Candy, distracted and uneasy, arrived at the police station. Just as she was about to be taken in for her statement, she grabbed the officer's arm in agitation and said, "Officer, you must investigate this thoroughly. That bracelet of hers must be fake! She's my roommate, I know her—there's no way she could afford something so expensive."

  Even at this point, Candy still refused to believe that Grace's payment records were genuine.

  The officer frowned slightly, gently removed her hand, and said sternly, "We will naturally investigate this thoroughly. What you need to do now is notify your family to come here. If your family isn't local, notify your teacher."

  With that, he led Candy into an interrogation room.

  Grace was taken to the next room by another officer. The two were separated to give their statements, recounting the incident truthfully in every detail.

  Since there were witnesses and surveillance footage, Candy naturally didn't dare to lie, so their accounts of the facts were largely consistent.

  As for whether the bracelet's value was genuine, Grace had plenty of ways to prove it. Not only did she have the purchase records, but she had also added the salesperson on LetsChat. Moreover, information about this limited-edition diamond bracelet, of which only 2,000 were produced worldwide, could be found online.

  After verifying the details, the police confirmed that the bracelet was an authentic Cartier product.

  Candy felt as if her world had collapsed.

  Although her family was relatively well-off, 100 Dollars was no small sum for anyone—especially when it had to be paid to Grace?

  Soon, Candy's father rushed to the police station in a panic. Before even fully grasping the situation, he cried out anxiously, "Candy! Candy!"

  "Dad!"

  Trembling with fear for so long, Candy threw herself into her father's arms and burst into tears.

  Seeing this, her father assumed she had been terribly wronged. While patting her back to comfort her, he glared at the officer and demanded sharply, "What exactly happened? Look how frightened my daughter is!"

  Scarlett, witnessing the scene, couldn't help but roll her eyes at the father's unreasonable behavior.

  The officer replied calmly, "Sir, your daughter damaged a classmate's bracelet. Because the amount involved is quite large, we've notified you to mediate the matter."

  Upon hearing this, Candy's father sneered, "It's just a bracelet. We'll pay for it!"

  It's just a bracelet, he thought. Even if it's made of gold or platinum, how expensive could it be?

  He patted his daughter's head and said gently, "There, there, don't cry. Daddy's here."

  "If you agree to compensate, that would be ideal. It's the other party's only request," the officer said, presenting the statement and copies of documents verifying the bracelet's value. "The compensation amount is the original purchase price: 98.888 Dollars."

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "H-How much?" Candy's father exclaimed, his voice rising sharply, causing Candy to flinch in his arms.

  "98.888 Dollars," the officer repeated clearly and emphatically.

  Candy's father stood dumbfounded for a moment before turning to his daughter, gripping her shoulders, and glaring at her. "Candy, a bracelet worth nearly one Hundred?"

  Candy avoided his gaze, not daring to look him in the eye, and nodded faintly.

  "Have you lost your mind?!" her father roared, his earlier gentleness vanishing instantly. "A bracelet worth nearly a hundred! How could you be so careless!"

  Spittle flew from his mouth, glinting under the light.

  Scolded by her father, Candy cried even harder.

  "Officer, is there any way to repair the bracelet? Nearly a hundred is just too much," Candy's father said, ignoring his daughter and turning to grasp the officer's hand pleadingly. "Can you talk to them? We'll repair it and pay some extra compensation. Will that work?"

  The officer looked troubled. Having seen the damaged bracelet, he knew it was broken beyond repair.

  "The other party has stated that the only form of mediation they will accept is full compensation at the original price," the officer said with a sigh. He glanced at Candy, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and added, "If you refuse to compensate, your daughter, as a university student, will have a permanent record of this. If the other party pursues legal action, you have no chance of winning, as the facts of the case are very clear."

  Hearing that it would leave a permanent record, Candy's father panicked.

  "We'll pay! We'll pay!" he gritted his teeth and nodded.

  Financially, he could afford nearly a hundred dollars, but spending such a large sum on a bracelet—with nothing to show for it—left him feeling deeply resentful and frustrated.

  The thought of the money pained him.

  The transfer was completed on the spot, and both parties signed the mediation agreement, bringing the matter to a close.

  Candy's eyes were swollen from crying, but her gaze toward Grace remained full of venom.

  If her previous targeting of Grace had been out of jealousy, now her heart was filled with nothing but pure, unadulterated hatred.

  Nearly One Hundred Dollars! How many things she loved could she have bought with that money?

  As Grace passed by her on her way out, she stopped and cast a cold glance at Candy, saying in a low voice, "I warned you. From now on, when you see me, remember to keep your mouth shut. This is what you get for running your mouth."

  "Grace, don't think you've won! I won't let this matter rest!" Candy rasped, her voice hoarse as she spoke through gritted teeth.

  Grace responded with a disdainful smile, turned, and walked away without looking back.

  Immediately, Candy's father's roaring sound erupted behind her: "I've spoiled you too much! What are you still standing here for? Get back to school! Starting next month, your allowance is cut to two cents a month. Let's see if you still dare to cause trouble!"

  After leaving the police station, Scarlett was exhilarated.

  "That was so satisfying! Serves her right for bullying you before," Scarlett said, genuinely pleased for Grace.

  But then, belatedly, she felt a flicker of doubt and tentatively asked, "Grace, you seem very strong-willed now. How did you used to let them bully you? Was it because they outnumbered you?"

  Grace glanced at her, and Scarlett quickly waved her hands. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. They're unpleasant memories anyway—best to leave them in the past."

  Grace nodded. It wasn't that she didn't want to explain, but she didn't know how.

  In her younger days, she truly hadn't been as assertive. Her current personality was forged through her experiences in her professional life.

  But the most crucial factor was that she now had money. Money was the greatest source of her current confidence.

  "Come with me to the Cartier counter again. I want to buy another bracelet," Grace said.

  This bracelet was a matching set with her younger sister Chloe's. If Chloe found out it had broken after just one day of wear, she would be heartbroken.

  "Sure! I’d like to browse the perfumes too," Scarlett agreed readily.

  Now, her fondness for Grace wasn't just because she was beautiful; it was also mixed with a sense of pity and sympathy. She was determined to be good friends with Grace and help her completely forget the unpleasant memories of being bullied and isolated in her former dorm.