### Chapter 7
The room blew up.
"Isn't that Lily White? Randolph Farley's mistress, the stripper. What's a piece of meat like her doing at an event like this?"
"And where's Melanie? She's the real Mrs. Farley, isn't she?"
"This is insane. It's being livestreamed! Farley's reputation is finished!"
That crown had cost me ten years of my life to earn. I had searched the whole house and never found it, and all this time Randolph had taken it and given it to Lily.
I almost charged forward to rip it straight off her head.
Then Randolph cleared his throat and spoke.
"Thank you all for coming to witness a century of Farley glory. Let me take this chance to clear something up. Miss Lily White has traveled all over the country promoting Farley's new line. It's been hard work, and the doubled sales are entirely thanks to her."
"She's done great things for Farley, and she's also a good friend of my wife's. I hope everyone will stop spreading rumors."
The room went silent in an instant, and then every eye turned to me. Suspicious, startled, amused.
It was so absurd I almost laughed.
All those nights my team and I had burned through, and one sentence from him turned it into her achievement.
I lifted my head. Randolph's gaze was like a poisoned thorned vine, twisting around my heart until it bled.
I gave a bitter smile and walked up onto the stage. I shook Lily's hand and forced a smile for the photo.
"Lately Lily has been with my husband for work. I can confirm she's an honored guest of mine, not some mistress wrecking our marriage."
Lily's eyes reddened, and she wiped at tears that weren't there.
"As long as Melanie's willing to clear it up for me, I don't mind being wronged a little."
But her fingers dug into the back of my hand, her nails carving several bloody lines into the skin.
I winced and yanked my hand back, then strode off the stage and walked alone to a quiet corner.
It's fine. Get through tonight, and I'll be free.
The sound of high heels came from behind me.
I turned and saw the pitiful look gone from Lily's face.
In its place was undisguised smugness, the crown glittering in her hair, the perfect picture of a fairy-tale wicked queen.
"You're his legal wife," she said, arms folded across her chest, brimming with triumph. "So what?"
"I'm already pregnant. Randolph promised me himself, my baby will be the next heir of the Farley family."
"If I were you, I'd get out on my own and keep a little dignity."
She was really pregnant?
The world spun, and I nearly lost my footing, but then I straightened my back and looked her dead in the eye.
"And what exactly are you? A whore who slept her way up by taking off her clothes, and you think you're fit to strut around in front of me?"
Lily's expression froze, as if it had never occurred to her that I could say something vicious too. Her mouth opened and closed, and for a long moment she couldn't force out a single word.
I swung my glass hard, and the red wine splashed all over her face. The red liquid ran down her chin in an ugly stream, staining a gown worth millions.
"A mistress who can't see the light should crawl back to the dark hole she came from. Don't come grovel in front of me!"
She shrieked and stumbled backward, and the next second the tears spilled over.
"Bang! "
A force slammed into me, and my back crashed against a pillar, the pain blacking out my vision.
Randolph had her wrapped in his arms, looking down at the wine and tears all over her face, aching for her.
"Melanie, what did you do to Lily?!"
Lily huddled against his chest, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.
"I only came to thank Melanie, and she called me a whore and threw wine on me."
I watched her shoulders shake as she cried in Randolph's arms, watched him glare at me with a rage that burned like he was looking at an enemy, and I knew nothing I said would make him believe me.
I clenched my teeth and turned to leave.
Then, all at once.
"Fire!"
I spun toward the voice, stunned. The velvet curtains were burning, the flames licking up the carpet, and in the blink of an eye the place became a sea of fire.
The crowd began screaming and surging toward the exits, everything dissolving into chaos.
I ran with everything I had toward the escape route, only for Lily to shove me hard, and I went sprawling to the floor.
A violent pain shot through my belly, and on instinct I cried out to Randolph.
"Honey, help me—"
Randolph froze for a beat, then immediately reached his hand out toward me.
Before his fingertips could touch me, Lily threw herself crying into his arms. "My stomach hurts so much. Randolph, don't let our baby burn to death!"
Randolph's hand stopped in midair.
Then he drew it back and wrapped it around Lily's waist instead.
My eyes went wide, and my heart felt like it was being crushed in someone's fist.
