Chapter 63 Proving One's Innocence

Two hours later, Xia Rui returned home with a face as dark as iron, followed closely by a trembling Xia Yu.

"Get down on your knees!" Xia Rui's fury had truly reached its boiling point. The moment he stepped through the door, he looked as though he wanted to break Xia Yu's legs.

Shortly after Xia Xia finished her phone call with him, he had received a text message—a return confirmation notification sent by the jewelry company. He had immediately driven over to the store, only to catch Xia Yu in the act of returning the bracelets!

Even when caught red-handed, Xia Yu had stubbornly refused to confess, but the moment the bank deposit notification chimed on her phone, she had run out of excuses entirely!

"What mistake has she made this time?" Hearing the commotion, Old Mrs. Xia emerged from her room, only to find Xia Yu kneeling on the floor, weeping hysterically with tears and snot streaming down her face.

"Mother, Xiao Yu actually stole Xia Xia's jewelry to exchange for cash! Committing such a thievish act is an absolute disgrace to the Xia family name!" Xia Rui's heart burned with a mixture of exasperation and intense anger, feeling deeply let down.

"Xiao Yu stole things for money? That hardly seems likely. She has so many pieces of jewelry of her own; she could easily pawn any of them. Why would she take such a risk? Besides, she went right back to the original jewelry store to return them—isn't that foolish?" After figuring out what had happened, Old Mrs. Xia voiced her doubts. Her gaze kept wandering toward Xia Luosheng intentionally or otherwise, as if harboring suspicions.

Xia Luosheng had certainly noticed the old woman's scrutiny, but she remained completely composed. This was not a matter of her framing Xia Yu; she had simply turned a blind eye when the "thief" struck, and then lent a helping hand during the "capture."

Prompted by the old lady's remark, Xia Rui's thoughts began to drift in that direction as well. However, influenced by the events of the previous night, he remained convinced that Xia Yu's actions stemmed from jealousy toward Xia Xia. "When she saw those bracelets last night, she tried to fight Xia Xia for them," he argued. "I'd bet anything she was harboring resentment, and since she happened to be short on cash, she committed this utterly stupid act!"

"Xiao Yu, what do you have to say for yourself?" The old lady still granted Xia Yu an opportunity to defend herself.

"Grandmother, I didn't steal the bracelets!"

"If you didn't steal them, why were they in your possession, and why did you take them to be returned?" Before Xia Yu could finish, Xia Rui roared again, leaving her utterly speechless.

"Alright, with you shouting like that, how can the child even speak? Let me do the questioning while you stand aside." Old Mrs. Xia lightly rebuked Xia Rui, gesturing for him to step back.

"Xiao Yu, Grandmother is asking you—how did Xia Xia's bracelets end up in your hands?"

Unsure how to respond, Xia Yu bit her lower lip fiercely. Racking her brains for an escape route, she suddenly looked at Xia Luosheng and burst into tears. "Elder Sister! Clearly, you were the one who said you didn't like the bracelets Father bought and asked me to return them for you! Why aren't you speaking up for me now?"

Xia Luosheng's eyebrows twitched slightly. Xia Yu really was a master of plot twists...

Old Mrs. Xia turned her gaze to Xia Luosheng, suspicion still lingering in her eyes, and asked, "Xia Xia, what do you have to say?"

Xia Luosheng walked up to Xia Yu, looking down at her from above, and paused to think before speaking. "Are you implying that I asked you to return the bracelets, only to turn around and complain to Father just so I could frame you?"

Xia Yu was momentarily stunned, but she quickly choked out through her sobs, "Yes! That's right, you framed me!"

"Then do you have any evidence to prove that I framed you?" Xia Luosheng asked unhurriedly.

Xia Yu was not about to back down. "Then what evidence do you have to prove you didn't frame me?"

Knowing that Tan Xue, the crucial witness, would never side with Xia Xia, Xia Yu fabricated lies without the slightest hesitation.

Xia Luosheng suddenly let out a soft chuckle. "Pardon me, but as it happens, I do." With that, she produced her phone and tapped to play a video recording.

The video's screen remained frozen on the ceiling, but the audio captured a progressing sequence of events: first, the quiet rustle of pages turning; then, Tan Xue's voice asking for a favor; shortly afterward, the sound of rummaging through drawers and cabinets, culminating in Xia Yu's distinct voice declaring, "Hmph, let's see how you explain losing the bracelets Father gave you!"

The moment those words echoed through the room, Xia Yu's face turned ashen. That single sentence outweighed a thousand arguments.

Old Mrs. Xia took Xia Luosheng's phone, though she asked, "Xia Xia, why on earth were you recording audio?"

Xia Luosheng had anticipated this question and replied nonchalantly, "Since certain people constantly like to sneak into my room and steal things while I'm away, I keep the video running to guard against thieves. Look, isn't it effective?"

No one had forgotten the incident where Xia Yu stole the car keys. With this explanation from Xia Luosheng, everything sounded entirely logical and reasonable.

"You commit scandalous, disgraceful acts, and then turn around to frame Xia Xia! If not for this recording, you would have actually pulled the wool over our eyes! Someone, drag the Second Young Lady to the study and lock her up to reflect on her actions for the next few days! Not a single morsel of food, and not even a drop of water!" Flying into a towering rage, Xia Rui slapped Xia Yu across the face with a resounding crack, mirroring Old Mrs. Xia's punitive methods by putting her under house arrest.

Xia Luosheng watched her departure with a faint smile. Accusing her of framing Xia Yu wasn't entirely incorrect, after all!

The moment Tan Xue had signaled her to create a distraction, Xia Luosheng had known that Tan Li and her daughter were up to their old tricks again. Therefore, before heading downstairs, she had deliberately hidden her bed under the mattress, switched on the video function, and left her phone recording.

Xia Yu was currently short on money, and since the bracelets had been purchased only yesterday, returning them to the store was naturally the quickest way to recoup their value. Moreover, when Xia Yu had pilfered the jewelry, she had inadvertently taken the receipt along with it; without a doubt, she was bound to return to the original boutique. Thus, after hanging up with Xia Rui, she had used a secondary burner phone to send Xia Rui that "return feedback notification."

With Xia Luosheng assuming she would finally enjoy a few days of peace and quiet during Xia Yu's confinement, the third day brought a swift end to her tranquility. Xia Yu was released—not because anyone pleaded on her behalf, but because both she and Xia Luosheng were due to start attending Saint York Academy.

Knowing the antagonistic relationship between the two sisters, Xia Rui had not insisted they share a car. Since this was Xia Luosheng's first day reporting to school, Xia Rui accompanied her personally.

"Father, I want to ride in your car with you." As soon as Xia Luosheng climbed into the vehicle, Xia Yu ran over and grabbed Xia Rui's arm, acting spoiled. By now, many students at the academy knew her older sister was joining them, and if her classmates saw her stepping out of their father's car, it would prove to everyone that their father loved her best.

Oblivious to Xia Yu's petty scheming, Xia Rui's anger toward Tan Li and her daughter had yet to dissipate; treating them with civility was already pushing his limits. Furthermore, he was entirely focused on curating favor with Xia Luosheng at the moment, so he rejected Xia Yu without a second thought and boarded Xia Luosheng's car.

The two vehicles soon arrived at Saint York Academy. Outside the school gates, rows upon rows of neatly parked luxury cars presented a magnificent spectacle. Xia Rui offered Xia Luosheng a few parting words of advice and personally opened her car door, leaving Xia Yu stamping her feet in fury from the car behind.

The instant Xia Luosheng stepped out of the vehicle, three cars parked opposite simultaneously blared their horns, as if vying for her attention.