"Watch your damn mouth! Shut up! If you want to see something like that, go

home and watch it yourself!" Mia snapped angrily. "You all came here as guests, and Sarah''s been nothing but generous to you-how dare you speak about her like that?"

Some reporters lowered their heads in shame, but most were still hungry for a sensational headline.

Mia wanted to say more, but Sarah gently stopped her. "Let me handle it."

"Miss Sanders," a reporter asked, "as the organizer of tonight''s event, how could you let something like this happen backstage? What was your reaction when you saw the footage? Was this an ident-or did someone release it on purpose?" Sarah remained calm. "There must be a traitor among us," she said evenly. "As for the video itself—I have no reaction, because the woman in it is not me."

Several reporters still looked eager to press further, but one nce from Zachary was enough to make them sink back into their seats.

All eyes were on Sarah now, the spotlight casting her in a stark glow.

Zachary took a step forward. He didn''t want her standing alone under that light. All he wanted was to walk over and shield her from the world.

But Sarah quickly signaled him not toe any closer.

Some reporters still looked restless, itching to push for more. But with Zachary''s intimidating presence, no one dared speak up again.

Sarah gripped the microphone tightly. A path had cleared around her, and every camera lens was trained on her face.

She scanned the crowd, then turned to Melvin. "Melvin," she said firmly, "please rey the video."

Melvin''s expression darkened. He didn''t know what Sarah was nning, but he didn''t hesitate. He trusted her and he knew that woman in the video wasn''t her.

The footage yed again.

As the camera zoomed in on the woman''s back, Sarah said, "Pause it."

The screen froze-showing the woman turned away, her smooth, bare back clearly visible.

Camera shutters clicked like rain.

Sarah stood tall under the lights, looking straight at them. Her voice was unwavering.

"Someone is trying to frame me. I don''t know whether this was digitally edited or they found someone who looks almost identical to me. But they made a critical mistake. Same fage, same figure, but they missed one thing."  s

She slowly pulled her shawl off her shoulder and turned slightly to show her left shoulder.

"Right here. I have a birthmark. A

butterfly-shaped one I''ve had since I

was born. Are you going to say it''

fake? After the party, I''ll have. my assistant bring out my childhood photos to prove it." ''s

Laughter broke out across the room. No one had expected her to defuse the situation so boldly-and with such poise.fn2764 ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find?novel/fn2764

Zachary watched her from the crowd, a quiet smile in his eyes. She was radiant.

"I told you didn''t I? Miss Sanders''s

rich, sessful, and she''s got M Reynolds following her around like a puppy. Why would she go out

messing around like that? Makes no sense."

s

"Exactly! Someone must be jealous of how well Pine Mist Ind is doing. They''re trying to drag her down."

"I don''t care what anyone says. She let me meet my idol and even eat with them. I dere her my goddess!"

"Mine too!"

Cheers and praise rippled through the room, echoed even louder in the livestreamments.