Chapter 3 - The Necklace Around Margaret’s Throat
Margaret entered her birthday party wearing the answer.
A three-strand pearl necklace rested around her neck, fastened with a diamond clasp.
Claire recognized it from the jewelry salon invoice.
The pearls were not worth $180,000.
But the diamond clasp and matching earrings were.
Margaret kissed Theodore’s cheek.
“My wonderful son.”
Then she looked Claire up and down.
“You wore white to my birthday?”
“It’s cream.”
“It looks inexpensive.”
Several relatives laughed politely.
Claire ignored them.
She waited until dinner ended, then approached Margaret near the side table.
“I need to speak with you about the necklace.”
Margaret touched the pearls.
“Jealous?”
“It was purchased using an operating account.”
“That sounds like Theodore’s concern.”
“It became my concern when payroll nearly failed.”
Margaret’s expression sharpened.
“You exaggerate everything.”
Claire turned toward Theodore.
“Tell her the payment must be reversed.”
Theodore had already been drinking.
He lowered his glass.
“Not tonight.”
“Employees’ insurance payments are due Monday.”
“We’re at a family celebration.”
“And she is wearing company funds around her neck.”
The room went quiet.
Margaret picked up a glass of red wine.
“You have always hated seeing this family enjoy itself.”
“I have spent six years paying for this family to enjoy itself.”
Margaret smiled.
Then she deliberately tipped the glass.
Wine poured across the front of Claire’s white dress.
A dark stain spread over the fabric.
“Oh,” Margaret said. “How clumsy of me.”
Claire stood motionless.
The relatives looked away.
Theodore walked toward them.
Instead of asking what happened, he stared at the stain.
“You couldn’t let her have one peaceful birthday?”
“She poured it on me.”
Margaret gasped theatrically.
“Now I’m a liar?”
Claire looked directly at Theodore.
“Check the camera.”
That sentence changed his face.
He glanced toward the staircase wall.
Then back at his mother.
Margaret’s expression tightened.
Theodore stepped closer to Claire.
“You’re not turning this house into a courtroom.”
“I asked you to look at what happened.”
“I said stop.”
Claire refused to lower her eyes.
May you like
That was when Theodore raised his hand.
👉 Theodore did not slap Claire because he believed Margaret—he slapped her because the camera might expose more than spilled wine.
