“You were there during the verification,” she added. “And you even brought your own expert to confirm it, didn’t you?”
For a moment, the woman faltered.
Just slightly.
Then her expression twisted again, anger taking over.
“I did,” she snapped, her voice dropping into something harsher.
She leaned slightly forward, her finger lifting again, almost jabbing toward Sophia.
“Butyouswapped them before handing them over to me!”
She stepped closer again, her presence pressing in.
“I know you did it. There’s no other explanation,” the woman continued, her eyes locked onto hers. “I locked them in my safe the moment I got home. No one else touched them.”
Her jaw tightened.
Her gaze sharpened, turning accusing again.
“So don’t try to lie,” she said, her voice low and firm. “I know for a fact that it was you.”
Sophia frowned, confusion clouding her face, but the woman only grew more agitated at her reaction. Her chest heaved, eyes blazing, and instead of calming down, she stormed forward.
Before Sophia could step back, the woman closed the distance in two quick strides and grabbed her arm. Her fingers clenched hard, nails digging into Sophia’s skin.
Sophia winced, her body tensing as she instinctively tried to pull away.
“Give me my money back!” the woman shrieked, her grip tightening even more. “I don’t know anything—I don’t want those fucking bangles anymore. I want my money back. Give it to me!”
Her voice rose to a furious pitch, drawing attention around them. Then, without warning, she lifted her hand, her arm swinging back.
Sophia’s eyes widened. She reacted on instinct, quickly raising her hands between them, trying to block it.
Before the slap could land, another hand shot in.
Strong fingers caught the woman’s wrist mid-air.
Sophia froze.
The force of the impact never came.
She turned her head sharply to the side, breath catching, only to see Magnus standing beside her.
His expression was cold, dangerous.
With one hand, he held the woman’s wrist in a tight grip, stopping the slap. With the other, he pushed her back, forcing distance between her and Sophia.
“What the hell are you doing?” he snapped, his voice sharp and cutting.
He stepped forward, placing himself directly between them, his body shielding Sophia completely. One arm remained slightly outstretched behind him, making sure she stayed back.
His hard gaze locked onto the woman.
“Did you just try to assault her?”
The woman seemed stunned for a second by his sudden appearance. But the shock quickly burned away, replaced by anger.
