As the guests began to whisper and cast judgment, Maya slowly lowered her hand. In a dramatic close-up, her expression shifted from sudden shock to unshakeable realization and fierce defiance. She had known Julian was ruthless, but she never imagined he would go this far to destroy her reputation and cover his own gambling debts. The camera saw him, Maya thought to herself, her eyes narrowing as she remembered the hidden security dome installed directly above the vanity where the jewelry had been stored. Without taking her eyes off Julian, Maya reached into her clutch, pressed a single command on her phone, and synced her local drive to the ballroom’s master AV system.