Chapter 101
"Explain." Evelyn Roland's voice was glacial.
Her slender fingers tapped rhythmically against the tabletop as her gaze swept across the restless crowd below. Only Falling Petals could verify her identity now.
Self-defense would be pointless—these people wouldn't believe a word she said.
"Everyone." Falling Petals' amplified voice filled the auditorium. "The woman standing before you is my dearest friend, Celadon."
The venue erupted before she finished speaking.
Camera flashes exploded like fireworks. Gasps and shouts rippled through the audience as people scrambled for a better view of the two legendary figures on stage.
Isabella Langley's face drained of color.
Of course she recognized Falling Petals—the undisputed queen of design whose endorsement could make or break any brand.
"Anything else to say?" Evelyn arched an eyebrow, triumph gleaming in her eyes.
Silence swallowed the room.
Isabella's nails bit into her palms. Her meticulously crafted scheme had unraveled in seconds.
"My apologies, Evelyn." She forced a contrite smile, though venom flickered in her eyes. "I only wanted justice for Master Celadon."
Her saccharine tone couldn't mask the underlying threat.
"I never imagined you were Celadon. As part of this company, I simply feared someone might impersonate the great master."
Isabella's chest heaved. Watching Evelyn bask in the spotlight while Alexander Roland gazed at her with undisguised pride made jealousy coil like a serpent in her gut.
Why? She was the Langley heiress—this should be her moment!
"So your solution was fabricating evidence?" Dylan Orlando interjected, his disgust palpable.
Isabella's breath hitched.
"That's not—" she stammered, "I only meant to help—"
"Distinguished guests." The host hurried onstage, cutting through the tension. "We sincerely apologize for the technical difficulties caused by our backend system."
His eyes flickered over Isabella before quickly looking away.