Bailey's face turned pale as she immediately stood up. "How could this happen?"
"I've searched the entire jewelry box and couldn't find it!" Celeste said, her face filled with anxiety.
Bailey and Celeste hurried back to the bedroom and thoroughly searched the vanity inside and out, but the necklace was nowhere to be found.
Everyone lost their appetite and gathered in the bedroom.
"Sister Bailey, please check again. Maybe you put it somewhere and forgot," Isla suggested cautiously.
Celeste quickly shook her head. "No way. That necklace was a gift from Mr. Edwards to Sister Bailey. She loves it so much and is always afraid of losing it. She never wore it and kept it in the jewelry box. I saw it just yesterday morning! It's worth three million dollars. What are we going to do?"
Bailey sat down on the stool, feeling utterly helpless. "The necklace has a jade Buddha pendant. Harry even took it to the temple to be blessed."
Everyone exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do.
Suddenly, Unaiza spoke up. "If it was always in the jewelry box and hasn't been moved, then someone must have stolen it!"
As soon as she said this, others quickly agreed. "Yes, that's right. Someone must have taken it."
Bailey looked up. "If someone really took my necklace, please return it. I'll exchange it for another piece of jewelry. This necklace is too precious to me."
With that, Bailey covered her face and began to cry, looking truly pitiful.
"This hotel has security, so outsiders couldn't have come in. It must be someone from our crew. Let's search each other," Isla suggested.
Celeste lived with Bailey. Bailey stayed in the master bedroom, while Celeste was in the guest room. Naturally, she was the first suspect.
"Sister Bailey, I haven't been with you for long, but I believe you understand my loyalty. You can search my room first!" Celeste declared resolutely.
She walked into her bedroom, pulling back the covers and even lifting the mattress for inspection.
"Since we've decided to search, let's do it thoroughly. We'll all search together, and when we get to someone's room, they can show us themselves. How about that?" Unaiza suggested.
The girls in the house were all sharp and clever. No one wanted to be suspected, so they all quickly agreed.
Thus, the search began.
They went room by room until they reached the room shared by Unaiza and Julia.
Unaiza stood at the door, took a deep breath, and used her key card to open it.
Everyone rushed in.
At that moment, Julia was still asleep. The commotion woke her up, and she rubbed her eyes, seeing about ten girls standing in her room. "What's going on?"
"Julia, Sister Bailey lost a necklace. We're all suspects, so you need to get up and prove your innocence," Isla, a staunch supporter of Bailey, explained.
Julia immediately knew Bailey was causing trouble.
She lay back down and said, "Get out."
Her voice was a bit hoarse but still carried authority.
"Julia, what? You don't want us to search?" Isla stepped forward, challenging her.
Unaiza's eyes darted around before she quickly said, "Search me first."
With that, Unaiza lifted her blanket and opened her suitcase, allowing everyone to inspect it thoroughly.
Isla then turned to Julia, "Julia, it's your turn! Get up now!"
Julia lay still with her eyes closed, ignoring the group.
"This Julia won't let us search her. She must be hiding something! It could be her! She and Bailey have a history!" Isla exclaimed to everyone.
Bailey stepped forward, her voice trembling, "Sister, if you took it, just admit it. I won't call the police, and I won't let anyone search you. You're my sister, I won't harm you. I can give you anything you want, but not that necklace."
Her tearful plea moved everyone deeply.
Julia slowly opened her eyes, "Bailey, acting during the day and at night too? Aren't you tired?"
"Sister, I'm begging you, if you really took it, please give it back," Bailey pleaded.
"Enough, enough, Bailey, stop begging her. Let's search! If we find it, we call the police!" Isla commanded, leading the charge as she yanked Julia's blanket off.
Others followed suit, flipping the mattress, rummaging through drawers, until someone finally pulled out Julia's suitcase and began tossing its contents onto the floor.
"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Julia sat up, watching the group ransack her belongings like a pack of wild animals.
She was too weak to fight back, occasionally coughing, clearly no match for the group.
Suddenly, Isla pulled a necklace from the side pocket of the suitcase. "Bailey, is this your necklace?"
She held the necklace up and brought it to Bailey.
Bailey hurriedly grabbed the necklace, inspecting it closely from all angles before nodding quickly. "Yes, yes, it's mine."
She clutched the necklace to her chest and sighed in relief. "Thank goodness, it wasn't lost."
Isla stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Julia. "Julia, now what do you have to say? Caught red-handed! Call the police! Arrest this thief!"
"No, don't call the police! She's my sister. How could I call the police on my own sister?" Bailey's eyes welled up with tears.
"Sister Bailey, you keep giving her chances, but look at her attitude! A sister like that doesn't deserve your sympathy!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
Julia snorted coldly. "Bailey, aren't you tired of putting on this show in the middle of the night?"
Isla grabbed Julia's wrist with a strong grip, yanking her off the bed. "Sister Bailey, listen to her! She's acting like we're framing her! We should send her to the police station and teach her a lesson!"
"Let go of me!" Julia tried to break free from Isla's grasp, but her body felt weak and she had no strength, leaving her helpless as Isla held onto her wrist.
"If you didn't do it, then how did the necklace end up in your suitcase? Did it grow wings and fly in there?"
Everyone started talking at once, already convinced that Julia was a thief.
Bailey covered her face, holding the necklace to her chest, feeling a surge of joy in her heart.
"I told you it wasn't me! Bailey planted it to frame me!" Julia shouted angrily.
"Sister, you're wronging me. Everyone's exhausted from filming all day. Do I really have the time to scheme against you?"
Bailey began to cry again. "I've been so good to you, and yet you say this about me. And I still don't want to take this to the police!"
"Julia has been acting suspiciously these past few days. She didn't even come back that night and only returned in the morning!"
"She came back early last night too, didn't hang out with us. If it wasn't her, then who else could it be?"
Julia was at a loss for words.
"Take her to the police station!" Isla demanded, grabbing Julia and dragging her towards the door.