“This is my wife, Maya.”

“She… she hasn’t been herself lately.”

“Perhaps we can handle this quietly, without making a scene in front of your other guests.”

“Quietly?” Claire shrieked, her eyes bulging.

“Daniel, that watch was a gift from father!”

“I am not letting her walk away with it.”

Vivian placed a manicured hand on Daniel’s shoulder, pushing him back slightly.

“My daughter is correct,” Vivian said to Mr. Han.

“We demand that you search her immediately.”

“Search her bag, search her pockets, and search her hotel room.”

Mr. Han frowned, looking around at the watching crowd.

“Mrs. Mercer, we must follow proper legal protocols,” Mr. Han said smoothly.

“We cannot simply search a guest’s personal belongings on the terrace.”

“She isn’t a guest!” Claire spat, her face twisted in a sneer.

“She’s a leech.”

“My brother paid for her ticket here, and she doesn’t belong in a place like Lotus Bay.”

Mrs. Sterling gasped softly from her table, taking a sip of her water.

Claire noticed the reaction and seemed energized by the audience.

“Look at her,” Claire continued, gesturing to my simple cotton dress and canvas tote.