did it walk in there
by itself?”
A colleague spoke up. “Maybe there’s a
misunderstanding. I’ve worked with Sarah for
two years. I don’t think she’d do this.”
Jessica said smoothly, “You can’t always
judge a book by its cover. Two years isn’t
that long. She could easily be putting on an
act ”
act.”
After the initial shock, I calmed down. If the
bracelet wasn’t mine, but it was in my bag,
someone had to have planted it there.
The only person who had a grudge against
me was Jessica, Ethan’s childhood
sweetheart.
She’d returned from France a month ago, and
from the moment we met, she’d been
targeting me.
I looked up at the security camera in the
corner of the ceiling. “Let’s check the
footage. I’d like to know how your bracelet
ended up in my bag!”
Jessica didn’t flinch. “Fine, let’s check the
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footage. I want to see how you squirm your
way out of this!”
Then a colleague pointed at the outlet. “Look, the security camera is unplugged.”
I glanced at Jessica. No wonder she was so
calm. She’d planned this.
Jessica immediately turned the tables. “Sarah
Matthews, you must have unplugged it! That’s
why you’re pretending you want to check the
footage. Who are you trying to fool?”
Did she really think she could pin this on me
so easily?
I said, “Then let’s call the police. Let them
clear my name. If I unplugged the camera and
stole the bracelet, my fingerprints will be on
the plug, your bag, and the bracelet
