Pearl covered her mouth, feigning shock. “Oh my gosh, Miss Alannah, I never imagined you could be so… wild!”
“Pearl!” Alannah’s voice trembled with fury. “You did this, didn’t you?”
Pearl widened her eyes, pretending to be frightened, her tone wounded. “Miss Alannah, you can’t accuse people without proof. You should know what you’ve done yourself.”
“Don’t you dare throw your filth on me!” Alannah snatched up the remote, frantically pressing the buttons. But the screen refused to turn off.
Quincy’s gaze was cold as frost. “If you didn’t do it,” he said flatly, “then why panic?”
He looked at her with quiet contempt. “It’s Pearl’s birthday, and you still pull stunts like this just to get my attention?”
Alannah froze, her chest tightening so hard she could barely breathe. Even now, he still thought she was the one behind it.
Her dignity was crushed completely, trampled underfoot for all to see.
Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire.
“Could those photos be real? I heard Alannah’s always been… pretty manipulative.”
“Look at Mr. Dinnigan. He’s not even defending her. It must be true.”
“I always said Miss Pearl is the one who truly suits him.”
Pearl looked back at Alannah, her eyes full of smugness and provocation.
“Oh, Miss Alannah, what are you going to do now?”
Before anyone could react, Alannah grabbed a wine bottle from the table and poured it directly onto the projector.
The image on the big screen froze instantly. Still holding the bottle tightly, she strode toward Pearl.
The next second, the glass shattered at Pearl’s feet, making the entire room jump.
Pearl gasped and shrank into Quincy’s arms. “Quincy! I’m scared…”
He immediately wrapped her protectively in his embrace and shot Alannah a cold look. “Alannah, have you gone insane? Keep this up, and you’ll only disgrace yourself further.”
Alannah lifted a small flash drive in her trembling hand, her voice cutting through the silence. “Mark my words—I’ll find a way to prove my own innocence.”
A murmur rippled through the guests.
“Could it be… she really was framed?” someone whispered.
Suddenly, the crystal chandelier above began to shake violently.
Screams erupted as people fled in panic.
Quincy shielded Pearl tightly in his arms, then shoved Alannah aside.
With a deafening crash, the chandelier came loose and slammed into the floor with a deafening thud.