Chapter 36

"It's quite remarkable to have restored it to this condition," William remarked, his voice tinged with admiration as he examined the delicate engravings on the bracelet.

"I recall seeing this bracelet shattered beyond recognition. Achieving even partial restoration was an extraordinary accomplishment."

Olivia's pulse quickened. She desperately wanted to explain the truth of what had transpired.

"Grandfather, the restorer guaranteed it was flawlessly repaired and ready to wear. How could it have broken again? She must have lied to me!" Victoria's sharp voice sliced through the air, dripping with manufactured outrage.

"Is that so?" William inquired, his interest visibly piqued. "Which restorer did you employ?"

"I'll call her immediately," Victoria declared, pulling out her phone with dramatic flair.

Olivia's stomach twisted with dread, anticipating the impending confrontation. Right on cue, her phone vibrated loudly in her clutch. She rarely received calls, particularly from unknown numbers, and had forgotten to silence her device. The sudden ringing immediately drew every eye in the room.

"So, you're here after all!" Victoria exclaimed triumphantly, her finger jabbing accusingly toward Olivia.

As Olivia's phone continued to ring, the guests who had initially dismissed her presence now regarded her with heightened interest. Her dramatic entrance with Liam had already sparked whispers. Now, her apparent involvement with the Whitmore family's precious heirloom added fuel to the gossip fire.

"I remember the Blackwood family's adopted daughter dabbled in restoration as a child. Who knew she'd turn it into a profession?" one society matron murmured, setting off a ripple of similar comments.

"Is this some sort of hobby, or has she fallen on desperate times?"

The whispers grew louder, speculation about Olivia's motives swirling through the elegant ballroom.

William, ever the gentleman, rose with dignified curiosity. "Mrs. Blackwood, were you responsible for this restoration?" he inquired politely.

Liam stepped forward protectively. "My wife has considerable skill in restoration. However, since there appears to be an issue, I'm prepared to compensate for any damages."

"I already paid five hundred thousand for this repair!" Victoria interjected sharply.

The amount sent shockwaves through the assembled guests.

"Half a million for a bracelet? That's outrageous!"

"Mrs. Blackwood must be exploiting her connections for profit!"

"I thought her restoration work was just a pastime. Clearly it's a business venture."

"Could she really have swindled Victoria out of that much money?"

Each barbed comment struck Olivia like a physical blow, resurrecting painful memories of past accusations.

But what wounded deepest was Liam's immediate assumption of her guilt and his readiness to pay rather than defend her. Once again, Victoria had set her up - just like at the hospital incident. And once again, Liam chose to believe others over his own wife.

"What nonsense is this?" William suddenly interrupted. "It's merely a broken bracelet. The fact it was restored at all is impressive enough. Consider this half million my gift to Mrs. Blackwood," he declared, waving his hand dismissively as he instructed Victoria to put the bracelet away.

Recognizing this might be her only opportunity, Olivia gathered her courage and stepped forward, positioning herself directly before William.

The guests watched with rapt attention as William regarded her with polite curiosity. Liam moved closer, hissing through clenched teeth, "The matter is settled. Don't make a scene."

Olivia responded firmly through sign language, insisting the matter wasn't settled because she wasn't at fault. She added that if Liam wouldn't help her communicate, she would explain the situation herself.

Determination steeled her resolve as she prepared to clear her name.

Liam's expression darkened, but after a tense moment, he relented. "Fine. Have it your way."

Taking a steadying breath, Olivia signed that she had indeed restored the bracelet to perfection, with video documentation of the entire process. The piece had been flawless when she returned it to Miss Clarke.

Liam's jaw tightened visibly.

Before Liam could translate, William suddenly spoke up in surprise. "You're saying the bracelet was perfect when you returned it? And you have video proof? May I see it?"

The entire room gasped at William's unexpected fluency in sign language.

Victoria stood frozen, her face draining of color.

Olivia nodded and produced the USB drive she'd prepared for exactly this moment.