Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 1083

A loud gasp broke the silence as the summit secretary burst into the room. Having failed to squeeze into the elevator, he had literally run up thirty-four flights of stairs. He looked like he was about to pass out.

"Mr. Schwartz..." The secretary doubled over, panting heavily, his face ashen. "I heard someone was plotting against you. Is this the woman?"

"N-no..." Lila whimpered as all eyes turned to her. Terrified, she dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "It wasn't my idea, I swear, I just..."

Through her tears, she looked directly at a very panicked Sheryl.

"Why are you looking at me?" Sheryl shrieked, jumping as if she'd been burned. "I don't even know you! This has nothing to do with me!"

Lila sobbed harder, her eyes already swollen and red from crying.

The entire room shifted their gaze to Sheryl, their expressions loaded with a mix of suspicion and disdain.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Sheryl widened her eyes, playing the innocent victim. "I was resting in the room next door. I have absolutely no idea what's happening here! Where are the security guards? Drag this woman out of here and hand her over to the cops!"

The security guard didn't move an inch. Instead, he kept his eyes glued to Shanley, waiting for an order.

But Shanley ignored everyone. He calmly continued shelling almonds for the woman he loved, treating the room full of elite guests like nothing more than thin air.

The crowd held their breath. No one dared to make a sound. It was impossible to predict what this ruthless man was about to do.

"Bored?" Shanley's low, gravelly voice finally shattered the silence, making everyone's hearts skip a beat. "How about we watch a little video?"

He clicked a remote, and the massive flat-screen TV roared to life. Crystal-clear footage played, showing Sheryl and Lila meticulously plotting the entire scheme right up to the moment they executed it.

Sheryl gasped, her pupils dilating in pure horror. She stared at the screen, her mind totally blank.

How was this possible? How did the video of her private conversation end up here?

In a flash, every single reporter in the room swiveled their heavy cameras directly at her. That was when the terrifying reality hit her—these weren't the reporters she had hired.

Her brother was safe? Hearing those words, Lila practically threw herself at Juniper's feet, bowing deeply to the floor.

"Ms. Payne, I'm so sorry!" Lila cried. "It was Sheryl! She forced me to get plastic surgery to look like you so I could seduce Mr. Schwartz! When I refused, she threatened to pull my brother's life-saving treatment! I never wanted to do this, I swear!"

"You lying bitch!" Faced with the shocked gasps of the crowd, Sheryl turned utterly feral. "Who paid you to slander me? I'll kill you!"

She lunged forward, raising her designer bag to strike Lila.

*Smack!*

Before Sheryl's bag could connect, a sharp slap rang out. Sheryl was sent crashing to the floor.

"Did I give you permission to speak?" Juniper rubbed her stinging wrist, her eyes perfectly calm as she looked down at the pathetic heap on the floor. "How rude."

The crowd watched in stunned silence.