A low chuckle went through the room.


    No one knew who had started it, but soon all eyes turned to Mny, blinking with a mixture of disdain and amusement.


    “She failed this time!” someone whispered with a mocking smile.


    ?How many lies does she think she can get away with? First she says she''s Scarlet Snake, then that she was just a tribute.


    Now, she even suggests that Scarlet Snake was her mentor.


    ?


    "Exactly! Who knows how long he''s been fooling people, pretending to be someone he''s not.


    "


    "Shameless, absolutely shameless.


    "


    Mny opened her mouth, searching for an exnation, but the words stuck in her throat.


    There was no way out.


    Instinctively, her hand reached for Colton''s arm for support, but he stepped back, his face full of disbelief and disappointment.


    Colton''s heart sank.


    It was as if he was seeing Mny for the first time, a stranger with the face of someone he had trusted.


    In his memories, she had always been kind, gentle, and understanding.


    She had been there for him, defending him from everyone, believing in him without hesitation.


    But now, all that trust seemed like a lie.


    What hurt him even more was the revtion that Allison had been the real Scarlet Snake all along.


    The truth hit him like a punch in the gut, more painful than he could have ever imagined.


    With tears in her eyes, Mny whispered, “Colton, please let me exin…”


    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 derision grew louder, Mny 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 save something, if not her reputation, then at least Colton''s heart.


    Tears ran down her face, she fell to her knees and raised her hand in a solemn gesture.


    “I’ve always admired Scarlet Snake,” she said, her voice hoarse, as if she were the one who had been wronged.


    “When I discovered her perfume, it inspired me to try and recreate it.


    I had no idea Allison was Scarlet Snake.


    I’m so sorry for any confusion.


    ”


    She whined, pretending to be a victim of circumstances.


    “It was never my intention to im someone else’s work.


    I only entered the contest to help Colton’s business.


    I never wanted to cause harm or disrespect.


    ”


    Colton''s hardened expression softened, his defenses weakening once again.


    “It’s not your fault,” he murmured, 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 that either, Mny.


    ”


    His attempt tofort her seemed so much like an effort to justify his blindness.


    It had to be Allison''s fault.


    Yes, she had been hiding her identity all these years, deceiving him in ways that now hurt even more.


    “Besides,” Colton continued, his voice filled with cold resolve, “what Mny did was just an enhancement, not a theft.


    If Allison hadn’t kept her identity a secret, none of this would have gotten out of hand.


    ”


    He shot a venomous look at Allison.


    “And that award-winning form of yours? I’m offering you two hundred thousand dors for the rights.


    ”


    At such an offer, the crowd instinctively stepped back, exchanging bewildered nces.


    It was hard to believe Colton''s audacity, even now, in trying to buy his way out of a scandal.


    Colton knew it wasn’t the most elegant solution, but with the contest results finalized and Mny securing third ce, he was in line for the Everett Group sponsorship.


    This could still turn into an opportunity.


    He wasn’t going to let it slip away.


    His best option was to buy the form and bury the controversy.


    After all, money could silence even the loudest whispers of truth.


    “$200,000?” Ken’s voice rang out with a mockingugh, his tone dripping with sarcasm.


    “Colton, are you serious? You think you can just wave some money around and fix this? Do you have any idea how…?”


    “How much do you think that form is worth? You couldn’t touch it for two million, let alone two hundred thousand,” Ken said, his voice mocking.


    Reba chimed in, her voice full of pride.


    “Allison’s perfumes are priceless, and there’s no way she’d sell that form to someone like you.


    ”


    Allison''s gaze swept the crowd, her face serene, as if the weight of the moment undisturbed her.


    “There’s no need to buy it,” he began, his voice carrying an undeniable certainty.


    “The form is not something I consider perfect.


    It was always a prototype, it was never for profit.


    You’ve all seen it by now.


    So, from this moment on, it’s public.


    Anyone can use it.


    No one will profit from it – it’s free for all of us to learn and grow.


    ”


    The room was frozen in disbelief.


    It was the form of a perfume legend, and yet Allison was simply… giving it away.


    There was a stunned silence before someone in the audience finally found their voice.


    “Scarlet Snake is amazing! She’s just sharing the form like that.


    Does she even care about $200,000? You two should stop this nonsense and apologize already.


    ”


    Colton''s expression stiffened.


    He hadn''t expected Allison to take such a bold stance.


    Mny, who was standing next to him, felt her heart sink.


    This was not the oue she had prepared for, not by a long shot.


    Allison''s identification as Scarlet Snake had been verified, and it felt like a p in the face.