Chapter 517 - 513: Then Call the Police

Hearing this, the other three team members chimed in, "I didn’t take it!"

"Me neither. We’re all very honest people, and the company has strict rules. We’d be fired if we were caught even once. Our pay is quite good, so there’s no reason for us to do something like this."

"That’s right, we..."

"That’s enough," Mrs. Lane cut them off, glancing impatiently at the time. "I’ll wait ten more minutes. If your boss isn’t here by then, I’m calling the police and having you all taken to the station."

At the mention of calling the police, the women became visibly flustered.

It wasn’t because they had actually stolen anything. As ordinary, middle-aged women, they had an instinctive fear of the police and being taken to the station.

Besides, they needed to provide a clean criminal record check for jobs in Lorcain. ’If we get taken to the police station, will that go on our record?’

They didn’t know the answer, and that’s why they were scared.

"Ma’am, look how guilty and scared they are. Something’s definitely not right," the nanny added, fanning the flames.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Jasmine Sterling had arrived.

"You’re the owner of the cleaning company?"

The nanny who opened the door gave Jasmine Sterling an arrogant look. When Jasmine nodded, the nanny stepped aside. "Come in. There are shoe covers over there."

Jasmine Sterling ignored the nanny’s attitude, slipped on the shoe covers, and walked into the living room.

"Jasmine!"

When Ashton saw that Jasmine Sterling had come in person, she rushed over to meet her.

"We didn’t steal anything. It really wasn’t us."

Jasmine Sterling gripped Ashton’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It’s all right. Don’t be afraid."

"Whether something was stolen isn’t for you to decide. The fact is, my property is missing!" Mrs. Lane said, her voice rising. She shot a glance at Jasmine Sterling, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Sterling?"

Jasmine Sterling looked at Mrs. Lane, her brow furrowing. "It’s you?"

’It’s the same Mrs. Lane who deliberately gave my daughter a hard time at the charity gala! The one who clearly has a grudge against her!’

"Ms. Sterling, I am currently your company’s client. Furthermore, I lost something of value while your employees were working here. This is hardly the attitude you should be taking, is it?"

Jasmine Sterling quickly composed her expression. She was here to solve a problem, and since the other party was a client, she had to maintain a professional attitude.

"I’m very sorry for any trouble this has caused you during our service. However, regarding the valuable item you say is missing, do you have any direct evidence that one of our employees stole it?"

"Is it possible you might have forgotten where you placed it? Or could there be another explanation?"

Jasmine Sterling calmed herself and spoke with composure.

At her words, the cold smirk on Mrs. Lane’s lips widened. "What need is there for direct evidence? That bracelet of mine is Nephrite Jade. Even someone who knows nothing about gems would know it’s incredibly valuable. It’s common for people of a certain class to be blinded by greed. Being momentarily tempted is perfectly normal, isn’t it?"

Jasmine Sterling’s brow tightened at her words, and she retorted, "So, Mrs. Lane, you have no evidence whatsoever. You’re accusing my employees based on pure speculation, just because your bracelet is missing?"

"Of course I suspect them. Who else would I suspect, myself?" Mrs. Lane’s gaze swept over Ashton and the others with disgust. "Of everyone in the villa at the time, they’re the most likely ones to have done it, wouldn’t you say?"

"And what led you to that conclusion?" Jasmine Sterling asked, her voice growing cold as her displeasure rose.

Mrs. Lane met her gaze with a provocative stare. "Their identity. Their class."

"Mrs. Lane, you are far too arrogant," Jasmine Sterling said, pointing at the two maids standing behind her. "By your logic, then these two members of your own staff are just as suspect."

"What?" one of the maids blew up. "Are you kidding me? We’ve been working for Mr. and Mrs. Lane in the Lane Family for years! Why would we ever do something like that?"

"Exactly! Stop trying to wrongfully accuse others. This is about your company’s employees!" the other one chimed in.

But Ashton retorted, "Just because they haven’t before doesn’t mean they never would. Just because one person is innocent doesn’t mean the other is. Weren’t those your exact words just a moment ago?"

Jasmine Sterling added, "And with four people from a cleaning service here today, it would be the perfect opportunity to make a move. You could easily shift the blame to the outsiders, who are more convenient suspects, couldn’t you?"

With that, Jasmine Sterling stared at Mrs. Lane, her gaze firm and unyielding.

As Mrs. Lane met her gaze, she could almost see the face of Cecilia Sterling reflected in the depths of Jasmine’s eyes.

Her expression turned icy. "Like mother, like daughter. Your tone is just as infuriating."

The sudden attack on her daughter made Jasmine Sterling’s expression darken instantly.

At the same time, another suspicion flashed through her mind. ’Could she be doing this on purpose just to make things difficult for me?’

’But regardless of her motive, this needs to be settled today. I can’t let my employees be saddled with this baseless accusation.’

"Then call the police!"

Jasmine Sterling relaxed her confrontational stance, deciding to go along with Mrs. Lane’s suggestion. It was the simplest and most direct way to prove her employees’ innocence.

"They were terrified when I mentioned calling the police a moment ago," Mrs. Lane said tauntingly.

Jasmine Sterling glanced at Ashton and the others and saw they did indeed look frightened.

Ashton shook her head, protesting, "Jasmine, let’s not call the police. We can just let her search us. We barely have anything on us, so she’ll see for herself after a quick search."

For ordinary people like them, getting the police involved was a terrifying prospect.

Jasmine Sterling held Ashton’s hand and explained, "We can’t do that, Ashton. A search conducted by her here wouldn’t be legally valid. In fact, it would be illegal."

Having worked in the hotel industry for many years, she was well aware of these procedures.

"Don’t be afraid. I’ll stay with you, and I promise I will clear your names," Jasmine Sterling said with determination.

Her earnestness and defense bolstered her employees’ confidence. One of the women clenched her jaw and said, "Fine, let’s go to the station! We’ve done nothing wrong, so we have nothing to fear. If we didn’t do it, we didn’t do it. You can frame us, but are you saying the police will too?"

Courage is contagious. Once one person was no longer afraid, the others were emboldened as well.

"That’s right! Go ahead and call the police. We’re not afraid!"

This sudden defiance took Mrs. Lane by surprise. She was stunned for a moment, then let out a derisive laugh and nodded. "Fine. I’m really calling them, then."

With that, she picked up her phone, making a show of dialing.

But when she saw they didn’t flinch, she raised an eyebrow and lowered her phone with a look of feigned exasperation.

"Forget it. Making a scene at the police station over a single bracelet... if word got out, I’d be a laughingstock. That bauble might be extremely valuable to people like you, but to me, it’s just a trinket. I’ll just write it off as lost."

With that, she waved her hand dismissively as if shooing away a fly. "Now get out."

Hearing this, Ashton and the other cleaners couldn’t help but look relieved, thinking the ordeal was over.

But Jasmine Sterling didn’t budge. She stared at Mrs. Lane and said in a cold voice, "If we leave like this today, this matter will never be truly settled. We will leave, but only after our names have been completely cleared."

"If you won’t call the police, then I will!"