Chapter 33
“This is…” Izzy’s eyes widened as she stared at the contents of the safe. The gift Miss Alcaraz gave her was a set of keys to a sate deposit box she could only access after marrying Liam. Izzy lidn’t hesitate to ask Liam to accompany her to where the deposit box was stored.
She had expected stock certificates or perhaps deeds to properti–something practical befitting her grandfather’s business–minded legacy.
Instead, the box was filled with jewelry. Velvet pouches and ornate boxes sat neatly arranged, their contents more dazzling than she could have imagined. Diamonds, emeralds, sapphires–all cut to perfection, their settings intricately crafted.
She glanced at Liam, who stood beside her with his arms crossed his gaze flicking between her and the contents of the box. His expression was unreadable.
“What is this supposed to mean?” she asked, gesturing to the glittering array. “Why would my grandfather leave me… these? And only after I married you?”
Liam didn’t answer immediately. His brow furrowed slightly, as though he were searching for a response. “Maybe he wanted to make sure you… I don’t know.. had a reason to trust someone. Or to make you think about commitment.”
Izzy scoffed, shaking her head. “What if I never decided to marry you? Would all of this have just sat here forever?”
Liam shrugged lightly, his usual confidence replaced with an unusual quietness that Izzy didn’t like. “I can’t answer that.”
She let out a slow breath, turning her attention back to the box. $lowly, she reached for the first velvet case. Opening it, she found two gold bands nestled inside. The wedding rings were simple yet elegant. Her grandfather’s was a solid gold band, while her grandmother’s had a delicate row of diamonds encircling the band. She traced her finger over the smaller ring, the cool metal sending a chill through her.
“These are their wedding rings,” she said softly, her thoughts briefly drifting to the stories her grandmother used to tell her about their life together.
She picked up another box and opened it to reveal a larger ring a bold solitaire diamond framed by smaller sapphires. The design was striking yet timeless. “Her engagement ring,” she murmured, holding it up to the light. It sparkled brilliantly, as though it had been cared for meticulously over the years.
Setting the engagement ring down, Izzy reached for a larger pouch. Inside, she found necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, each piece more beautiful than the last. Some were heavy with gemstones, while others were simpler, focusing on the artistry of the metalwork. But as her hand brushed another small velvet pouch, something about it made her pause.
She opened it and froze. Inside was a locket–a simple gold heart with delicate engravings along its edges. She carefully opened it, revealing two faded photographs inside. One was of her and her mother, taken when Izzy was no more than six. Her mother’s smile was warm and comforting, her arms wrapped around Izzy protectively. The other side of the locket was empty, scratched slightly as if the original picture had been removed.
“This…” she began but found herself unable to finish the thought. She clutched the locket tightly, a wave of emotion crashing over her.
Liam leaned closer, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the photo. That was your father’s, wasn’t it?”
She nodded, unable to speak. Her fingers trembled as she held the locket. It was a reminder of a past she had tried to bury, a time when her family had felt whole.
She exhaled sharply, closing her eyes for a moment to steady herself. “Why would he leave this here? Why make it so… conditional?”
“It’s cruel,” she said, her voice cracking. “He knew how much this would mean to me. He knew, and he still made those
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Chapter 33
conditions, only giving them to me once I marry you.”
Liam watched her closely, his expression softening in a way she rarely saw, “Your grandfather always had his reasons. Don’t dwell on it too much. He probably thought he was protecting you in his own twisted way.”
Izzy opened her eyes and looked at him. For a moment, she wanted to argue, to say that this was less about protection and more about control. But she stopped herself. She didn’t have the energy for another fight.
Instead, she held out the locket. “Can you… put it on me?”
Liam nodded. He took the locket from her hands, stepping behind her as he undid the clasp. His fingers brushed the back of her neck as he secured it, the cool metal resting lightly against her skin.
“There,” he said simply, stepping back. She reached up to touch the locket, her fingers lingering on its surface.
For a moment, neither of them spoke as she bathed in the strange, unexpected sense of comfort Liam’s presence provided.
Finally, Izzy let out a shaky breath. She closed the box. “Let’s go she said, turning toward the door. “There’s nothing else here for me.”
Liam didn’t argue. He simply followed her, his usual smirk absent as they stepped out of the room and into the waiting world.
“Your grandfather had his own reasons, Izzy,” Miss Alcaraz said after she took a sip of her hot coffee. “I know it sounds twisted, but the old man has always been like that. There’s no need to dwell on it too much.”
Izzy nodded and took a sip of her coffee, her thoughts drifting to the locket. After her parents died in a car accident years ago, she asked her grandfather about her father’s necklace. He had promised to inquire with the authorities, but warned her not to get her hopes up, explaining that the fire from the crash had destroyed nearly everything.
Later, her aunt began asking about her mother’s missing jewelry which had mysteriously disappeared after the accident. At/ the time, young Izzy had no interest in such matters. However, she vividly remembered her aunt arguing with her grandfather, returning home furious after he refused to hand over the jewelry. Izzy even recalled her aunt urging her to plead on her behalf.
Now, she couldn’t shake the thought that perhaps her grandfather had been trying to protect those items from her aunt all along.
Izzy let out a sigh. She never thought she would one day see her father’s locket again, but she was thankful for having it now.
you called me and “Anyway…” Miss Alcaraz looked at Liam and Izzy. “I didn’t want to talk about this matter now, but… after told me about the land titles that were lost from your vault, I did some digging and found some interesting things.”
Izzy frowned. “What is it?”
Miss Alcaraz placed her coffee cup on the table, her movements deliberate. She reached for a folder on the seat beside her and slid it across the table toward Izzy. “I followed the trail of those missing land titles, as you requested.”
Izzy opened the folder, her brow furrowing as she scanned the documents. “What am I looking at?” she asked, glancing at Miss Alcaraz, then back at the pages.
“They ended up in pawnshops,” Miss Alcaraz said, her tone even “Several different ones spread out across the city and beyond. Whoever took them knew what they were doing–they staggered the transactions to make it harder to trace.”
Izzy’s fingers tightened around the folder as her eyes darted over the receipts and records. “Pawnshops?” she repeated, a mix of disbelief and anger flickering across her face. “Who would even think to-” Her words cut off, her mind racing.
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Chapter 33
Liam leaned forward, peering over her shoulder. “This isn’t exactly small–time theft,” he pointed out, his eyes narrowing “These are high–value properties. Why pawn them? Why not sell them outright?”
Miss Alcaraz gave a small nod, acknowledging his point. “It’s possible the person didn’t want to attract attention by selling them on the open market. Pawning provides quick cash without too many questions, and they might have planned to retrieve them later.”
“A common tactic used by casinos and debt collectors,” Liam added, glancing at the documents. Izzy’s scowl deepened as his words hit home. She recalled overhearing her aunt mentioning debts in a hushed conversation with Monica.
“They pawn valuable items for quick cash,” Liam continued. “Then buy them back later and quietly return them, hoping no one notices.”
Izzy’s thoughts raced to her aunt and cousin, a surge of anger bubbling just beneath the surface. Could they have been doing this all along–pawning her belongings and quietly retrieving them without anyone noticing? Her jaw tightened as a single name escaped her lips, laced with fury. “Amalia,” she muttered under her breath.
“Only Amalia and Monica had access to your vault, so it’s highly likely one of them was involved,” Miss Alcaraz said, her tone measured. “I’m already working on tracing the pawnshops where the items were sold, but as expected, fake names and forged documents were used. To access security footage or further records, we’ll need to file a police report.”
She paused, glancing at Izzy to gauge her reaction before continuing. “There’s also the possibility that they didn’t pawn the items themselves. They could have handed them off to someone else to avoid leaving a trail. Cases like these often involve larger operations. My colleagues have dealt with similar situations, and they usually point to organized syndicates. If that’s the case, police involvement will be necessary. We’ll need to proceed carefully to avoid tipping anyone off.”
Izzy nodded. She always knew that those two were up to something, but she never imagined it could involve a syndicate. “Do what you must. Just… be careful.”
“I will.” Miss Alcaraz gave her a smile, then closed the folder and placed it back into her bag. “Now… shall we celebrate your wedding?”
Unbeknownst to them, someone watched them intently from a distance, her phone poised in her hand. She angled the camera discreetly, snapping a photo of Izzy and Liam seated together. A sly smile spread across her lips as she hit send, attaching the message:
[Guess who I just spotted having dinner together?]
