I turned to the host. “Mr. Howard, now that we know who really stole the ruby, shouldn’t you call the police? Theft of such a valuable gem must carry quite a sentence. I wonder how many years she’ll get.”

“Apologize,” Ashton said again, his gaze fixed on Genevieve. “This is the last time I’ll ask.”

Genevieve pressed her lips together and finally muttered, barely audible, “Sorry.”

“What was that? I’m standing right here and I didn’t catch a word. Did any of you hear her?” Naomi wasn’t about to let her off that easily. “Mirabelle, did you hear what she said?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Ashton shot Genevieve a warning look. Something in his eyes must have frightened her, because she quickly tried again, louder this time: “Mirabelle, I’m sorry.”

“Satisfied?” she then snapped, still glaring.

I gave a thin smile. “Even so, I won’t forgive you.”

“You—!” Realizing she’d been made to humiliate herself for nothing, Genevieve looked utterly furious.

“I’ve apologized. That should be enough,” she shouted at Ashton, turning to leave.

But as she tried to go, Mr. Howard’s bodyguards moved to block her path.

“You can’t leave just yet, Miss,” one of them said.

“Why not?” she spat back.

“Because you stole a billion-dollar ruby,” the assistant replied coldly. “I don’t care who your family is. You committed theft, and we will be involving the police.”

“Ashton!” Genevieve called out to him one last time, hoping he might still intervene.

He didn’t move. “You made your choice. Now face the consequences.”

“But I did what you asked—I apologized!” Her voice rose. “You’re really going to let them call the police? You’re just going to stand there?”

I watched Ashton closely.

“If I keep protecting you, I’m only making things worse. You need to learn.”

“You could help me if you wanted to! If you tell Mr. Howard not to call the police, he’d listen to you. He’d do it as a favor. Why won’t you help me?” Her voice was thick with hurt and confusion.

“Because I won’t,” Ashton said bluntly.

“Why? You always used to protect me. Why not now?”

“Because this time you tried to frame my wife.”

“Hear that? Maybe don’t mess with married men next time,” Naomi cut in.

Genevieve was too furious to speak.

“So none of you are going to help me? You’ll just stand there while they take me away?” Panic crept into her voice as she saw the police entering the room, but Ashton stayed silent.

“Cassian,” she tried again, turning her last hope to him.

Ashton shot Cassian a warning glance.

“If Ashton says no, there’s nothing I can do,” Cassian said with a shrug.

After Harry explained the situation to the officers, Genevieve was led away.

“My apologies for the interruption, everyone. Please, enjoy the rest of the evening,” Mr. Howard announced smoothly.

“Come on, let’s go sit down.” Naomi linked her arm with mine. “I need to tell you something.”

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