CHAPTER 28: THIEF

"Tyra." Malia stated, obvious viciousness in her tone.

Tyra looked up confused. "I'm sorry but do I know you?" She queried as she tried to figure out where she had heard that voice before.

"Oh, you are quite famous so it isn't a surprise that I know your name."

"O...Okay. Excuse me." Tyra turned around to leave but Malia's next words stopped her in her tracks.

"Oh by the way, I saw your sister some minutes ago, I guess the rumors aren't false after all."

Tyra remained silent for a while as she slowly turned around to face the masked woman. "I now recognize that voice.It is you. You are the woman who attended my masquerade ball that day with Aryan." She said as she wore a triumphant smile on her lips.

"Yeah I am."

"I can't believe you follow me everywhere, like stop pestering me and for your information...."Tyra paused as she moved closer to Malia and whispered in her ear. "My sister is long dead. I killed her with my bare hands." She let out a dark chuckle as she created a distance between them.

"Well, that's news." Malia stated.

"So would you do me a favor? Stay away from Aryan or you will end up like my sweet elder sister. Six feet under."

"You want Aryan yet you have Devon?" Malia asked nonchalantly. The question shocked Tyra to the core. No one was supposed to know of her relationship with Devon!

"W...what are you talking about?" She asked, trying to play dumb.

"You truly are hopeless, really." Malia chuckled as she left the flabbergasted Tyra and walked towards Kylie.

"You better give that woman nightmares coz if you don't, I will." Kylie said as she glared at Tyra.

"You bet I will."

"Anyway, I have got all I need. We just need to pay and get out of here." Kylie said as she showed Malia a basket full of various jewellery.

"Oh...this is beautiful." Malia complimented as she held up a black and gold pearl necklace.

"You can take it if you want." Kylie stated.

"Oh no...you have it. It is rare and really expensive" Malia said as she put it back into the small basket.

However, a hand suddenly reached out and yanked the necklace out of the basket surprising the two ladies. When they looked up, they saw one of the shop attendants smiling at them.

"I am so sorry but a customer has already paid for the necklace." She said as she headed back to the counter and gave it to Tyra.

"Geez." Malia sighed and rolled her eyes. Who else but her ?

"Don't worry. I have noticed that you have liked that necklace too much. Let her have it. We will ask Steph if she has another piece of the necklace." Malia said as she chose a pair of diamond stud earrings and placed it in the small cart.

The two headed to the counter where an attendant tended to them. After paying for the items and ignoring Tyra, the two were about to leave but an alarm blared when they stopped foot outside.

Confusion apparent on Malia's face, she turned around only to see Tyra smirking at them ,haughtiness apparent on her stupid face.

"Ma'am ,we will have to ask you to return inside for a check up. " An attendant who had earlier taken the pearl necklace said.

Malia politely nodded and followed her back into the store. Everyone outside and inside looked at Malia,some in pity, others in disgust and others in dismay.

" We have to check you for any jewellery, ma'am." The attendant said, much to Malia's shock.

"Wait...I thought there is a room where a search is conducted."

"No ma'am. Our store doesn't do that." She responded as she searched Malia and retrieved a diamond necklace in Malia's coat pocket.

Everyone gasped and started insulting and cussing at Malia.

Unfazed by the commotion, Malia turned her head to look at Tyra who stood a distance away, a victorious smirk on her face.

Malia scoffed in time with two security personnels getting in the store.

"Gentlemen, I need you to arrest this woman." The manager said as she pointed at Malia.

The two men headed towards Malia, but before they could touch her, their hands were yanked away by two other large men in black suits.

Malia was stunned as she turned around to look at the two men in black only to see a sea of about twenty or so. She face palmed as she turned to look at one of them.

"What are you guys doing here? I thought I said that I need only two or three, not twenty."

"The orders came from the boss, ma'am. You are to be protected by an army."

"Yeah..yeah." She really needed to have a talk with Aryan about the number of body guards trailing her. Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, she turned to look at the flabbergasted manager.

"How much is the necklace?" She asked nonchalantly as she removed her black card and handed it to the cashier.

"Two million dollars, ma'am. B...But that's not the way this works. You have been found with an unpaid item from the store. You have to pay the consequences by being arrested."

"You seriously believe that a woman with an unlimited black card will steal something?" Malia asked, seriously tired of the drama.

"Yes."

"But what if I have been set up?"

"By who?"

"I don't know. Maybe you or ...her?" Malia said as she looked at Tyra and everyone followed her gaze .

The manager became nervous and uneasy and her slight actions didn't miss Malia's sharp eyes.

"I would like to speak to the owner. You are already giving me a headache." Malia declared.

"The owner has unfortunately left." The manager lied through her teeth.

"Really?" Malia chuckled as she removed her phone from her pocket.

"Umm.. Ma'am who are you calling?" The manager asked nervously.

"None of your business." Malia answered coldly in time with her call to Steph connecting.

"Hey can you come down for a minute.I have been caught as a thief in your store."

"What?"

"Yeah and everyone is pointing fingers at me now."

"Oh my. Give me a minute. I will be there." Steph hang up the phone.