Chapter 66

"Master Edmund, your piece titled 'Sincerity' remains my favorite jewelry design." Evelyn Roland's fingertips lightly traced the Shattered Stars necklace at her throat. "The state of mind when you created it must have been entirely different from now."

Edmund Grandelle's fingers twitched violently, his knuckles turning white.

The crystal chandeliers cast mottled shadows across his face, revealing the turmoil in his eyes. Thirty years in the glittering world of jewelry had eroded his original passion.

After a prolonged silence, the elderly man slowly bent at the waist, bowing deeply to Evelyn.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

"Your talent shouldn't be buried by rumors." Edmund's voice was hoarse with emotion. "I...was blinded."

With trembling hands, he withdrew a yellowed design sketch from his suit pocket. "'Shattered Stars' was never my creation. I failed my duty as a trustee. Effective today, I retire permanently from design."

"The jewelry world will no longer have Edmund's star."

The old man staggered slightly as he turned. His expensive suit jacket looked garish under the lights. Step by step, he walked toward the exit, followed by a crescendo of jeers.

The same voices that once praised him now cut like knives.

Alexander Roland swept a cold gaze across the room. "Now. Apologies are in order."

The crowd erupted in sycophantic murmurs. Isabella Langley stood in the corner, her nails digging bloody crescents into her palms.

"Enough." Evelyn raised a hand. "Master Edmund has restored my reputation. There's no need to kick a man when he's down. As for the mastermind—"

She flipped open her laptop. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, blue light reflecting off her composed profile. In under three minutes, she traced the post's IP address.

KL Design Group's internal network.

Evelyn exchanged a glance with Alexander. Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public.

"I'll handle the aftermath." She closed the laptop with a soft click and nodded to the crowd. "My apologies for detaining everyone."

Sebastian Valdemar gave Theodore Ashcroft a meaningful look. His assistant immediately moved to manage PR damage control.

Adjusting her gown, Evelyn subtly nudged Alexander's elbow. The siblings moved wordlessly toward the fire exit.

In the empty stairwell, Alexander studied his sister's conflicted expression. "Out with it," he said. "Who did you find?"