The Blackened Odds by Mark Twain 7
Chapter 7
Tonight was the showcase Adrian had put together for my comeback. A huge poster of me hung outside the
concert hall.
I sat backstage in the white gown Adrian had commissioned for me. In the mirror, I looked both strange and
familiar. My hands hadn’t completely healed, but I could play without much pain now.
Adrian came in and handed me a glass of water. He looked at me gently. “Are you ready?”
I nodded, and smiled at him.
The recital went well. The applause was thunderous, a roar that seemed to shake the walls. I stood at the
center of the stage, letting the applause wash over me, applause I hadn’t heard in months. I’d earned this. Every second of it.
The moment I stepped offstage, reporters ambushed me.
“Ms. Carter, did you really fake your mother’s death for money?”
“Is it true you only got close to Julian to steal from his family?”
“We have proof you’re a fraud. What do you have to say?”
Questions hit from every direction. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. Camera flashes popped in my eyes until I couldn’t see straight.
Then the doors at the back banged open.
Julian walked in with Vivian hooked on his arm and a line of bodyguards behind them. He made a beeline for me, eyes like stone.
He had the fake evidence in his hand, and he threw it in my face. The hard corner of the file grazed my cheek, leaving a stinging red mark.
“How long are you going to keep this act up, Lily?”
He stood over me. “I didn’t think anyone could be this shameless. You like money, don’t you? Here.”
He pulled out a thick wad of cash and flung it at my head. The heat of humiliation burned through me.
Vivian pressed into Julian, eyes welling. Her voice went soft and sweet. “Lily, how could you? After everything Julian did for you?”
The reporters closed in, cameras trained on me. Every flash caught me at my lowest.
A voice cut through the noise. “Think twice before you start throwing accusations, Mr. Sterling.”
Adrian stepped onto the stage, shielding me from the cameras. He scanned the room. He didn’t fumble with wires; he simply signaled the control booth.
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The massive backdrop screen behind us flickered to life. A grainy video feed flashed onto the screen.
High-definition security footage.
Vivian was handing a thick envelope to a man.
“Good work. Here’s the rest of it. Remember, stick to the script. As far as Julian knows, Lily orchestrated the
whole thing.”
The video cut. Then came the documents.
Mom’s death certificate verifying the date. Her cremation records. Bank transfers from Vivian to a hacker,
with amounts and timestamps.
A signed confession from the cousin she’d paid off, laying out exactly how she’d bought his lies.
It was all there. Undeniable.
The room erupted. Every camera swung to Vivian. The color drained from her face. She looked like she
might pass out.
She grabbed Julian’s arm, words tumbling out. “No! Julian, that’s not what happened! You have to listen! She
set me up! This is all Lily’s doing!”
Julian went still. He stared at the screen, then down at Vivian clinging to his arm. Something in his face
shifted.
Adrian’s gaze was cold, almost pitying. “You only see what you want, Mr. Sterling. You were so desperate to
paint her as the villain, you never stopped to look at the woman standing right next to you.”
He took my hand and walked me out, while everyone watched.
Julian just stood there, watching us go. He wanted to go after us, but he couldn’t make himself move. He
turned to Vivian. She’d never seen him look at her like that, like she was something distinct from the dirt on
his shoe.
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Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.
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