The coldness in his voice, combined with Allison’s piercing stare, left Melany trembling.
That gaze- they both had it. In that moment, Kellan and Allison looked uncannily alike. Their cold, predatory eyes made it impossible for Melany to meet their gaze.
Melany realized she was trapped, cornered by the two people before her. Anger flared within her chest. “Since Mr. Lloyd and the judge have spoken, I’ll take it as my mistake. Dragging this out is a waste of everyone’s time. So fine, I’ll admit defeat. Everyone can go now, and let’s just assume Allison is Scarlet Snake.”
The unspoken message in her words was loud enough for anyone paying close attention. Her eyes, tinged with a slight redness, added to the effect, making it seem as though she was the victim of Allison’s influence and her group’s power, leaving her with no choice but to back down.
“Melany, what are you so afraid of?” Colton asked, his voice harsh as he grabbed her wrist tightly. His gaze shifted toward Allison, filled with disdain. “Haven’t you done enough? Even with the truth staring you in the face, you’re still shamelessly lying? If you confess to cheating today and apologize to Melany, I might show you some mercy.”
Melany whispered, “There’s no need, Colton. You don’t have to go this far for me. Who doesn’t know Mr. Lloyd controls everything around here? I lost fair and square. There’s no need for her to apologize.”
Rebecca, who had already been stunned by Colton’s audacity, stood speechless, watching them try to pile the entire blame on Allison. “Are either of you even thinking before you speak? You demand proof, but you’ve got nothing. You’re just throwing out wild guesses. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Allison was your mother, with how obsessed you are with her!” she scoffed.
Allison stared at Colton in disbelief. “I never realized how blind you’ve been all this time.”
Her voice was calm, but the biting sarcasm cut deep, making Colton feel as if everything he had said was meaningless to her, like a child’s tantrum.
Under everyone’s gaze, Allison calmly picked up the bottle of Melany’s perfume and took a careful sniff. “Cedarwood, musk, and violet. The base is close to mine, sure, but you left out rosemary. Can you feel that, Melany?”
Melany froze. The realization hit her – this was why, no matter what she tried, she couldn’t replicate the original scent.
Allison’s voice softened but remained focused. “Cedarwood’s cold, musk is heavy, and violet’s light. You got the ratios down, but you missed the rosemary at the finish. That’s the difference.”
The key. It tempers the weight of the musk and lifts the cedarwood, allowing its fragrance to bloom.” As Allison spoke, her tone shifted into one of deep concentration, a focus that only appeared when she discussed perfumery. She could diagnose the exact issue from a mere whiff of Melany’s work. “Your proportions are off. Musk is the foundation here. If you wanted a lighter fragrance, you needed to balance it, not just reduce the amount. What you’ve ended up with is shallow and cheap. It lacks any real depth.”
Allison’s explanation was so detailed that even those with no expertise could grasp it. Even Melany felt her heart pound with fear – Allison hadn’t just seen through her; she had practically walked through the entire process and pinpointed every flaw.
Forcing a thin smile, Melany replied, “You know your stuff, no doubt about it. But that just shows we happen to share similar techniques. That’s all.”
Melany kept her voice steady, though her nerves were fraying. Allison could know a lot about perfumes, but there was no way she could be Scarlet Snake! According to her investigation, all the information about Scarlet Snake pointed to a person who was supposed to be over sixty years old.
“And like I said, Allison, I’m not pushing this issue anymore. Consider it your win. We just happen to be unusually in sync, that’s all. No need to argue about it.” Her words dripped with subtext. Even if the base notes were similar, it didn’t prove anything. Many great perfumers refined their creations for years before releasing a classic.
As long as no one could prove the timeline, Melany was confident she could keep her lie hidden.
Allison, with a hint of amusement, remarked, “So, you think a shared base note equals plagiarism?”
“I never said that,” Melany replied, her gentle, dignified smile firmly in place. “I just think we’re extraordinarily in sync. It’s just unfortunate that others doubt us, throwing around accusations like plagiarism.” With the contest being anonymous, the real Scarlet Snake wasn’t likely to step forward. The argument over who introduced the base note first seemed like a dead end, and Melany was banking on that.
“I’m bummed that I always keep track of stuff, especially when it comes to the proportions in perfumery.” Allison glanced up, sarcasm woven through her words. “This perfume was created using a technique of blending contrasting temperatures. I’ve had detailed records of it on my phone for eight years now, even though they were never made public. So, I’ve got the timeline, the technique, and the proof. Would you care to see it?”
Though Allison merely asked if Melany was interested in seeing the evidence, she had already signaled to a nearby staff member. “I need the big screen,” she said, her voice calm yet commanding, “and upload the files from my laptop.”
Melany stood frozen, her mind racing. It was beyond her imagination that Allison might actually present any evidence. Unthinkable. If Allison could, Melany’s fate would be sealed.
Yet, as she watched Allison’s composed demeanor, a creeping unease slithered into her thoughts, clouding her confidence. Even Colton, who rarely showed much reaction, furrowed his brow, clearly startled by Allison’s apparent ability to back up her claims.
Within moments, all eyes were on the big screen. Footage flickered to life, showing a much younger Allison in a contest room. Her appearance was less refined, her poise not fully developed, but something in her furrowed brow and cool demeanor hinted at the woman she’d become.
Colton blinked, momentarily taken aback. This was a version of Allison he had never seen before. Her youthful face was still soft, yet an almost aloof focus gave her an air of mystery. The intensity in her eyes seemed to strip the world of its imperfections.
Colton’s heart thudded in his chest, almost involuntarily. But it wasn’t Allison’s appearance that captivated the crowd. It was her sheer, breathtaking talent.
“Unbelievable. She could determine the proportions just by sniffing, no calculations required,” one of the onlookers whispered in awe.
“Incredible,” another chimed in, “especially when considering that even the tiniest mistake can throw off the entire balance. Crafting a fragrance requires precise calculations and endless trials.”
“She’s a natural! Look at how effortlessly she’s blending those scents – it’s like watching a master at work,” someone else marveled. “That kind of seamless execution isn’t just talent. It’s a gift.”
Under the weight of their collective gaze, the video approached its conclusion.
On screen, Allison methodically added cedarwood, musk, violet, and a delicate touch of rosemary. She paused briefly, sniffing the concoction just before the final addition. It was exactly as she had described earlier.
“You are all experts here,” Allison’s voice broke through the murmurs. “I’m sure you can recognize the setting from the video.”
Her tone was steady, her face untroubled by the astonished stares.
“This footage was from the first competition I ever entered. According to the contest rules, judges and officials are sworn to secrecy – unless the contestant reveals themselves. Aside from Mr. Mack Lloyd here, no one has seen my true identity until now.” Mack nodded gravely in agreement.
“Yes,” he affirmed. “As you all witnessed, Allison’s process in the video matches the creation that won her the championship that year. Whether Allison is Scarlet Snake or not should now be clear to anyone with a shred of common sense. Nothing more needs to be said.”
The undeniable evidence left no room for doubt, and only a fool would continue to believe Melany’s lies at this point.
Excitement rippled through the crowd like wildfire. “Can you believe the audacity of Melany? Using the same perfume and still acting like a victim? Shameless!” “Wow, our community is thriving! Allison wasn’t even an adult back then, and look at her now – beyond incredible!”
“I once caught a whiff of the perfume Scarlet Snake crafted years ago, and it changed my whole approach to the art. I invested in new equipment, retrained myself from scratch, and now, I’m standing in front of my idol. Unreal!”
The conversations buzzed like a swarm of bees, each word another needle pricking Melany’s pride. The scornful stares surrounding her made her wish the ground would swallow her whole.
But Allison wasn’t going to let her slip away that easily.
“Just a little while ago,” Allison began, her voice as sharp as a knife slicing through the tension, “you implied that sharing similar base notes equates to plagiarism. You even tried to lead everyone here to believe your mentor was Scarlet Snake. But, if memory serves, I’ve never had a student quite as unworthy as you, especially…” Her eyes swept over Melany’s paling face like a hawk circling its prey. “Especially someone so foolish. What gives you the gall to think you can stand against the real deal?”
A stifled chuckle rippled through the room. No one knew who started it, but soon enough, all eyes turned toward Melany, flickering with a mix of disdain and amusement. “Well, she fumbled this time!” someone whispered with a smirk.
“How many lies does she think she can get away with? First, she says she’s Scarlet Snake, then claims it was just a tribute. Now, she’s even suggesting Scarlet Snake was her mentor.”
“Exactly! Who knows how long she’s been fooling people, pretending to be someone she’s not.”
“Shameless, absolutely shameless.”
Melany opened her mouth, grasping for an explanation, but the words caught in her throat. There was no way out.
Instinctively, her hand reached for Colton’s arm, seeking support, but he stepped back, his face a portrait of disbelief and disappointment.
Colton’s heart sank. It was as if he was seeing Melany for the first time – a stranger wearing the face of someone he once trusted.
In his memories, she had always been kind, gentle, and understanding. He had stood by her, defending her against everyone, believing in her without hesitation. But now, all of that trust felt like a lie.
What stung even more was the revelation that Allison had been the real Scarlet Snake all along.
The truth hit him like a punch to the gut, more painful than he ever imagined.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.