Let Me Stay The Night

Melanie was utterly dumbfounded. She would have thought she was dreaming if her cheeks were not burning in pain.

She screeched, “I’m telling the truth! Why did you hit me?” Years of experience in show business had hardened Melanie’s character, and she hardly feared Victoria’s family background.

Melanie continued, “I have evidence. I recorded all the sweet-nothings that Mr. Taggart said to me yesterday!”

With that said, Melanie grabbed her phone off the bedside table and began playing a recording in front of everyone.

The voice in the recording had barely uttered two words when Victoria rushed forward like a mad woman. She wrenched the phone from Melanie’s hand, flinging it onto the floor and trampling it.

Victoria was far from done. She smashed a nearby vase and clenched her right fist around one of the ceramic shards. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at Melanie and shrieked, “A recording? The thing I hate the most in this world is other people touching my things. I’ll teach you a lesson. Then, it’s his turn!”

Christina sensed that Victoria was on the verge of losing control. She immediately shouted at Lyle “Hurry! Hold her back!”

Alas, Victoria had already launched herself nimbly at Melanie.

“Victoria!” Sebastian acted on reflex, placing himself in front of Melanie. Victoria’s shard-wielding hand was forced to a stop just half an inch away from his heart.

Disbelief filled Victoria’s gaze. She stared at her boyfriend through tears and accused him, “How can you defend her?”

Hastily, Sebastian explained, “I don’t want you to be blamed for harming someone else.”

calm down and consider his concerns rationally. Tumultuous emotions welled in her chest, fueling her urgency to

gave Sebastian an ultimatum. “I’ve never been a clingy person, Sebastian.

fanned the flames by goading, “What man would ever

right to speak

you can erase what happened between Mr. Taggart and me because you’ve destroyed my evidence. They say alcohol is

don’t even know your name. Why would I confess to you while drunk?” He turned to Victoria and pleaded, “I didn’t

not a hundred percent sure if he had uttered any flirty words to Melanie,

never did anything outrageous when he was drunk. Alcohol turned him into a

of his mind, it was near impossible to wake him

insisting on his

unless, she took a

adults here, and I can’t force you to admit to your actions. We both got what we wanted out of our one- night stand. I may

she turned and collected her clothes and things off the floor, making

stepped forward, stubbornly-blocking Melanie’s path.

“What are you

demanding five million to keep you quiet. When you realized you couldn’t blackmail me, you changed your mind and set your sights on Mr. Taggart instead of Mr. Hadley. Just what

you’re talking about. I know who you are, but we’ve never had any past interactions. I know my place, and I would never try to steal something that didn’t belong

text history. She displayed her screen to everyone in the room and declared, “You’re the texter. Did you think I wouldn’t be able to track you down if you pretended to be a

back. Someone’s using my phone to do horrible things; I’m a victim here too! I’m a celebrity, and I value my reputation more than anyone else. I didn’t send you those texts,