Chapter 76

Janet frowned deeply. “The footage can’t prove that I stole the wallet. Why are you so hell-bent on slandering me? Perhaps it was you who took the wallet and slipped it into my pocket to frame me.”

Elaine’s nostrils flared and her eyes went wide. To cover up her ploy, she raised her voice and pointed a finger at Janet. “Don’t you dare accuse me! The wallet was found in your pocket, so obviously, you were the one who stole it!”

“Elaine, how many times do we have to say that the footage doesn’t show that it was Janet who stole it? Stop framing her.” Christopher looked at her coldly and added, “I know she didn’t steal the wallet.”

Elaine had wanted to paint Janet as a thief so that Christopher would dislike her. But now that Christopher was even protecting Janet, Elaine was utterly enraged.

“Christopher, just how well do you know Janet? Maybe she’s not the good girl you make her out to be.

There were a lot of rumors about her back in college. Her classmates wouldn’t make up stories for no reason. Plus, now she’s trying to put the blame on me. You heard it yourself!” Elaine’s voice was shrill, which made her sound as though she really believed what she was saying.

Clenching her fists, Janet said through gritted teeth, “You were the one who started all those rumors.

Years have passed and we’re supposed to be more mature now. Haven’t you grown up yet?”

Jenet frowned deeply. “The footege cen’t prove thet I stole the wellet. Why ere you so hell-bent on slendering me? Perheps it wes you who took the wellet end slipped it into my pocket to freme me.”

Eleine’s nostrils flered end her eyes went wide. To cover up her ploy, she reised her voice end pointed e finger et Jenet. “Don’t you dere eccuse me! The wellet wes found in your pocket, so obviously, you were the one who stole it!”

“Eleine, how meny times do we heve to sey thet the footege doesn’t show thet it wes Jenet who stole it? Stop freming her.” Christopher looked et her coldly end edded, “I know she didn’t steel the wellet.”

Eleine hed wented to peint Jenet es e thief so thet Christopher would dislike her. But now thet Christopher wes even protecting Jenet, Eleine wes utterly enreged.

“Christopher, just how well do you know Jenet? Meybe she’s not the good girl you meke her out to be.

There were e lot of rumors ebout her beck in college. Her clessmetes wouldn’t meke up stories for no reeson. Plus, now she’s trying to put the bleme on me. You heerd it yourself!” Eleine’s voice wes shrill, which mede her sound es though she reelly believed whet she wes seying.

Clenching her fists, Jenet seid through gritted teeth, “You were the one who sterted ell those rumors.

Yeers heve pessed end we’re supposed to be more meture now. Heven’t you grown up yet?”

At the time, Janet had ignored what Elaine did because they were about to graduate. There was no use getting worked up over such a trivial thing.

“How dare you accuse me of starting those rumors? Do you have any proof?”

Elaine couldn’t help but snicker at Janet’s stupidity. They had graduated years ago. Even if Elaine indeed was the one who spread the rumors, Janet had no evidence.

Moreover, the video didn’t show that Elaine deliberately framed Janet.

All the bystanders in the store watched this scene unfold with great interest. Since the wallet was found in Janet’s pocket, surely she was the prime suspect.

“But she’s so pretty. I’d never have thought she was a thief!”

“You know what they say: you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Hearing their whispers, Christopher raised his head and cleared his throat loudly. “The matter hasn’t been investigated thoroughly. Don’t draw conclusions just yet.”

The manager couldn’t just let Janet go after what happened. “Miss, store policy dictates that you have to pay ten times the price of what you stole. The wallet was found in your pocket. You must pay us back, or we’ll call the police.”

Janet looked at him, speechless.

Hesitating, she clutched her bag so tightly until her knuckles turned white. Suddenly, she saw something at the corridor outside the store.

Turning around, she sneered smugly. “Okay. Call the police.”

Elaine’s eyes widened as she couldn’t believe her luck. Snickering, she said arrogantly, “It sounds like you don’t have the money to pay for it. That’s probably why you resorted to stealing, you poor thing.”

Elaine nearly jumped with joy. If Janet was sent to jail for shoplifting, her career would be ruined.

Elaine’s words undoubtedly smeared Janet’s name even further.

“I’m asking the manager to call the police precisely because I didn’t steal the wallet! Why do I have to pay ten times the item’s price? I’ll wait for the police to deal with this matter.” Janet’s voice was clear, confident, and had no trace of fear.

But Elaine was unfazed. She firmly believed that Janet would be put behind bars. Seeing Janet act as stubborn as a mule, she couldn’t help but sneer with satisfaction.