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.”

rationally. Tumultuous emotions welled in her chest, fueling her urgency to get

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

fearless Melanie fanned the flames by goading, “What man

up! You have no right to

scornfully, “Don’t think you can erase what happened between Mr. Taggart and me because you’ve destroyed my evidence. They say alcohol is a truth serum. I believe Mr. Taggart is indeed interested in

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

Sebastian was not a hundred percent sure if he had uttered any flirty words to Melanie, he was confident that he had

drunk. Alcohol turned him

drunk out of his mind,

insisting on his innocence,

was, unless, she took a risky

of this, Mr. Taggart? Fine. We’re all 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 have failed to win the affection of someone as wonderful as you, Mr. Taggart, but I no longer have any regrets after spending a night with you. I’ll leave now

and collected her clothes and things off the floor, making a move

leave, Christina stepped forward, stubbornly-blocking

demanded, “What are

my question to you?” Christina stared at her probingly and dropped her bombshell. “You sent me a bunch of provocative texts and photos, 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

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

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

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