With tears brimming in her eyes, Melany whispered, “Colton, please, let me explain…”
But how could she? Even she was entangled in the web of her deceit, too far gone to unravel it now.
One lie had given birth to many, and now they were devouring her.
As the crowd’s murmurs of ridicule grew louder, Melany knew that any defense she mounted would crumble under the weight of her lies. But she couldn’t just stand there, humiliated. She had to salvage something – if not her reputation, then at least Colton’s heart.
Tears streaming down her face, she fell to her knees and raised her hand in a solemn gesture.
“I have always admired Scarlet Snake,” she declared, her voice hoarse, as if she were the one wronged. “When I first encountered her perfume, it inspired me to try recreating it. I had no idea Allison was Scarlet Snake. I am truly sorry for any confusion.”
She sniffled, casting herself as the victim of circumstance. “I never intended to claim someone else’s work. I only entered the contest to help Colton’s business. I never meant to cause any harm or disrespect.”
Colton’s hardened expression softened, his defenses weakening once again.
“You’re not the one to blame,” he muttered, almost as if convincing himself. “After all, I didn’t even realize that my ex-wife, the woman I shared a bed with for three years, was a brilliant perfumer. Of course, you couldn’t have known either, Melany.”
His attempt to comfort her seemed as much an effort to justify his blindness. The fault had to be Allison’s.
Yes, she had been hiding her identity all these years, deceiving him in ways that hurt even more now.
“Besides,” Colton continued, his voice laced with cold resolve, “What Melany did was just an improvement, not theft. If Allison hadn’t kept her identity a secret, none of this would’ve spiraled out of control.”
He shot a venomous glare at Allison. “And that award-winning formula of yours? I’ll offer you 200 thousand dollars for the rights.”
At the mention of such an offer, the crowd instinctively recoiled, exchanging bewildered glances.
It was hard to believe the audacity of Colton, even now, trying to buy his way out of a scandal.
Colton knew it wasn’t the most elegant solution, but with the competition results finalized and Melany securing third place, she was in line for Everett Group’s sponsorship. This could still be turned into an opportunity. He was not going to let it slip by.
His best option was to buy the formula and bury the controversy. After all, money could silence even the loudest whispers of truth.
“200 thousand dollars?” Kellan’s voice rang out with a mocking laugh, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Colton, are you serious? You think you can just wave some cash around and fix this? Do you have any clue how…?”
“How much do you think that formula is worth? You couldn’t even touch it with two million, let alone 200 thousand,” Kellan said, his voice laced with mockery.
Rebecca chimed in, her voice full of pride. “Allison’s perfumes are priceless, and there’s no way she’d ever sell that formula to someone like you.”
Allison’s gaze swept across the crowd, her face composed, as if the weight of the moment didn’t faze her.
“There’s no need to buy it,” she began, her voice carrying an undeniable certainty. “The formula isn’t something I see as perfect. It was always a prototype, never meant for profit. You’ve all seen it by now. So, as of this moment, it’s public. Anyone can use it. No one will profit from it-it’s free for all of us to learn and grow from.”
The room froze in disbelief.
This was the formula of a legend in the perfume world, and yet, Allison was simply… giving it away.
A stunned silence hung in the air before someone from the crowd finally found their voice. “Scarlet Snake is incredible! She’s sharing the formula just like that. Would she ever care about 200 thousand dollars? The two of you should stop your nonsense and apologize already!”
Colton’s expression stiffened.
He hadn’t expected Allison to take such a bold stance.
Melany, standing beside him, felt her heart drop. This wasn’t the outcome she had prepared for-not by a long shot.
Allison’s identification as Scarlet Snake had been verified, and it felt like a slap in their faces.
Colton, caught between his desire to shield Melany and the mess unraveling before him, forced himself to bite back his frustrations.
“Let’s not dredge up the past,” he said, his voice strained. “Besides, Melany didn’t steal or copy anything outright. She simply added a little something to your original formula. Now that it’s public knowledge, the formula’s got as much value as a broken clock. Still, I’m willing to offer you 200 thousand dollars as compensation.” The final sentence escaped his lips like a bitter pill, each word dragged out through clenched teeth. “Let’s call it quits here. We can still walk away with our heads held high.”
Melany’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, wearing the look of someone deeply wronged. “This isn’t on Allison. It’s my fault for creating this misunderstanding. Allison has been hiding her identity as the famous perfumer, Scarlet Snake, for years, and honestly, I’ve always admired her. That’s why I’ve spent time studying her techniques in perfumery.”
With practiced ease, Melany sidestepped the real issue, turning the spotlight away from her dishonesty. But the crowd remained skeptical, their silence thick with doubt. Sensing the shift, Melany burst into tears and wasted no time playing the victim.
“Allison,” she said, her voice trembling with manufactured emotion. “I know you’ve never liked me, thinking I wrecked your marriage. I’ve carried that guilt for so long. I understand why you’re lashing out now, because Colton and I are about to get married.”
As if on cue, she dropped to her knees, her sobs echoing through the room, painting herself as the sacrificial lamb. “Allison, if this is what it takes to make peace with you, I’ll do it. But please, I’m begging you-don’t drag Colton into this. You know how much this competition means to him…”
She twisted the narrative as deftly as a skilled storyteller, framing the scandal as nothing more than a messy love triangle.
Rebecca, having had enough, shot back, “You’ve got some nerve! Plagiarism is plagiarism-quit trying to steer the conversation away from the truth!”
Allison, cold as ice, added, “Melany, no matter how much you try to spin it, cheating and stealing ideas will be dealt with according to the competition’s rules.” Her gaze then shifted to Colton, her tone sharp and unyielding. “As for you, staying friends after a divorce? That’s for people who enjoy keeping their lives tangled in knots.”
“Drag me into your mess, it’s revolting.” Allison’s words cut through the air like a blade, leaving Colton and Melany floundering, their faces reddening with embarrassment.
Colton’s face darkened, his voice rising. “We can settle this later, but for the record, Melany didn’t cheat. If you actually read the rules-“
His defense was abruptly cut off as the crowd quieted, parting like the sea before a storm. “Mr. Blakely.”
A staff member spoke up as a man with a head full of curls approached, his smile wide and amiable.
“Kellan, fancy seeing you here,” the man greeted with casual ease. “Still hoping to get me to invest in your company?”
Standing next to Kellan was Ferdinand Blakely, who added with a smirk, “Strange, isn’t it? The Everett Group is always eager to back fresh talent, but with the wealth of the Lloyd family, you wouldn’t think my investment would be needed.”
The room murmured in recognition-Ferdinand, the president of the Everett Group, had a reputation for being as sharp as he was shrewd. Yet today, his presence exuded a friendly warmth that felt oddly disarming.
But beneath his twinkling eyes and easy grin lay the sharpness of a finely honed blade. “Seems to me like you’re riding the competition’s wave of publicity to launch your new perfume, Charisma. Convenient timing, wouldn’t you say?”
Kellan chuckled, unfazed. “Nothing gets past you, Ferdinand.”
Allison observed the exchange with quiet thoughtfulness, noting the camaraderie between the two men.
Ferdinand then turned to her with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “‘Miss Clarke, I presume? I’ve heard plenty about you-winner of the first Perfumery Competition, aren’t you?”
“You flatter me, Mr. Blakely,” Allison responded politely, though she couldn’t shake the sense that despite his warmth, Ferdinand maintained a distance, a barrier that no one could cross.
He sighed, almost as if the entire situation bored him. “It’s a shame the competition has been marred by so many unqualified entrants. It’s done a number on its reputation.”
His gaze lazily drifted toward Melany, his voice dropping to a chilling tone. “And if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s dishonesty. So, Miss Johnson, isn’t it about time you offered a proper apology?”
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.