“Please,” Ethan continued, his voice quivering but determined. “Clara is like a mom to me. She would never steal. I know who did it.” His words hung in the air, a beacon of hope for Clara amid the storm of accusation.
Margaret’s face flushed with indignation, her icy demeanor momentarily cracking. “Ethan, this is not the time for childish stories!” she snapped, trying to regain control of the situation.
But Ethan was undeterred. “I’m not lying!” he insisted. “I saw Grandma with the brooch. She told me not to tell anyone, but I don’t care. I won’t let Clara take the blame for something she didn’t do.”
