Ann's heart trembled when Matteo glared at her she felt guilty and flustered , so she hid behind Miguel
"Bro... I didn't do it..." Ann murmured, casting a guilty glance toward Matteo and Elisa , whose piercing glares felt like an icy wind piercing through her defenses.
Miguel heard this and frown, slightly as Ann tried to explain.
" That's because, she exposed me online, she tarnished my name brother! And now, even my friends make jokes out of me. That was my family Jewelry, so how's it stealing? I simply said a little advice to her, and this l got." She pointed at her sacked dress, sheepishly trying to defend herself.
Miguel's face was so gloomy and his gaze was inscrutable. He furrowed his brows as if he wanted to speak but words are stuck in his mouth
Elisa laughed lightly and just ignored Ann's rebuttal.
Elisa stood aloof, arms folded and her expression molded into a mask of disdain.
Not retaliating when accused was something only the old Elisa would do. Folding her hands, she remarked coldly.
"You need to learn to respect others, Ann. Otherwise, I can't guarantee that this won't happen again."
As tension crackled like sparks, Matteo stepped forward. " The cafe's surveillance footage is always at your service, you can take a look to before concluding, Mr Miguel Reynolds."
He turned on his heel, leading Elisa to the car and thoughtfully opened the car door for her .
Miguel watched Matteo's car gradually drive away with narrowed eyes and sullen expression.
The divorced Elisa was like a detailed train. She could simply not figure out which direction she was heading.
Whether she still felt something for him, or not.
In the past ,Elisa would be very cautious around Miguel, but now, she evendares to say ungracious words fearlessly.
Still Ann wasn't satisfied to let Elisa get away, she tried to stop their car but Miguel yanked at her.
"Stop it! That's enough!"
"But, brother...,how can you side with a outsider, Elisa bulling me is same as disrespecting our family, that's b*tch is bitting the fingers that feed her for the past seven years, she needs to be taught a lesson."
"Ann! The jewelry in the safe was for my wife Elisa....ex-wife. Why did you take them without permission." Miguel reminded her.
Miguel hadn't taken the initiative to give the jewelries to Elisa , but that didn't change the fact that they belonged to him and Elisa
"Am l not you sister? Just a piece of jewelry! Brother, why are you being so calculative? Ann protested, her voice rising in despair.
"Besides, Elisa doesn't have any occasions to attend with expensive things, so why can't l take it?" Ann spoke with discontent, she believed that Elisa wasnt worthy expensive items, not to talk if jewelries.
Miguel was ready to teach his sister a lesson, ann saw how furious Miguel was, to save herself, she began crying aggressively. Which made miguel to be helpless as he didn't know what to do at that moment.
"I'll watch the surveillance footage first."
Ann froze as soon as she heard of surveillance footage. She stopped crying as she gritted her teeth indignantly.
" Am l the bad one brother! Elisa just framed me, and you fell for her trap. Ann cried out, her desperation thick in the air. Can't you see it? She wants to creat division between you and me."
Watching Matteo's retreat with narrowed eyes, Miguel felt a tempest of emotions swirl within him.
"We shall shall know, once we see it." He replied
" Brother..., look at those two, do you thing they're no lovers? Look how protected the man is? And always we her everywhere. Maybe she had been cheat on you all along, and maybe...she had been stealing from us to support that guy. I warned you brother! That woman was a go woman."
Ann slandered Elisa in hopes that Miguel may would help her deal with that woman.
'How dare she walk out of me?' Ann thought.
Miguel eyes sank and his face turned extremely glum.
"Shut up you mouth! Shut up....!"
Completely ignoring his sister, he walked away.
As soon as Miguel come back looking for the manager, and extended his intentions, the manager took out the surveillance footage and gave him.
Before that, the manager had already received orders from Mr Matteo Smith to prepary a copy of the surveillance footage , just Incase Miguel comes looking.
Miguel took a deep breath as he placed the copy of the footage inside the hard drive.
Miguel sat transfixed by the screen, his breathing shallow with anticipation. His heart raced in his chest as he looked at the screen.
He willed his hand to stop shaking as he taped on his thighs. His eyes narrow and jaw tightens.
While Ann stood anxiously on the side as they watch how , Maria and Ann were hurling insults and curses on Elisa that were harsh to hear, yet she had looked at them like she was accustomed to it.
"Is that customary? Is this not the first time my family treats Elisa like this?" Elisa's calmness and retaliation shocked him.
"Is this the first time she fought back?" Miguel mused, realization hitting him like a thunderclap.
His head bewildered with different thoughts on how Elisa has been treated for the past seven years, yet he didn't realize, he was so shocked that his own family would treat Elisa this way.
Miguel's heart surged with complicated emotions. Blood rushed to his head an his expression kept changing dramatically. He couldn't take it any longer, he stoped the video and walked out with a big strides.
"wait for me .. brother..."
"This isn't the right time for nagging, Ann!" He glared at his sister coldly.
Ann's face was pale and looked horrendous as she quickly denied it .
"What! I was just argry that she found a new catch so fast, just So soon after you separation. Why would l berate her otherwise?"
Miguel turned, his heart heavy with betrayal, not of Elisa, but of the arrogant and capricious little sister he had tried to protect.
"You need to apologize to her," he confronted sternly.
"Over my dead body!" Ann retorted vehemently, her face contorted in rage.
"I won't ! She was the one who poured water on me and smeared mud on my foot ! I did rather die than apologize to this b*tch." Ann shouted aggressively.
"Enough!" Miguel declared, his frustration surging like flame. "You don't understand the damage you've caused."