“But then, she stopped. Completely left her own app, and nobody knew why.” Stella began to stroll toward the fireplace. “She took a break to ‘find herself’ until she decided it was time to make her triumphant comeback. She called on her best and brightest to help her plan what would be her final Golden Weekend.”

“Six,” Harlow said.

“No, it’s ten,” Luna whispered.

“Luna. We talked about this.” Stella eyed her. Carefully, she plucked a red flower from its vase on top of the mantel and twirled it between her fingers. “Admittedly I’m a little fuzzy on the details, but all signs point to something going south. My theory? Jewel uncovered a sinister plot to take her out of commission during Golden Weekend. Side note: Can you imagine the audacity, the gumption, someone would have to possess to even think they could pull that off?” She scoffed and shook her head in pity. “Whatever Jewel discovered wasn’t a threat to her—it was a challenge. So of course, Jewel, being Jewel, decided to beat them with her own game.”

Olive turned to Ethan, stricken with alarm. He said, “Okay, that’s enough—”

“It is not enough,” Stella said. “I’m about to break this case wide open, and if you care about your sister half as much as you claim to, you’ll let me finish.”

Ethan shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He lowered his voice until just enough of a whisper carried across the room. “Don’t make this worse. Please.”

Stella hesitated for three whole seconds. “Jewel created a game within The Cruelest Jewel.”

Their reactions, surprise and then confusion, happened exactly as Stella believed it would. Smiling, she readied herself to rocket launch the next bombshell at them.

“The culprits had planned the perfect crime,” she continued as she approached the love seat. She sat, crossing her legs at the knee and leaning forward. “Jewel would go missing in the middle of her grand event, whisked away with only a ransom note with very specific instructions left behind.” She sat back, emphasizing her point with the flower. “But Jewel knew what she was doing. She set it up so that if everything went sideways, no matter what happened to her the culprits wouldn’t get away with it.”

Stella paused, waiting to make sure she had them.

“Five,” Harlow said at the same time Ethan asked, “How?”

“I’m so glad you asked,” Stella said. “First, Jewel selected Nicole aka JadeTheBabe, Golden Rule’s newest Queen and my new best girl, to ensure there would be an audience eagerly watching their best girl in the game. Next, she selected Harlow—a controversial choice, for sure, because she was used as a proxy to send a message to Jewel’s detractors. Mess with her, and she’ll bury you too.” Stella paused, locking eyes with Harlow.

“I’m fine,” she said.