He had to admit it—he had underestimated this woman. Clarao laughed smugly, her voice dripping with disdain. “Hahaha, Liza, you still won’t admit to destroying Time Flows? How stubborn can you be? Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone as foolish as you. Using such a ridiculous method to frame someone? What were you even thinking? If you kneel and beg for forgiveness now, maybe—just maybe—the Reed Family will consider letting you off the hook.” The hotel manager tried to interject, “Um…” Ignoring him, Sophia sighed dramatically and shook her head as if she were utterly disappointed. “Liza, you could’ve avoided all this if you hadn’t insisted on calling the police. If you had just left quietly, this wouldn’t have escalated. Now that things have spiraled out of control, what’s your plan for the future?” The manager attempted to speak again. “Miss Sophia… If I could just—”Sophia continued, cutting him off as she took Lady Reed’s hand. “Forget it. I’m feeling generous. I’ll let this go. Liza, leave the hotel immediately. Mom, let’s go back to the banquet.” “Miss Sophia! Please, listen to me!” the manager finally shouted, his voice firm enough to command attention. Everyone turned to look at him, curiosity evident in their expressions. The manager adjusted his posture, tugged on his blazer, and offered a professional smile. “Miss Sophia, I understand you’re upset, but I haven’t finished speaking. While it’s true the hotel’s main surveillance cameras malfunctioned, we have backup hidden cameras installed for extra security. “And, as luck would have it, two of those hidden cameras were positioned perfectly to capture Time Flows in the exact location it was displayed.” A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. The manager continued calmly, “While you were discussing things earlier, I already instructed my team to retrieve the footage. We’ve copied it to a USB drive. If you’ll allow me, I’ll display it now.” Liza’s lips curled into the faintest of smiles, so subtle that only the sharpest observer might notice. The color drained from Sophia’s face in an instant. She froze, her body rigid as if struck by lightning. The manager took the USB drive handed to him by an assistant, plugged it into a laptop, and opened the file. Within moments, the surveillance footage appeared on the screen, ready to play. He stepped back respectfully. “Miss Sophia, please review the footage.” The atmosphere in the room shifted palpably. Many of the onlookers, who had assumed Liza was guilty, now leaned forward with a mix of anticipation and unease. “She’s finished now,” someone whispered, convinced that Liza would soon be exposed and punished. The footage began to play, the scenes unfolding clearly on the screen.As the seconds ticked by, the tension in the air grew thicker. Sophia’s mind raced, her panic mounting with each frame that passed. She glanced at Liza, who stood there, calm and composed. The realization hit her like a tidal wave—Liza had been setting her up from the start. That woman! That cunning, infuriating woman! Sophia’s mind spiraled into panic. The surveillance footage couldn’t be shown—under no circumstances. If the guests saw what truly happened, it would be the end of her carefully crafted facade. Her face turned pale as she lunged toward the manager, but her desperate attempt to intervene came too late. The crowd’s excitement was palpable. “Serves her right! Did she really think a top-tier hotel like this wouldn’t have backup cameras?” someone sneered. “I bet she looked downright wicked while ruining Time Flows. Let’s see the truth!”“Wait… What’s that? Who’s holding the knife?” “What?!” The murmurs were interrupted as Sophia bolted forward like a woman possessed, shoving the manager aside and shielding the computer screen with her body. Her voice was shrill and unsteady as she screamed, “Don’t look! Don’t look!” But the damage was already done. The footage clearly revealed the truth. Sophia was seen pulling a knife from her bag, slicing through the priceless dress, and then placing the blade into Liza’s hand. From start to finish, Liza had not even touched Time Flows. The knife wasn’t hers; it had been Sophia’s all along. The revelation stunned everyone into silence. The room seemed frozen in time, each guest staring in disbelief at the screen and then at the now-panicked Sophia. For a moment, there was only silence. Then, slow, deliberate clapping broke through the tension.Liza’s steady applause echoed through the hall as she spoke with a hint of amusement. “Well, well. What a remarkable performance, Miss Sophia. Let me guess—you must have been thrilled when you heard the surveillance cameras were broken, weren’t you? I imagine you were already celebrating in your mind, eager to pin this on me and tarnish my reputation. But did you really think no one would think to check the hidden cameras?” The manager stepped forward, his tone professional yet sharp. “As soon as we discovered the main surveillance cameras were sabotaged, our team began an internal investigation. It was uncovered that the person responsible for destroying the cameras was Miss Sophia herself. Initially, I chose not to confront her directly, assuming it was done for privacy reasons. I never imagined she’d turn around and attempt to frame someone else. Such behavior is truly reprehensible.” The footage replayed on the screen, confirming every damning detail. The guests, who once admired Sophia for her elegance and poise, now saw her in a completely different light. The image of her tearing the dress, the malicious glint in her eyes, and her cold, calculated actions were enough to make one’s blood run cold. The whispers grew louder. “She’s not at all who we thought she was…” “To think I once admired her—how terrifying.” “She looks completely unhinged. Her true colors are so ugly.” Sophia stood frozen, her face drained of all color, her carefully constructed persona shattered in front of everyone.