Two days later, in the garden, Kate was still remembering Aaron's reaction. Amber was sitting with her in the garden, sipping tea together. The weather was calm, but Kate's irritation was obvious. Amber suddenly laughed, which puzzled Kate.
Kate: "What are you laughing at?"
Amber, laughing lightly: "Did you really put this much salt in it? Hahaha!"
Kate, irritated, slapped her hand on the table: "Yes, but he didn't react at all! Do you think they eat candy with salt in the East?"
They both laughed, then took a sip of their tea.
Without warning Kate spat lot the tea, eyes wide with disbelief
Kate: "Buahahaha... What was that? What's with this salty tea?"
Amber wiped her mouth with a napkin, grimacing: "Yuck! Did the servant forget to put sugar in the tea?"
But before she could add more, Aaron suddenly appeared behind them, smiling faintly.
Aaron: "I thought you liked salty tea, Miss Kate."
Amber, astonished, wiped her mouth with her napkin: "What does that have to do with me?"
Kate glared at him angrily: "I knew you didn't like dinner last night."
Aaron crossed his arms and looked at her calmly: "So, you admit that you put the salt in my food?"
Kate stood up, looking at him defiantly: "What are you going to do about it?"
Aaron turned to speak boastfully: "Nothing, but we'll see how the master will react when he finds out his daughter is bullying and looking down on his favourite student."
Kate was shocked and mocked him: "Pfft... His favorite student?? Since when are you my father's favorite student? You've only been here for two days! What are you talking about?"
Aaron turned to her with a provoking smile: "Don't you know? The master gave me the most expensive jewel because he trusts me." He pulled out a glowing blue gem, showing it off. "I hope you enjoy your delicious tea."
Kate fumed with anger.
Later, in Kate's room, she was extremely angry at Aaron's recent actions. She felt she had to get back at that arrogant boy. In her mind, she was planning to steal the precious gem he was boasting about.
Kate, resolutely: "I've got it! This is the only way to get rid of him."
Amber hesitated: "But what if my father really gets angry? I don't think this is a good idea."
Kate stood confidently: "No, on the contrary, this is the only way to end it with him."
The next day, in Aaron's room, Aaron was nervously searching, digging through every corner as if his life depended on finding something lost.
Aaron, sighing: "Oh God, where did it go? Where did I put it? The master is going to kill me for sure."
As he continued to search, Kate stood at the door of his room, smiling mockingly.
Kate, challenging: "What are you looking for, Aaron? Looks like you lost something precious."
Aaron, angry, looked at her suspiciously: "I don't have time to play with you, Kate."
Kate, with a sarcastic smile: "Did the gem get lost? Would you mind if I talk about the gem my father gave you? It's one of the rarest gems my father likes. I can't imagine what his reaction would be if he knew you lost it."
Aaron, desperate: "No, Kate, please. Don't tell him. The master must never know!"
Kate thought for a moment and winked at him: "Hmm… I can't hide something so important from my father."
At that moment, Aaron grabbed Kate by the hand, his face full of pleading.
Aaron, softly: "Please, Kate, don't tell him. I'll take care of it. I'll find the gem."
Kate, hesitating but feeling sorry for him: "Fine, I'll give you until evening. Before my father comes, you need to find the gem."
Later, in Kate's room, she was sitting relaxed, reading one of her favorite books, but her mind was preoccupied. Amber suddenly entered, looking tense.
Amber, nervously: "Kate, stop this. Give the gem back to Aaron. Don't you see how desperately he's looking for it?"
Kate smiled lightly: "Don't worry, I'll return it to him before my father comes home in the evening."
But with her father's unexpected early return, things took a sudden turn.
Her mother, surprised, entered after being informed by the servants about Mr. Claudion early arrival: "What a surprise! You're back early today. Did the meeting end?"
Kate quickly hurried toward her room when she saw her father enter, heading straight to her room to return the gem to Aaron. She opened the drawer quickly but then stopped abruptly.
Kate, whispering to herself in worry: "Oh no! Where did the gem go? The last time I saw it, I was…"
In that moment, she remembered yesterday, lying on the bed, playing with the gem, then feeling sleepy all of a sudden. But now, she couldn't find the gem in its place.
Kate, increasingly worried: "Where did it go? How could it disappear?"
Kate was sitting on the bed, her eyes scanning the room for the missing gem. She felt the anxiety creeping in.
Kate, to herself: "What should I do? Where could I have put it? It must have been here!"
Minutes later, Amber entered the room, looking extremely tense.
Amber: "Kate, your father's back. You have to return the gem to Aaron quickly! We don't have time."
Kate, clenching her hands in tension: "I'll return it, but I can't find it! Where could I have put it?"
Amber looked around the room and then surprised Kate with an idea.
Amber: "Do you think the maid might have taken the gem when she changed the bed sheets? Let's ask her, maybe she saw it!"
The two girls decided to head to the laundry room, anxious and worried. They asked the maid about the precious gem, but the maid denied having seen it anywhere.
In Mr. Claudion's office, he was sitting in his chair, hand on his cheek, his eyes burning with anger as he glared at Aaron.
Claudion, angrily: "What do you mean you lost the gem?! How could you lose something so valuable?!"
Aaron, tense, clenched his fist: "Master… I thought I… left it here in my room, but I can't find it now!"
Claudion, cutting him off angrily: "Don't you realize what this gem means?! This stone isn't just a piece of crystal! It's extremely rare, one of only two in the world! How could you lose something like this?!"
Aaron, extremely embarrassed, knew he had caused a problem despite his short time there: "I'm ready to compensate you, tell me how much it's worth and I'll pay for it. I'll try to make up for it in any way."
Claudion, standing in even greater anger: "It's not about the money, Aaron! You don't understand! This gem isn't just about its price! It's a symbol of our power, something that's very hard to come by! There's only one other gem in the world, and it's with our rival, Black Opal! Do you realize the consequences of this?"
Aaron lowered his head in shame: "I'm really sorry, I didn't know it was this serious."
Claudion: "I don't want to hear your apology now! Go to your room and wait until you find a solution to this!"
At that moment, Kate and Amber were approaching the door and overheard the conversation inside the master's room. Kate's guilt was growing stronger.
Amber, whispering to Kate reproachfully: "Did you hear that, Kate? Your father is scolding Aaron. Did you know this would happen?"
Kate lowered her head and replied softly, sadly: "I didn't mean for it to go this far. I just wanted to teach him a small lesson. I didn't expect it to turn out like this."
Amber, now scolding her: "Kate, you need to admit it now. You took the gem, didn't you?"
Suddenly, Aaron emerged from the room, and he happened to overhear what Amber said. He looked at Kate with an angry glare, his eyes blazing with fury, and stormed off.