A low hum of whispers spread through the crowd. “No way… Mr. Zane’s theory is ridiculous.” “Is he trying to say that Mr. Gray used some shady tactics to get those rings?” “Shady tactics? Are you saying he stole them?” “Shh! Don’t say things like that so recklessly!” “But this really doesn’t make sense. I remember seeing news about the auction—the ring was clearly bought by someone else. How did Mr. Gray end up with it just a few days later?” “We should stop jumping to conclusions before we get ourselves into trouble. This is just Mr. Zane’s personal speculation.” Ivan and Arthur exchanged a glance. Ivan raised an eyebrow and asked, “Zane, are you saying Arthur stole the rings? What makes you think that? Do you have any proof that he did?” His rapid-fire questioning caught Zane off guard. Wait, he just said it outright? Ivan pressed on. “And you’re claiming Arthur snuck in here to hold his engagement party? Do you have proof of that too? Have you spoken to the owner of this estate? Did they tell you that?” When he overheard Zane’s accusations from the corner of the room earlier, Ivan had been furious. But seeing Arthur remain calm and unbothered, he chose not to reveal his own identity right away. Still, the moment he stepped in, Zane didn’t even hesitate to throw out these wild accusations, all while knowing exactly who Ivan was. Does he have no sense? Can’t he see how close Arthur and I are? Zane could sense Ivan’s anger, but since he had arrived late, he had missed the earlier exchange between Arthur and Ivan. Not that it mattered—he had already gone too far to back down now. He had no choice but to push forward. He had to do whatever it took to drive a wedge between them. If Ivan believed him, Arthur wouldn’t just become the laughingstock of the entire country—Zane would also have a chance to get closer to Ivan.When that time came, everyone would be scrambling to win his favor, and the road to success would be wide open! With that thought, Zane quickly added, “I might not have concrete proof, but think about it—how could Arthur possibly convince someone to sell him such a valuable ring in just a few days? And this estate… You might not be aware, but the owner has been out of the country for a while. They’re already wealthy and have no need to rent out the place, let alone for an engagement party. So tell me, if Arthur didn’t sneak in, how else could he have gotten in?” As he spoke, uncertainty crept into his voice. He had already lost twice. This was his last card. But after his previous failures, even he was starting to doubt himself. Behind Zane, Maris and Stephen clearly picked up on the uncertainty in his voice. Gritting his teeth, Maris quickly stepped forward and said, “Mr. Ivan, I’m friends with the owner of this estate. I’ve confirmed with them—they never rented it out!” The moment those words left his mouth, the entire crowd erupted in shock! The crowd erupted in a frenzy of shocked whispers. “No way! Arthur really snuck in without the owner’s permission and even held his engagement party here? What about the estate’s security and staff?” “They must have been bribed by Arthur! Otherwise, how could he have gotten in, let alone brought all of us in?” “So he really did break in? Doesn’t that make us trespassers too?” “After those first two accusations turned out to be false, I thought this was just another one of Zane’s reckless claims. But I can’t believe it—it’s actually true this time!” “Maris actually knows the owner of this estate? This isn’t just any property—this is the largest estate in Seacity! Its value is leagues beyond any ordinary mansion. Mr. Maris has some serious connections!” “I can’t believe Arthur would do something like this! Maybe Mr. Ivan really has been deceived by him.” "I was planning to get closer to Arthur, thinking he had real power and influence. But now? I never expected things to turn out this way." “This is ridiculous! And to think I was just starting to change my opinion about Arthur.”“Could this be a misunderstanding? After all, Arthur’s rings and attire are real. Would he really do something so reckless?” “Vanity has no limits. Who hasn’t dreamed of hosting an event here? But none of us ever managed to get in touch with the estate’s owner. And yet, Arthur went so far as to bribe the staff and sneak in.” Zane and Stephen exchanged a surprised glance. This was a dangerous move. But at this point, there was no turning back. Zane said nothing, simply pressing his lips into a thin line, his fists clenching tightly at his sides.