"I should've called you."
Diana looked toward her.
"About the viewing?"
Clara nodded.
"I knew something was wrong."
For several seconds, she struggled to speak.
Then continued.
"I kept telling myself I needed more evidence. That Graham knew what he was doing. That I shouldn't bother you with a disagreement about a client's appointment."
Diana took a slow breath.
She understood the fear.
A senior executive had dismissed Clara's concerns.
The manager blocked her from examining the piece.
And the company's formal reporting structure made it difficult to escalate questions without appearing disloyal.
But there was something else Diana needed to say.
"You should have been able to report that concern without worrying about your job."
Clara lowered her eyes.
Diana continued.
"That's a company failure too."
The older woman shook her head.
"I've worked here long enough to know better."
Diana reached for her hand.
"And I've led this company long enough to know I should've made the process safer."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Clara looked toward Evelyn's photograph.
"She would've been furious."
Diana smiled sadly.
"With both of us, probably."
Clara laughed through tears.
"Definitely."
They stood quietly.
Then Diana asked whether Clara would help redesign the collection's custody procedures.
The older jeweler nodded immediately.
"Of course."
For the first time in weeks, the conversation felt like something more than regret.
It felt like the beginning of repair.
Graham Pike's explanation changed after his attorneys received the financial records.
At first, he insisted that the necklace transfer had been approved through ordinary commercial procedures.
Then he suggested that the foundation's ownership was unclear because Aurelle's retail company had historically paid for certain restoration and insurance expenses.
When the governing documents established that the necklace belonged to the foundation, Graham argued that he believed he had authority to arrange a temporary appraisal.
But the disputed credit paperwork told a more complicated story.
The necklace wasn't merely being examined for valuation.
It had been represented as security for a private loan.
And the borrower was connected to Graham's outside investment interests.
The independent accountants reconstructed the financial relationship.
Several years earlier, Graham had quietly invested in a struggling jewelry manufacturing company that specialized in handcrafted settings.
The business was called Westbank Atelier.
It had talented craftspeople, valuable equipment, and several promising contracts.
But it also carried substantial debts.
Graham believed he could acquire a controlling interest, restructure operations, and eventually sell the company to a larger luxury group.
He entered the investment through a private holding company.
The arrangement itself wasn't necessarily improper.
But he failed to disclose important interests and conflicts to Aurelle.
He also used his corporate position to influence business relationships involving the investment.