Applause echoed throughout the ballroom.
Kate stood up immediately, smiling as she gracefully accepted congratulations from those around her.
With poise and confidence, she gathered her skirt and made her way toward the stage.
The emcee's voice rang out again.
"Our award presenter tonight is none other than Mr. Daniel Wilson!"
Daniel rose from his seat and escorted Kate up the stage.
The spotlight followed them as he handed her the award.
Kate's heart swelled with joy.
This is it. The happiest moment of my life.
There was still one more thing left to do.
Seizing the moment, she clung to Daniel's arm and snatched the emcee's microphone in one swift move.
Daniel stiffened at her boldness. He wasn't pleased, but with the entire room watching them, he let it slide.
Kate beamed at the crowd. "Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight! This award is such an incredible honor. On this joyous day, I'd also like to take the opportunity to announce— aaaagghhhh!!"
Her shriek shattered the air.
Mid-sentence, a vat of red liquid came flying toward her.
Thick red paint drenched her from head to toe.
The ballroom fell into a stunned silence.
Kate stood frozen, too shocked to react.
"You evil witch! You're no Princess of Philanthropy but rather a black widow! Everything on the internet is true! Don't let her fool you!"
Steve Walter stood below the stage, pointing at Kate as he shouted in fury.
Kate's face twisted in rage.
"What nonsense! Security, get him out of here!" she screamed, completely abandoning her composed facade.
How dare this old man show up and humiliate her?!
Steve's voice only grew louder. "Kate Bently is a heartless fraud! Her charity work is just a cover to fool the public! We've all been deceived!"
He held up his injured hand, trembling with anger. "She chopped off my hand just because I dared to speak the truth!" His voice cracked with pain. "She doesn't deserve this award! Easthan doesn't need a woman like her representing the charity philanthropy!"
A surge of murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Doubt crept into their minds.
Had their beloved philanthropist been a fraud all along?
The tension in the room thickened.
This was Easthan's most prestigious event, attended by the city's wealthiest and most powerful figures.
They would not tolerate being deceived.
Guests began leaving one by one, and many of them demanded that Kate explain herself before they walked out.
Reporters scrambled to gather more details while paparazzi tried to push past the barricades.
Security pretended to hold them back, but they had clear instructions. Do not intervene if things get worse for Kate.
At first, Daniel is furious when Kate is drenched in red paint.
He had been ready to put Steve in his place.
But then, he listened.
Steve's words. His anger. His missing hand.
Everything was true. And it was unfolding right before Daniel's eyes.
Daniel suddenly hesitated.
He needed to hear the truth himself.
Without another word, he turned and strode toward the VIP table.
There was only one person he wanted to see.
His eyes flew onto Chantelle.
She sat casually, watching the scene unfold with a calm expression, but the glint in her eyes told him something else.
It was almost as if she expected this to happen.
As the chaos continued, the reporters pounced fiercely towards Kate.
"Ms. Bently, is there any truth to what the man said? Did you really have his hand cut off?"
"Ms. Bently, is your charity just a cover-up? Have you fooled the people of Easthan?"
"Ms. Bently, can you respond to the internet accusations?"
"It's not true! It's all lies!" Kate snapped angrily with a shaking voice.
The thick red paint clutched to her skin, drying and tightening uncomfortably. The barrage of questions from the media only made it harder to breathe.
Her clothes were ruined.
The trophy in her hands was smeared with paint.
Her face was smeared with paint.
But none of that mattered anymore.
Everything she had worked for—years of carefully portraying her image as Easthan's saint—was crumbling before her eyes.
Steve Walter's voice cut through the chaos.
"I have all the evidence right here." He held up his phone for everyone to see. "Audio and video recordings of her paying people to block internet searches and blackmailing the committee into giving her this award!"
With a press of a button, he connected his phone to the big screen.
A well-edited video played on the big screen, showing transcripts and footage of Kate demanding the award from the committee.
There was no room for doubt.
Her ruthless behavior was on full display.
Kate watched in horror as her reputation shattered before her eyes.
When the video ended, security finally entered.
They approached Steve Walter, but he didn't resist. He let them cuff him and escort him out—almost too casually.
Kate barely noticed it.
She had no way to defend herself now.
Her legs gave out, and she sank to the stage, barefoot and pale as a ghost.
Her entire world was collapsing.
Then, a thought struck her—Daniel!
Summoning all her strength, she crawled toward him.
With trembling fingers, she reached out and clutched the hem of his slacks.
"Daniel," she choked out. "You have to believe me!"
Her voice quivered. "Everything they said about me—it's not true! It's okay if they don't believe me as long as you do."
Tears streamed down her face as she begged him.
"Daniel... do you believe me?"
Daniel stared at her for a long time, wearing a blank expression.
Then, he bent down and held out his arm.
Kate took it, letting him help her up.
The ballroom fell silent as everyone watched them. They could say whatever they wanted about Kate Bently, but Daniel Wilson was another matter.
No one in Easthan would dare go against the Wilson family.
Kate held to his arm, acting weak and injured, convinced he believed her act.
But as soon as she stood firmly, Daniel pushed her aside and walked towards the center stage.
"In line with the accusations against Ms. Bently for fraudulent charity activities, the Wilson family cannot ignore this matter. I will personally ensure a full investigation and provide the public with the truth," Daniel declared in front of the cameras.
Then, without another word, he left the stage, leaving Kate behind.