I Returned as the True Heir

Ch-3 necklace that wasn't stolen

By seven in the evening, Ryan had learned three things about the Harrington family.

First, they took the word dinner far too seriously.

Second, rich relatives could apparently smell inheritance from miles away.

And third—

Someone kept following him.

Ryan stopped in the second-floor hallway.

The footsteps behind him stopped too.

He turned.

Emma stood six feet away.

She smiled.

“Hi.”

Ryan stared at her.

“Why are you following me?”

“I’m not.”

“You’ve been behind me for ten minutes.”

“I live here.”

“You followed me into the library.”

“I read.”

“You picked up a book upside down.”

Emma looked down at the book in her hand.

It was, in fact, upside down.

She calmly turned it around.

“Experimental reading.”

Ryan stared at her.

Is she always like this?

Emma’s mouth twitched.

“Yes.”

Ryan froze.

“What?”

Emma’s eyes widened.

“I mean—yes, I read.”

“You just said—”

“Dinner!”

She suddenly pointed downstairs.

“People are arriving.”

Then she ran.

Ryan watched her disappear around the corner.

Weird.

Very weird.

He was starting to wonder whether every Harrington had some kind of social disorder.

What Ryan didn’t know was that Emma had spent the last ten minutes trying to determine whether she could hear his thoughts from different distances.

The answer appeared to be yes.

Unfortunately, she had nearly exposed the entire secret in less than a day.

⸻

The Harrington dining hall looked like something designed for royalty.

Ryan entered wearing a black suit Catherine had apparently ordered before he even agreed to come home.

Dozens of guests had arrived.

Uncles.

Aunts.

Cousins.

Business associates.

People Ryan didn’t know and had no desire to know.

Every conversation seemed to stop for half a second when he entered.

Then whispers began.

“So that’s him?”

“He really looks like Richard.”

“Fifteen years…”

“What happens to Ethan now?”

Ryan heard that last one.

Of course.

He slipped one hand into his pocket.

And there it is.

Across the room, Ethan stood beside two older relatives, smiling politely.

Ryan watched him.

The real reason half these people came tonight.

Not to welcome him.

To see which son would inherit the Harrington empire.

Ryan accepted a glass of sparkling water from a waiter.

They could’ve stayed home. I don’t want it.

Several feet away, Richard stopped mid-conversation.

Catherine lowered her eyes.

Victoria, Sophia, and Emma exchanged glances.

Ryan didn’t notice.

He was searching the room.

Something about tonight bothered him.

The memory from the novel had become stronger after Ethan mentioned the dinner.

There was definitely an accusation.

Definitely jewelry.

But details?

Gone.

Maybe someone steals Mom’s necklace.

Catherine immediately touched the necklace she was wearing.

Ryan noticed.

“You okay?”

Her hand dropped.

“Yes.”

He looked at the necklace.

Diamonds.

Not sapphire.

The image in his memory felt blue.

Maybe it wasn’t the necklace she was wearing.

Catherine’s expression changed.

Ryan took a sip.

Could’ve been a bracelet.

Sophia, standing nearby, looked at her wrists.

Or earrings.

Emma touched her ears.

Ryan frowned at them.

Why was everyone suddenly checking their jewelry?

“Are you all expecting a robbery?”

Silence.

Sophia recovered first.

“No.”

“Then why—”

“Ryan.”

Victoria interrupted.

“There are some people I should introduce you to.”

Ryan let it go.

For the next thirty minutes, he shook hands with strangers who smiled too much.

Some welcomed him sincerely.

Some inspected him.

A few asked questions that sounded polite but weren’t.

“Where were you raised?”

“What university did you attend?”

“Have you ever managed a company?”

“Do you understand the responsibilities that come with the Harrington name?”

Ryan answered calmly.

Then an older man asked, “Do you think you’re prepared to inherit Harrington Group after being away so long?”

The room became quieter.

Ryan looked at him.

“I arrived this morning.”

A few people laughed awkwardly.

The man smiled.

“Of course. I’m asking about the future.”

Ryan shrugged.

“I haven’t thought about it.”

Across the room, Ethan lowered his glass.

The man seemed surprised.

“Surely you understand that as Richard’s biological son—”

“Being biologically related to someone doesn’t magically teach me how to run a corporation.”

Richard’s eyes sharpened.

Ryan continued.

“If I ever work there, I’ll learn first.”

The man had no immediate response.

Ryan smiled slightly.

“Seems safer than bankrupting everyone.”

Sophia laughed.

This time she didn’t hide it.

Even Richard’s mouth moved slightly.

Ethan smiled too.

But his fingers tightened around his glass.

Ryan saw it.

That bothered him.

Interesting.

Ryan had no intention of fighting Ethan for anything.

But Ethan apparently hadn’t received that message.

Dinner was announced shortly afterward.

Everyone moved toward the table.

Ryan was placed beside Catherine.

Ethan sat on her other side.

Ryan almost laughed at the arrangement.

Very diplomatic.

Catherine heard him.

She quietly took a sip of wine.

The first course arrived.

Conversation became easier.

Ryan relaxed slightly.

Maybe his memory was wrong.

Maybe the jewelry incident happened later.

Then a woman at the opposite end of the table said,

“Catherine, weren’t you going to show us your mother’s sapphire necklace?”

Ryan’s hand stopped.

There.

Sapphire.

His eyes moved to Catherine.

Her face had gone still.

Richard looked at Ryan.

The sisters immediately became alert.

Ethan looked between them, confused.

Catherine smiled.

“Yes. I almost forgot.”

Ryan’s pulse quickened.

That’s it.

He remembered the necklace now.

An old sapphire necklace.

A family heirloom.

Someone had stolen it.

Or hidden it.

And then—

Ryan closed his eyes briefly.

Nothing.

Come on.

He tried harder.

A bedroom.

A drawer opening.

Someone crying.

Ethan saying something.

Then blank.

Catherine stood.

“I’ll have someone bring it.”

“No.”

Ryan spoke before thinking.

Everyone near him looked over.

He paused.

Catherine waited.

Ryan couldn’t exactly say, Hey, I vaguely remember your necklace causing a disaster in a novel from my previous life.

So he picked the first excuse he could think of.

“You said it belonged to your mother?”

“Yes.”

“Then maybe don’t pass it around a room full of people.”

Silence.

Ryan realized that sounded rude.

He added, “It’s valuable.”

One of the relatives laughed.

“We’re family, Ryan.”

Ryan looked at him.

That’s usually where the trouble starts.

Victoria coughed.

Richard looked down.

Catherine’s lips twitched.

Ryan sighed.

“Do whatever you want.”

Catherine sat back down.

“I think Ryan is right.”

The woman who had asked looked disappointed.

“Oh, come on. We haven’t seen it in years.”

Catherine hesitated.

Ryan felt something crawling at the edge of his memory.

The necklace had to appear.

That was how the scene started.

If they stopped it now…

Would the event disappear?

Or would something else happen?

That question bothered him.

Finally Catherine said, “All right. I’ll show it after dinner.”

Ryan leaned back.

Bad idea.

Five people heard him.

Catherine glanced toward Richard.

Richard gave the smallest nod.

Ryan caught it.

Something was happening between these people.

He just didn’t know what.

⸻

Twenty minutes later, a maid entered.

Her face was pale.

She whispered something into Catherine’s ear.

Catherine stiffened.

Ryan saw it immediately.

Here we go.

“What happened?” Richard asked.

Catherine looked around the table.

“My mother’s necklace isn’t in the safe.”

Conversation stopped.

The room erupted seconds later.

“What?”

“Are you sure?”

“Who has access?”

Ryan remained seated.

His heartbeat accelerated.

So it happens anyway.

Richard stood.

“Everyone stay calm.”

Ethan rose too.

“Dad, I’ll help search.”

Ryan looked at him.

Ethan seemed concerned.

Genuinely concerned.

Maybe.

Ryan couldn’t tell.

Was Ethan behind this?

No memory.

Or was someone trying to frame Ethan?

Still nothing.

Then a maid spoke nervously.

“Madam… there is something else.”

Catherine looked at her.

“What?”

“The jewelry box was found.”

“Where?”

The maid hesitated.

Her eyes moved toward Ryan.

The room changed instantly.

Ryan saw it.

And suddenly—

He remembered.

Not everything.

Just enough.

Oh.

The maid swallowed.

“In Young Master Ryan’s room.”

Whispers exploded.

Ryan stared at her.

There it was.

The accusation.

He almost laughed.

Of course.

First day home.

Missing heirloom.

Found in his room.

Classic.

Ethan turned sharply.

“That can’t be right.”

Ryan looked at him.

Interesting.

Ethan appeared to be defending him.

“Ryan wouldn’t do something like that.”

Several relatives looked at Ethan with admiration.

Ryan finally remembered why this scene had mattered.

Right.

His eyes narrowed.

This was one of the scenes where Ethan looked like the good brother.

Richard heard him.

His expression became cold.

Ethan continued.

“There must be some mistake.”

Ryan stood.

“Probably.”

One relative frowned.

“You don’t seem very concerned.”

Ryan looked at him.

“Should I cry?”

The man fell silent.

Ryan pushed his chair back.

“Let’s see the room.”

They went upstairs.

Half the dinner party tried to follow.

Richard stopped most of them, allowing only Catherine, the sisters, Ethan, two senior relatives, and security.

Ryan entered his bedroom.

The jewelry box sat openly on his desk.

He stared at it.

That’s embarrassingly obvious.

Sophia looked away.

The head of security wore gloves and opened the box.

Empty.

“The necklace isn’t inside.”

Catherine exhaled.

One relative said, “But the box was in his room.”

Ryan walked closer.

He didn’t touch it.

Original Ryan panicked here.

The family listened.

He started defending himself.

Ryan remembered flashes.

Shouting.

Anger.

Nobody believing him.

Which made him look guiltier.

His jaw tightened.

For a moment, he felt an emotion that wasn’t entirely his own.

Humiliation.

Pain.

Desperation.

The original owner of this body had suffered here.

Maybe not in this exact timeline.

But somewhere.

Ryan’s eyes cooled.

Not this time.

“Check the cameras.”

Ethan immediately said, “Ryan, maybe we don’t need to make this bigger—”

“Why not?”

Ethan paused.

Ryan looked at Richard.

“There are cameras, right?”

Richard nodded.

“Every main corridor.”

“Then check them.”

The security chief didn’t move.

Richard looked at him.

“Do it.”

“Yes, sir.”

The man pulled out a tablet.

Ryan waited.

Then the security chief’s expression changed.

“Sir.”

“What?”

“There is a problem.”

He turned the screen around.

“The camera covering this hallway stopped recording for seventeen minutes.”

Ryan stared.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

That wasn’t in the part I remember.

The family heard him.

Ethan didn’t.

One relative folded his arms.

“How convenient.”

Ryan ignored him.

He looked around the room.

Someone had entered.

Someone knew the cameras.

Someone had planted the box.

But where was the necklace?

Ryan’s gaze moved slowly across the room.

Bed.

Closet.

Desk.

Window.

Then he noticed something.

The jewelry box had been placed directly under the air-conditioning vent.

Why?

His eyes narrowed.

A faint blue thread clung to the edge of the desk.

Ryan picked it up.

Silk.

Blue.

His memory suddenly flashed.

A blue cloth.

A hand.

A flower-shaped pin.

Then nothing.

I remember this.

Everyone became still.

Ryan stared at the thread.

Someone at the dinner was wearing this color.

He turned.

Catherine wore black.

Victoria silver.

Sophia red.

Emma cream.

Ethan navy.

Ryan looked toward the doorway.

Several guests were waiting farther down the hallway.

And among them—

A woman in a blue silk dress.

Ryan’s eyes narrowed.

But before he could say anything, Ethan stepped closer.

“Ryan.”

Ryan looked at him.

Ethan lowered his voice.

“I believe you.”

Ryan stared.

Then Ethan added,

“But maybe you should apologize to Mom anyway. This happened because everyone was distracted by your return.”

The room became silent.

Ryan blinked once.

What kind of logic is that?

Emma’s eyes widened.

Someone steals her necklace…

Sophia pressed her lips together.

plants the box in my room…

Victoria slowly crossed her arms.

and I should apologize for coming home?

Richard’s face became frighteningly calm.

Ryan looked at Ethan for several seconds.

Then smiled.

“No.”

Ethan’s expression stiffened.

Before anyone could speak, the security chief’s phone rang.

He answered.

“Yes?”

His face changed.

He looked at Richard.

“Sir, we found the necklace.”

Everyone froze.

“Where?” Catherine asked.

The security chief hesitated.

Then looked toward Ethan.

“In Young Master Ethan’s room.”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Ryan slowly turned his head.

Ethan’s face had gone completely white.

And Ryan’s first thought was surprisingly simple.

Well…

That definitely wasn’t in the novel.