The others at the table also hurried to smooth things over.

"Scarlett, you know what Brenda's like. She can't control her mouth when she's had too much to drink."

"That's right, it's Tiffany's big day. Just let it go. Don't put on a show for everyone."

I snapped, "If Brenda doesn't want a scene, she can apologize to me right now! I want her to tell everyone here that she was lying, or I'm calling the police to sue her for defamation!"

Brenda glared at me. "Who do you think you are, Scarlett Sterling? How dare you demand an apology from me!"

My voice rang out, "And what kind of mother-in-law accuses her daughter-in-law of sleeping around and having an STD? Aren't you afraid of the consequences of spreading such vicious lies?"

My shouting drew the attention of the entire banquet hall. Brenda's face turned red with anger. "Lower your voice! Isn't this embarrassing enough for you?"

The situation was spiraling out of control. Tiffany was on the verge of tears. "Mom, please stop talking! I'm begging you!"

Ryan, who was at another table, heard the commotion and hurried over. "Mom, what are you and Scarlett arguing about? I could hear you from over there."

I grabbed his arm, my voice choked with indignation. "Your mother is telling everyone that I cheated on you and have an STD."

An accusation like that, in front of a crowd, was more than any man could tolerate. Ryan's face darkened instantly. He turned to his mother and said sternly, "Mom, how could you say something like that? I know Scarlett—she would never do something like that!"

After Ryan defended me, the guests' whispers began to shift in my favor.

"Mother-in-law drama is one thing, but Brenda is just vicious. She's so desperate to humiliate Scarlett that she's making her own son look like a fool."

"Some people just live to cause trouble. It's like they can't breathe without spreading rumors."

"If that were me, I'd have shut that mouth for her by now!"

Brenda, now being criticized by everyone, shrieked, "Ryan, she has you completely fooled! Do you think I'd be saying this if I didn't have proof?"

I stared at her. "If you can't produce that proof right now, I'm not letting this go!"

I had a clear conscience, so I wasn't afraid. I’d been a good wife and a considerate daughter-in-law. I loved Ryan and took care of Brenda, and I had never done a single thing to wrong them. I was curious to see what "proof" she could possibly have!

Brenda pulled a medicine bottle from her purse and handed it to Ryan. "Ryan, look at this!"

He took it, and his expression twisted into something even fouler. I was about to lean in for a look when he suddenly slapped me hard across the face and threw the bottle at me. "Scarlett, I trusted you! How could you do this to me?"

My cheek stung, but I didn't care. I snatched the bottle from the floor and read the label. It was a prescription for an STD—with my name and insurance information printed clearly on it.

I was stunned. What on earth was going on?

A triumphant smirk spread across Brenda’s face as she watched me reel from the slap. "Scarlett, there's your proof—you have an STD! Now what do you have to say for yourself?"

I clutched the bottle tightly and pointed to the date, retorting, "This has to be a fake! I was on a business trip in Portland on August 12th. I've never even been to Oak Creek Clinic!"

She raised a hand to the heavens. "I swear on my life, if I forged this bottle, may I be struck by lightning the second I walk out that door!"

Hearing her make such a vicious vow, the guests began to waver.

"Oh my God, everyone stay away from her. STDs are contagious."

"You really can't judge a book by its cover. She looks so respectable, but she has a disease like that!"

"Her poor in-laws. What terrible luck."

Everyone was starting to side with Brenda. If I couldn't prove my innocence, my life would be a repeat of the last one—filled with humiliation and ridicule.

But if the bottle wasn't a fake…where did it come from? I'd never been to that clinic. Never!

Just then, Tiffany grabbed Brenda's arm, her face pale, and whispered, "Mom, didn't I tell you to throw this away? Why did you keep it?"

My head snapped toward her. "Tiffany, you knew about this?"

Her eyes darted away as she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Brenda answered for her, "We found this in the trash at home. Tiffany has a kind heart and wanted to spare you the humiliation, so she told me to destroy it and pretend nothing ever happened."

I suddenly remembered something. Once, Tiffany told me she had lost her insurance card and was waiting for a replacement. She borrowed mine to get a prescription for contact lenses.

All the pieces clicked into place. I finally understood—the bottle was real, but the person with the disease was Tiffany! She was terrified of anyone finding out she had an STD, so she used my insurance card to see a doctor.

Brenda found the bottle, and Tiffany just let me take the blame. At the same time, she was afraid Brenda would make a big scene and expose the truth, which is why she kept trying to shut her mother up.

In my past life, while I was drowning in rumors that would eventually kill me, Tiffany was off enjoying her honeymoon in Italy with her new husband.

Since she was the architect of my misfortune, she would have no one to blame but herself for what came next.