Chapter 181 - Lost Necklace

‘Arabella, why are you so dumb?’ She couldn’t help to scold herself. ‘You know how much that necklace cost and yet you let it slip away!’ She trembled with cold sweat remembering how many billions the necklace cost.

“I’m sorry. I have to go!” She uttered while quickly turning around to leave.

“Wait!” Eric grabbed her wrist to stop her. Stunned for a moment, Arabella looked at the stranger man who was holding him.

“Let me help you,” Eric offered with a sincere expression.

“Thanks.” It was the only word that came out of her mouth as her mind went blank.

“Let her go!” a sudden magnetic hoarse voice sounded behind them. It was a precise order but dangerous when not implemented immediately. Without turning around Arabella already knew the owner of the voice which made her tremble in fright.

How could she explain to him that she lost the 3-billion-dollar necklace?

On the other hand, Eric was calm while he turned in Bill’s direction. He slowly let go of her wrist.

“Mr. Grant,” Bill uttered the man’s name with a calm expression.

“Mr. Sky.” Eric sounded formal acknowledging Bill’s presence.

Though both of them were calm, Arabella could feel an extreme tension in the air with the presence of two young billionaires.

“I’m sorry to spoil your night but I don’t allow someone to touch my property,” Bill said arrogantly.

“I’m not your property.” Amidst the tension and Bill’s provoking remarks, Arabella’s strong refusal got out.

Bill smirked at her. He laxly strode closer while his one hand was in his pocket. He couldn’t figure out where this woman got her courage to slap him in front of the crowd and talk back to him with a stranger. She seemed really wanted to die.

Arabella was alarmed. She wanted to run away from the place but her feet didn’t want to cooperate. She froze on her spot.

Eric didn’t miss any single expression of Arabella. He could feel the fear in her and for any unexplainable reason, he wanted to protect her.

“I didn’t know Mr. Sky is so possessive.” Eric sounded to avert Bill’s attention.

“Yes. I am. I always guard all of my possessions so no one could steal them.” Bill answered with a strong overbearing voice.

“Hmmm… In that case, I felt like I want to steal something. It’s quite a challenge!” Eric grinned a bit like he was just joking but his eyes were deadly serious.

Hearing the stranger’s words, Arabella was stunned. Feeling worried about the new guy, she wanted to warn him about Bill as she didn’t want him to be in danger because of her.

Bill stopped walking in front of Eric. There was a fire burning in their eyes and was waiting to be ignited. Bill folded his arms in front unmoved.

“You can try but I can promise you that you will not succeed,” Bill answered with confidence and arrogance.

“Not to brag, but I had never failed,” Eric answered with a strong deep voice.

Bill smirked with sarcasm.

“Then brace yourself to fail,” Bill remarked confidently. “Let’s g …..” After his statement, he was about to drag Arabella away but to his surprise, Arabella disappeared. “F*ck!” Bill’s calm faded while he cursed in the air.

Bill quickly strode away leaving Eric in the place.

Eric smirked meaningfully as his plan worked.

He helped her escape.

While Bill was walking, he quickly tracked her location using his phone. When Arabella was admitted to the hospital, he deliberately returned her phone that easily. He put it in the closet so she could easily see it but he already put a location tracker in it.

Meanwhile, Arabella retraced her way out. She believed that the necklace accidentally slipped away when she ran off. It should just be in the hallway. She was still trembling as her mind was with the necklace. She looked around and lifted some plants in the corner hoping that the necklace fell in the area and landed on the ground. The air became colder but she ignored it as her mind was occupied by the expensive necklace.

“What are you doing?” Suddenly a man sounded behind her. Holding medium size pot, she froze. Seeing Bill again, her heartbeat thumped very fast. She felt caught in the act as her nervousness surged up to its peak.

“I…I…” She couldn’t find any appropriate words. Should she tell him?

Bill’s expression was impatiently waiting for her answer. He looked more intimidating.

“I… I lost the necklace!” Trembling, she gathered all her courage to tell him honestly. She could not hide it from him any longer.

“I know,” Bill answered calmly.

Arabella was dumbfounded. She expected him to hurt her and go hysterical.

When he moved closer to her, she wanted to fly away but she composed herself feeling the hotness on her cheeks.

“You… you are not angry?” She asked in disbelief.

“Do you want me to get angry?” Bill asked frowning. His handsome face twitched.

“No! No… of course.” She tried her best to quickly compose herself and answered him. Her nervousness never left with his presence.

A man like him was unpredictable. Arabella’s gaze was still fearful and confused. That necklace cost a lot that she could not imagine how she could pay him. Even she would work night and day, she didn’t think she could pay that huge amount and yet Bill could still maintain his calm. Maybe he was just that rich that billion dollars didn’t matter to him or maybe she was wrong. He was always a cunning man so his calm was more dangerous. Of all people, she already knew how scheming he is.

“What do you want from me then?” Snapping back to her senses, she asked without any trust in her tone. After everything she had gone through in his hand, she had no confidence in him doing good to her. She could not see him as a good person in her life. A person who killed her dad and wanted to kill her too. The person who made her suffer even in the present.

Bill looked at her with a grin on his beautiful face. “Hmmm…” He muttered acknowledging her question while his deep serious eyes pierced to hers. Arabella tried her best to get ready with his despicable terms.

“Mr. Sky, my friend. I’m sorry to disturb your moment. Our friends wanted to see once more one of its kind diamonds. Can we?” Before Bill could answer, Mr. Clinton’s voice came out from behind with his two promiscuous women.

Hearing Mr. Clinton, Arabella got goosebumps.

What !? But how?

The necklace is missing because of her. What is she going to do? At this time, she looked at Bill trying to seek help only to find out that Bill's serious eyes were with her. He was still calm like nothing happened as he smirked.

“Let’s go then,” Bill answered agreeing to Mr. Clinton. Arabella’s jaw suddenly dropped not with excitement but with the fact that the necklace was missing because of her and he agreed to show it to his billionaire friends. What could she expect from him? Of course, only the bad things for her.

Confused and hesitant, she followed them back to the hall. Arabella didn’t lose her hope to find the necklace as her eyes were wandering around each corner of the hallway. Bill turned around to look at the girl who was preoccupied with the lost necklace. She was focused on the ground rather than the direction she’s going to. Without noticing someone in front of her, Arabella bumped someone’s back.

Snapping back to her senses, she looked at the man.

“I’m sorry.” She uttered with still a problematic expression.

Bill smirked at her, “Bum.” He remarked.

“Bill, the necklace is missing. Why did you agree?” She whispered with a fearful voice.

Good thing, Mr. Clinton and his women strode ahead of them so she still could talk to Bill regarding the missing necklace.

Bill looked at her worried face. His serious eyes were exploring her beautiful face. It went down to her pointed nose then to her luscious lips.

“I want to bite them.” Instead of answering her, Bill uttered with serious desire in his tone. Arabella felt more nervous and annoyed of the man who could still make fond of her even in a crucial situation.

“Pervert!” Her instinct was quick to answer him.

“What did you say?” Bill stopped with a serious frown. He held her bare arm.

“You heard it.” She smirked at him not feeling apologetic while rolling her eyes.

“Hmmm…” Bill muttered nodding absorbing her words. Then he suddenly pulled her towards him and her lips landed on his. He kissed her. Her thoughts got messy with the sudden moment as she tried to escape from his domineering kiss but Bill was strong to root her in her spot. Before she could hysterically react, he bit her lower lip and strode away with a playful smirk.

Left dumbfounded, she followed him disgustfully wiping her lips with her hand.

When they entered the room, Arabella’s eyes swept across the crowd’s faces. Then her eyes landed on a familiar tall figure standing just beside her.

“How are you?” With a worried face, Eric sounded.

Arabella was quite stunned by the man she just met earlier. He had a sincere tone that she couldn't just ignore.

“I’m okay.” She answered with an uneasy expression.

“It’s good to hear it.” Eric smiled satisfyingly. She didn’t know but for any reason, his smile warmed her worries a bit. Without her knowing, she was smiling at him too when someone suddenly grasped her arm.

“Mr. Grant, we meet again.” Bill sounded calm but cold.

“Yes. Mr. Sky. You may get used to it.” Eric smiled while his eyes were at Arabella.

Bill looked at Arabella. Her mind was obviously not with them. Then he smirked.

“Hmmm…” Bill muttered elegantly. “Try me.” He challenged Eric

with arrogance and possessively dragged Arabella away.

When they were already in front, the crowd’s eyes were all landed on Arabella's porcelain neck.

“Where’s the necklace?”

“Where’s the necklace?”

“Where’s the necklace?”

A clamor echoed the room as it was ignited seeing Arabella’s neck was empty.

Arabella felt dispirited. Yes. It was her fault but how could she explain that the billion dollars’ worth of necklace was missing? She had lost it. Her heartbeat was thumping fast and cold sweats came out in her body. She felt her knees had softened as she stood unsteady.

Without her knowing it, she was already grasping Bill’s arm tightly. Bill looked at her hands on his arm.

When Arabella saw Bill’s stare on her hands, she quickly released him.

Bill smirked at her then he lifted his hand signaling someone to come. Bill’s man strode forward wearing a black suit with a deep crimson box in his hand.

The man handed it to Bill. He gazed at Arabella first then he opened the box slowly.

Seeing what’s inside the box, Arabella’s jaw dropped as her eyes widened in disbelief. The clamor suddenly stopped.

“Gentlemen, I present to you again the royal necklace,” Bill announced confidently.

The oblivious uproar was replaced by the clapping of hands in amazement.

The necklace was an heirloom of the oldest and grandest royal family exist.

With Bill Sky’s connection and money, nobody wanted to question him on how he got the heirloom of a royal family.

Arabella felt relieved seeing the necklace again but she was also very annoyed thinking that she was tricked by him again. He saw all her effort to look for the necklace but he never told her that it’s with him.

How cruel!

Arabella could not hide her displeasure as she kept on cursing him in her mind.

Mr. Clinton quickly moved forward to examine the necklace with a disbelief expression.

“However, someone wanted to steal it.” Bill suddenly announced.

Arabella felt his words were for her. She felt he was trying to embarrass her again in front of the crowd. All eyes suddenly landed on her. She got instantly flustered and her expression was already explaining that she’s not a thief but people there seemed didn't want to believe her. She could see their eyes were full of awful judgments for her.

“Oh! That’s awful news, Mr. Sky. That thief should be punished.” Mr. Clinton remarked quickly standing next to Bill with eyes still on the diamond necklace.

“That’s right! This thief is very fearless having the audacity to steal from us.” The oldest billionaire agreed.

“Yes. Let’s investigate and capture that thief.” Another billionaire sounded.

Arabella felt like she was about to fall to the ground. She was trying to show her innocence but the situation and the words they said made her feel guilty and scared.

“The investigation was done. As a matter of fact, the thief is just beside me.” Without bustling around the bush, Bill announced.

Arabella wanted to run before Bill could say his words. She could see all their eyes were already accusing her. It was obvious to her that this was Bill's other trick for her. That's why he brought her there to embarrass her.

“Mr. Clinton, nice try..” With a powerful domineering tone, Bill sounded.