Sam froze for a second before breaking into a smile.

"I heard you stopped painting after getting married and lost your touch. Looks like that was a lie.

"You haven't declined at all. If anything, your work has even more soul now. Later, I'm going to show this painting to those old critics and make them jealous."

I simply smiled without replying.

The car soon arrived at the banquet venue. The moment Sam and I entered, we immediately went to find the former maid.

She handed me a USB drive, guilt written all over her face as she apologized.

"Madam, I'm sorry for framing you back then. This contains the recording of Ms. Coot ordering me to do it, along with the video revealing the truth about the fire. I've kept them all these years.

"She threatened me at the time. She said if I refused to help her, she'd cut off my mother's medical expenses. I was foolish and made the wrong choice. I haven't had a single peaceful night of sleep since then.

"I could never get close to you or Mr. Beaumont to tell the truth. Thankfully, you came to find me. You gave me a chance to make up for what I did."

I took the USB drive from her hand.

After being buried for so many years, the truth had finally ended up within my reach.

I wondered what kind of expression Liam would have once he learned everything. He would realize that the innocent, pure Mandy he trusted so completely was actually a vicious woman hiding beneath the surface.

I slipped the USB drive into my pocket and walked into the main hall.

At that moment, the painting I had finished earlier had already been hung on the exhibition wall by Sam.

Liam and Charles had also arrived at the banquet. Charles stared at the painting in open admiration, while Liam frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on it as though lost in thought.

After all, he had once loved me.

He knew me well, and he knew my paintings even better.

Maybe he had already recognized my work.

Just as I was about to walk toward him, a beautiful woman stepped in front of me.

I did not remember her personally, but I had seen her photos on my phone before.

She was Mandy.

She looked me up and down in surprise before letting out a mocking laugh.

"Stella, I'm shocked you'd actually dare come out alone.

"After the fire years ago, I thought you'd be too ashamed to ever show your face in public again.

"Or is it because Liam is attending tonight? Were you afraid something might happen between us, so you couldn't resist following him here?"

I looked at her calmly.

"Liam and I are legally married. At most, you're just a mistress who never managed to replace the wife.

"So why exactly do you care where I go?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Mandy's face again before she smiled faintly.

"I didn't expect you to be able to control your emotions now. No more attacking people?

"So your illness is finally under control?

"But it doesn't matter. The person Liam trusts now is me.

"And you? You're still just a vicious woman accused of attempted murder. Even if you've regained your sanity, that stain will never disappear."

I looked at the smug expression on her face.

"You seem very confident that you can keep suppressing me forever."

Mandy curled her lips into a smile, a flash of malice passing through her eyes.

"Years ago, all it took was one simple fire to turn you into a woman everyone despised.

"I even warned you back then: stop flaunting your identity as Mrs. Beaumont everywhere you go.

"For all these years, you stayed obedient.

"So why stop now?

"Why insist on challenging my patience?

"Since you refuse to behave tonight, I'll make sure you're completely ruined."

Still gripping my hand, Mandy suddenly shoved herself backward.

Her body crashed into the table behind her. Wine glasses shattered across the surface with a loud crash as her palm slammed straight into the broken glass.

Blood dripped down the shards while she cried out in pain.

The surrounding guests immediately rushed over.

I stood there in shock.

I had never imagined she would be ruthless enough to hurt herself like this.

Liam hurried to her side at once.

"Mandy! Are you alright? Call an ambulance now!"

Mandy collapsed into Liam's arms, her eyes red as she spoke…

"Liam, Stella lost control again. I was only trying to help her just now. I told her there was a beautiful painting over there that she could go look at, and suddenly she got angry, shoved me, and started calling me a b*tch."

"Stella came to the banquet?" Liam looked at me in surprise, but the moment our eyes met, the anger in his gaze became impossible to hide.

"If you were coming, why didn't you tell me? Why can't you ever control your temper? Why do you always have to hurt Mandy? Do I really have to send you to a psychiatric hospital and lock you up for treatment before you'll stop?"

The crowd around us immediately began whispering.

"Stella Tanner? Isn't she that genius painter?"

"How did she end up like this? I heard she's mentally unstable now."

Watching Liam blindly take Mandy's side without even hearing me out, I almost laughed from disbelief.

"Liam, I haven't even explained anything yet, and you already believe every word she says?

"If there's so little trust left in this marriage, then what's the point of staying together? Let's get divorced."

Liam let out a cold laugh, clearly furious.

"You think I wouldn't dare?

"I'm sick of constantly cleaning up your messes behind you. Fine. Divorce it is. I'll have my secretary bring the papers over right now."

His words slammed into my chest like a heavy blow.

I pressed a hand against my aching heart and let out a mocking laugh.

"Don't flatter yourself too much. We still don't know whose mess this really is."

I took the divorce papers from the secretary and signed them.

When I saw Liam sign his name immediately afterward, without even a moment of hesitation, the last trace of warmth in my heart vanished.

I gave a sarcastic laugh and turned toward Sam.

"Sam, I have two very interesting things I'd like everyone here to see. Could you help me play them?"

Sam instantly understood. He took the things from my hand and headed backstage.

I looked back at Liam.

"Open your eyes and take a good look.

"See who the truly vicious woman is.

"And see what a complete idiot you've been."

Liam's brows tightened even further.

A moment later, the giant screen lit up.

The footage showed exactly what had happened moments ago: Mandy deliberately staging the entire scene and framing me.

I was no longer the insecure, timid twenty-eight-year-old Stella.

The moment Mandy stopped me earlier, I had already started recording with my phone.

Her venomous voice rang through the hall.

"…Tonight, I'm going to ruin you completely."

In the video, I never touched her.

Instead, Mandy grabbed my hand herself before throwing her own body into the champagne tower.

The crowd stared at her in shock.

Mandy's face instantly turned pale.

Then the footage switched again.

This time, it showed the fire from years ago.

On screen, Mandy stood there arrogantly threatening a maid.

"Go trick Stella into coming to my room. Tell her I destroyed the painting she planned to submit to the competition and want to apologize to her.

"That way, when the fire starts, she'll become the one everyone blames.

"And if you don't do exactly what I say, your mother lying in that hospital bed is going to die. Understand?"

By the time the video ended, panic had completely overtaken Mandy's face.

"No! These videos are fake! Don't believe her!"

Charles stared at her with his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"Mandy… how could you be this kind of person?

"You went this far bullying my mom?"

Liam stood frozen before the screen, his expression terrifyingly dark.

Mandy looked at him fearfully, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Liam, listen to my explanation, I…"

Liam suddenly raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face.