The room erupted in a cacophony of gasps and whispers. The carefully constructed facade of the awards ceremony shattered, replaced by a raw, electric tension. Selena's face contorted with barely suppressed rage, her knuckles white as she gripped the armrest. Jacob Swan, his face a mask of disbelief and fury, shot a venomous glare at his daughter. Ella Swan's saccharine smile evaporated, revealing a flash of icy calculation before she attempted to regain control.
Echinacia's nonchalant sip of red wine only amplified the drama. The crimson liquid stained her lips, mirroring the simmering anger in her eyes. Her casual dismissal of Ella's attempt at affection was delivered with a chilling grace that sent a ripple of unease through the room.
"Dead?" Ella repeated, her voice laced with false concern.
"What do you remember when the two of you knelt down begging me to take the fall for Selena crime? Her hit and run?" Echinacia said.
"Sister why didn't you tell us you were released we have been worried about you," Selena asked in fake voice with fake tears.
Echinacia's eyes flashed with a mix of disgust and pity as she regarded Selena's crocodile tears. The room held its breath, the air thick with anticipation. She took another sip of her wine, savoring the moment.
"Worried about me?" Echinacia echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"How touching. I'm sure your concern knows no bounds."
She turned her gaze to Jacob Swan, his face a storm of barely contained fury.
"And you, Father," she spat the title like a curse.
"Did you truly believe I would forget so easily? That I would simply disappear and let Selena steal everything I worked for?"
A murmur rippled through the crowd. The cameras flashed wildly, capturing every moment of the explosive confrontation. Echinacia stood tall, a beacon of defiance amidst the chaos.
"I am Echinacia Roaz," she declared, her voice ringing out like a clarion call.
"The true designer behind Golden Rose. The composer whose music you've been dancing to. The actress whose performances have moved you to tears."
She took a step closer to Selena, their faces inches apart.
"And tonight."
"You are sick! Don't listen to her she is ill and crazy," Jacob said and Selena understood what her father was trying to say and do and without a second thought like father and daughter came with a away to twist the truth.
Echinacia's eyes narrowed, a cold smile playing on her lips as she watched the Swans scramble to salvage their crumbling facade. Jacob's desperate attempt to discredit her only fueled her determination.
"Crazy?" she echoed, her voice dripping with amusement.
"How convenient for you to label me as such when I speak the truth."
She turned to the audience, her gaze sweeping across the sea of faces. The cameras continued to flash, capturing every nuance of her expression.
"You see," she began, her voice rising to fill the room.
"The Swans have built their empire on lies and deceit. They stole my designs, my music, my very identity. And for what? Power? Fame?"
A ripple of unease passed through the crowd. Some looked skeptical, others intrigued by Echinacia's bold accusations.
"But tonight," she continued, her voice dropping to a dramatic whisper.
"I will expose them for what they truly are. Let's start with my dear old adoptive mother what has she taken from me? Mmm want to know I shall tell!" Echinacea said as she walked over.
"Ocean Jewel Dynasty company do you all want to know who made all those stunning jewelry?" Echincia said.
Echinacia's eyes narrowed, a cold smile playing on her lips as she watched the Swans scramble to salvage their crumbling facade. Jacob's desperate attempt to discredit her only fueled her determination.
"Crazy?" she echoed, her voice dripping with amusement.
"How convenient for you to label me as such when I speak the truth."
She turned to the audience, her gaze sweeping across the sea of faces. The cameras continued to flash, capturing every nuance of her expression.
"You see," she began, her voice rising to fill the room.
"The Swans have built their empire on lies and deceit. They stole my designs, my music, my very identity. And for what? Power? Fame?"
A ripple of unease passed through the crowd. Some looked skeptical, others intrigued by Echinacia's bold accusations.
"But tonight," she continued, her voice dropping to a dramatic whisper.
"I will expose them for what they truly are. Let's start with my dear old adoptive mother what has she taken from me? Mmm want to know I shall tell!" Echinacea said as she walked over.
The room erupted into chaos. Gasps, murmurs, and outright exclamations of disbelief filled the air. Cameras flashed wildly, capturing the pandemonium. Jacob Swan's face contorted with rage, his hand still raised from the slap he'd delivered to Echinacia. Ella Swan stood frozen, her eyes wide with panic.
Selena, meanwhile, had regained some of her composure. She stepped forward, her voice shrill as she tried to regain control of the situation.
"That's enough!" she snapped.
"Echinacia is clearly delusional. She's making wild accusations without any proof."
But Echinacia was undeterred. She rubbed her cheek where Jacob had slapped her, a cold smile playing on her lips.
"Proof?" she echoed mockingly.
"Yes she is crazy and a psycho, who even killed her own father," Jacob said. Echinacia laughed she laughed like a madwoman.
"How about I say it mm? Okay everyone those companies I say I will tell you about them," Echinacia said.
Echinacia's laughter echoed through the chaos, a discordant note that silenced the murmurs. She wiped a tear from her eye, her gaze never leaving the Swans' faces.
"You want proof?" she asked, her voice dripping with venom.
"Very well. Let's start with Swan Tech."
She reached into her purse and pulled out a small device, pressing a button. Suddenly, screens around the auditorium flickered to life, displaying a montage of images and documents.
"The blueprints for Swan Tech's groundbreaking AI systems," Echinacia narrated, pointing at the screens.
"The patents for their revolutionary energy solutions."
"And let's not forget their cuttingedge biotech research."
She turned to Jacob Swan, who stood stunned, his face pale.
"Do these look familiar, Daddy dearest? Or have you conveniently forgotten that I was the one who laid the foundation for your precious tech empire?"