A low chuckle rippled through the room. No one knew who started it, but soon all eyes turned to Melany, who blinked, a mixture of disdain and amusement in her gaze.

"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 Scarlet Snake was her mentor."

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

"Shameless, absolutely shameless."

Melany opened her mouth to explain, but the words caught in her throat. There was no escape. Instinctively, she reached for Colton's arm, but he stepped back, his face etched with disbelief and disappointment.

Colton's heart sank. He felt as if he were seeing Melany for the first time—a stranger wearing the face of someone he'd trusted. In his memories, she had always been kind, gentle, and understanding. She had been his staunch defender, believing in him without hesitation. But now, all that trust felt like a lie.

What hurt him even more was the revelation that Allison had been the real Scarlet Snake all along. The truth hit him like a punch to the gut, more painful than he could have imagined.

With tears in her eyes, Melany whispered, "Colton, please let me explain…"

But how could she? She was entangled in a web of deceit, too far gone to unravel it. One lie had spawned many, and now they were consuming her. As the crowd's murmurs of derision grew louder, Melany knew any defense 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 streamed down her face. She fell to her knees, raising her hand in a solemn gesture. "I've always admired Scarlet Snake," she said, her voice hoarse, as if she were the wronged party. "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, playing the victim. "It was never my intention to claim 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.

"It's not your fault," he murmured, almost convincing himself. "After all, I didn't even realize 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 at comfort seemed like an effort to justify his own blindness. It had to be Allison's fault. She had been hiding her identity, deceiving him in ways that now stung even more deeply.

"Besides," Colton continued, his voice filled with cold resolve, "what Melany did was just an enhancement, not theft. If Allison hadn't kept her identity a secret, none of this would have happened."

He shot a venomous look at Allison. "And that award-winning formula of yours? I'm offering you two hundred thousand dollars for the rights."

At the offer, the crowd recoiled, exchanging bewildered glances. Colton's audacity was hard to believe, even now, in his attempt to buy his way out of the scandal. He knew it wasn't elegant, but with Melany securing third place and the Everett Group sponsorship on the line, this could still be an opportunity. He wouldn't let it slip away. His best option was to buy the formula and bury the controversy. After all, money could silence even the loudest whispers of truth.

"Two hundred thousand dollars?" Kellan's voice rang out, a mocking laugh 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…?"

Kellan cut him off. "How much do you think that formula is worth? You couldn't touch it for two million, let alone two hundred thousand."

Rebecca chimed in, her voice full of pride. "Allison's perfumes are priceless, and there's no way she'd sell that formula to someone like you."

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

"There's no need to buy it," she said, her voice carrying undeniable certainty. "The formula isn't perfect. It was always a prototype, never intended for profit. You've all seen it. 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 froze in disbelief. It was the formula of a perfume legend, and yet Allison was simply giving it away. A stunned silence followed before someone finally spoke.

"Scarlet Snake is amazing! She's just sharing the formula like that. Does she even care about two hundred thousand dollars? You two should stop this nonsense and apologize already."

Colton's expression stiffened. He hadn't expected Allison's bold stance. Melany, beside him, felt her heart sink. This wasn't the outcome she'd planned for, not by a long shot. Allison's identity as Scarlet Snake had been confirmed, and it felt like a slap in the face.