The Quiet One Snaps at Christmas Eve

"What can you even do now?" Uncle Adam scoffed and contemptuously patted my face.

"Hannah, have you forgotten your place? You think this is some kind of TV drama? You're going to pull off a last-minute comeback against me? You're just a jobless, unwanted orphan. What do you have to fight me?

"In this house, if I say you're a thief, then you're a thief! If I say you're crazy, then you're crazy!"

He turned around and waved a hand toward the two bodyguards. His tone was bone-chilling. "Why are you just standing there? Tie her up! Search her body! Find the damn gold watch!"

The bodyguards moved immediately, advancing on me.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed, frantically waving my arms to push them away. In the struggle, I accidentally scratched one of them.

"Fuck! You scratched me?"

The man raised his hand and slapped me across the face. The impact rang in my ears and drew blood from my lips.

"Stay still! Don't make this worse for yourself!"

The bodyguards shoved me against the wall, patting me down all over.

They emptied my pockets and rummaged through my bag, scattering my belongings all over the floor. Yet, the gold watch wasn't there.

Uncle Adam's expression darkened, and he pointed at my clothes. "Search her clothes! Who knows where she's hiding it? Strip her if you have to. Just find that watch!"

"What?" I jerked my head up, staring at him in disbelief.

"Adam Burton! Don't push it! First you search me in public, and now you want to strip me?"

Aunt Zoe, still holding her swollen face, spat venomously. "She deserves it! Let her get what's coming to her! This shameless bitch should be stripped so everyone can see what she really is!"

Quinn even pulled out her phone and started filming excitedly. "Everyone, look! We've caught a thief! I'm posting this online and making you famous!"

The bodyguards reached for my collar again.

I looked around at the relatives enjoying the spectacle, and my heart turned to stone.

"Uncle Adam, are you sure you want to do this?"

Uncle Adam frowned at my sudden calmness. "Shut up! Do it now! Strip her!"

Just as they were about to tear my clothes off, the front door of the villa suddenly slammed open.

Startled, everyone turned toward the sound.

A group of men in black suits and sunglasses marched in.

Then, a middle-aged man in a dark gray suit strode in, followed by two lawyers.

At the sight of the man, Uncle Adam's face went deathly pale. His knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. "M-Mr. Turner? What brings you here?"

Alfie Turner was the second-in-command at the company's HQ, where Uncle Adam worked. He was a high-level executive Uncle Adam wouldn't normally even have the chance to meet.

Alfie scanned the room. The moment his eyes landed on my disheveled state, he strode over and let out a furious roar. "How dare you?"

He kicked one of the bodyguards who was holding me, sending him flying. "Who gave you the nerve to lay a hand on Ms. Burton?"

"M-Ms. Burton?"

Uncle Adam stood frozen, as did Aunt Zoe, Quinn, and all the relatives.

I rubbed my wrist slowly, adjusted my clothes, and smiled at the stunned Uncle Adam. "Uncle Adam, let me introduce myself again."

I took a file from Alfie's hand and lightly slapped it against Uncle Adam's pale face.

"I'm the chief auditor sent by the HQ, codename Grim Reaper. You were asking earlier what I could do? Well, this is my answer, Uncle Adam."