Chapter 2 – The Call That Changed Everything
Clara looked directly at Vincenzo Moretti.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
His voice remained calm.
"My watch."
She glanced toward the table.
The platinum watch was gone.
"I never touched it."
One of the bodyguards stepped forward.
"We searched the staff."
Another waiter emptied his pockets with shaking hands.
Nothing.
A bartender unbuttoned his vest.
Nothing.
Then Henderson pointed at Clara.
"She was the last person at the table."
Every eye turned toward her.
Clara slowly removed the small apron she had worn all evening and placed it on a nearby chair.
"If you believe I stole it," she said quietly, "search me."
The room held its breath.
One of the female security supervisors searched Clara in front of everyone.
Nothing.
No watch.
No stolen jewelry.
Nothing.
Enzo frowned.
"If you didn't take it..."
A crash interrupted him.
A young busboy stumbled near the kitchen entrance.
A leather ledger fell from his hands.
Something heavy slid across the polished floor.
The missing watch.
It stopped at Enzo's shoes.
The room became silent again.
The frightened teenager burst into tears.
"I swear I wasn't stealing it!"
Everyone stared.
"It slipped into the ledger when I cleared the table. I didn't even know it was there."
Enzo picked up the watch.
Untouched.
Exactly where it should have been.
He slowly turned toward Clara.
She stood motionless, blood still visible on her lip.
The realization hit him all at once.
He had accused an innocent woman.
Then he had struck her.
In front of everyone.
"I made a mistake," Enzo said.
No one in the room had ever heard those words leave his mouth.
Clara gently touched her bruised cheek.
"Yes."
"You did."
She picked up the old gray phone that had fallen beside the broken champagne glasses.
The call was still connected.
She raised it back to her ear.
"Daddy..."
"I'm okay."
A deep voice answered.
"No."
"You are not."
The line went quiet again.
Then the voice asked one question.
"Did he hit you?"
Clara closed her eyes.
"Yes."
May you like
There was no reply.
The call ended.
