Victoria looked around.
“How many customers have you done this to today?”
No answer.
Claire opened the bag.
Daniel stepped forward.
“I don’t think we should—”
Claire snapped, “Then document it.”
He stopped again.
Victoria looked at him.
Fear.
Still.
Claire removed a lipstick.
Placed it on the counter.
Phone.
Wallet.
Key case.
Small notebook.
A pair of sunglasses.
Then the velvet pouch.
The room shifted.
Claire froze.
Slowly she lifted it.
Black velvet.
No logo outside.
Victoria watched.
Maya whispered, “Oh no.”
Claire opened the pouch.
Inside lay a diamond brooch.
White and yellow diamonds arranged in an abstract burst, centered around a rare antique-cut stone.
The store lights caught it.
Claire inhaled.
Then triumph appeared.
Too quickly.
Far too quickly.
She pulled it out.
“There.”
Victoria stared at her.
Claire turned toward Daniel.
“Close the doors.”
Daniel did not move.
Claire repeated.
“Close the doors.”
The entrance guard reluctantly approached the control panel.
Victoria said, “Don’t.”
Everyone stopped.
Not because she shouted.
She did not.
Something in her voice had changed.
The owner’s voice.
The CEO voice.
The one used when boardrooms became chaotic and somebody needed to remember where authority actually sat.
The entrance guard froze.
Claire looked at Victoria.
“You don’t give orders here.”
Victoria’s gaze moved to her.
“Apparently not.”
Claire held up the brooch.
“Would you like to explain how an unreleased company piece ended up in your handbag?”
Victoria asked, “Would you?”
Claire blinked.
Victoria continued.
“You opened my bag.”
“You found an object.”
“You decided it belonged to the store.”
“You still haven’t checked the inventory record.”
Claire laughed sharply.
“This piece is from the Aurelia founder series.”
“Yes.”
“It has never been sold.”
“Correct.”
“It belongs to this company.”
Victoria smiled.
“Does it?”
Claire’s face tightened.
Maya moved slightly closer.
Daniel looked toward the back of the brooch.
Victoria saw him notice something.
“Claire.”
She ignored him.
The manager turned toward surrounding customers.
By then three had stopped shopping entirely.
A woman in a cream suit held her phone.
An older couple stared.
A young man near the watch section was openly recording.
Claire’s embarrassment had become performance.
She needed victory now.
“People come into stores like this every day pretending to be something they’re not.”
Victoria’s eyes hardened.
Claire continued.
“They wear expensive clothes.”
“Borrow jewelry.”
“Take photographs.”
“Try to create the impression they belong.”
Maya looked horrified.
Victoria said nothing.
Claire mistook silence for defeat.
“You knew confidential information.”
“You entered a restricted gallery.”
“And now we find unreleased jewelry in your bag.”
Victoria finally spoke.
“People like me?”
Claire stopped.
“What?”
“You said people come in pretending.”
“What people?”
Claire looked around.
“I meant opportunists.”
“Then say opportunists.”
Claire’s jaw tightened.
“That is what I meant.”
Victoria nodded.
“Good.”