Just as Hugo was about to lead Arthur off the stage, the sudden commotion in the crowd made him pause. Hugo instinctively glanced at Arthur. The reason he had come tonight was to back Arthur up, knowing about the situation he had been dealing with at the university. Now, with Finley stirring up trouble, Hugo's first thought was that this involved Arthur somehow. Almost immediately after the uproar began, a large group of security personnel appeared at the exits of Governance University, blocking all potential escape routes. Seeing this, panic surged among the students! Mateo quickly stepped forward, frowning as he took the stage. “What’s going on here?” Finley wasted no time making his way up as well. He offered a polite, apologetic nod toward Hugo, maintaining his signature refined and courteous demeanour. After greeting Hugo, he turned toward Mateo and explained, “Mr. Mateo, I sincerely apologize, but my ring a piece my grandmother personally acquired from Eldoria, has gone missing. It is of immense sentimental value to me, and I must retrieve it.” Hugo and Mateo exchanged a glance but remained silent. Taking the microphone from Mateo, Finley then bowed deeply toward the audience. His voice was gentle and composed, exuding a reassuring calm. “I deeply apologize to my professors, the principal, and my fellow students for causing such an inconvenience. I regret that my personal matter has disrupted this evening’s event. For that, I extend my sincerest apologies.” Once again, Finley bowed, displaying an air of humility. There was no denying that he knew how to control the room. True to his expectations, the murmurs in the crowd soon quieted under his influence. Catching the subtle flicker of satisfaction in Finley’s eyes. I was exceptional, yet Hugo had never acknowledgeme. Now was the perfect opportunity to show Hugo exactly what he had missed out on, a truly outstanding student! Finley resumed, “However, the ring I lost is extremely valuable, not just to me, but also to whomever may have unknowingly come into possession of it.” “So, I would like to ask for everyone’s cooperation. Please, take a look around your feet or check if, by chance, the ring has ended up near you.” As he spoke, Finley raised his phone, projecting an image of the ring onto the large screen. The moment the ring’s image appeared, gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd.“What a stunning ring!” “No wonder it belonged to the Queen of Eldoria! The craftsmanship is impeccable, the gemstones are rare, and it has such a gender-neutral design. No wonder it’s worth a fortune!” “That ring must be worth an unimaginable amount. Only someone like Finley, a young master from a powerful family, could wear something that prestigious.” “Who would be bold enough to steal Finley’s ring?! This is the only one in existence, there’s no way they could sell it without getting caught!” “Exactly! With the Tremo family’s influence, the moment this ring resurfaces, they’ll track it down instantly!” “Maybe he just dropped it somewhere. We should help look.” “There’s no way he accidentally lost something that valuable! If it really fell, someone would have seen it by now.” “No, I think someone definitely stole it! Finley is just too kind to accuse them outright.” “The thief must be someone desperate and foolish. Probably a scholarship student.” “Yeah! Finley has funded so many underprivileged students, yet some of them are ungrateful enough to steal from him.” The murmurs intensified, and it was clear the majority believed someone had taken the ring. Some students even began searching the ground, hoping to find it. The entire courtyard had been brightly lit for the welcome banquet, so if the ring had truly fallen, it wouldn’t be difficult to spot. Yet, after searching thoroughly, there was no sign of it. Taylor, Mia, and Sage exchanged a glance before all turning their attention to Arthur, worry flashing in their eyes. Just earlier, Kent had deliberately walked over to Arthur and had nearly tripped. Right after that, Finley had approached them. Something about the timing of these events felt off to Taylor. They barely got along with Finley, so why had Kent specifically come near Arthur, only to trip? The more they thought about it, the more uneasy they felt. Meanwhile, Finley seemed to grow increasingly impatient. Seeing that no one had found the ring, he spoke again. “Principal, professors, and dear classmates, I sincerely apologize for this disruption. This ring is of great importance to me, but as a mere student, I have no right to restrict anyone’s freedom.”