She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 406

Facing the pointed fingers and hushed whispers of the gathered socialites, Melanie finally understood why she had received a sudden invitation to this gala.

The entire evening had been explicitly tailored for her.

It was an ambush.

Melanie shifted her gaze to Elara. Elara was already looking at her, her face devoid of any petty, gloating smirk. Instead, she watched Melanie with a calm, suffocating arrogance—the kind of look reserved for someone utterly beneath her notice.

"Shouldn't the heiress of Royce Group explain herself?" a voice demanded from the crowd.

Caught off guard by the sudden interrogation, Melanie offered a careless smile. "Explain what?"

"Why you showed up to a high-society mixer carrying an exact replica of Miss Bennett's bag, of course. Who are you trying to insult?"

"Exactly! Hers is custom-made. It's shameless for you to copy her."

"And a knockoff, at that? Is Royce Group really struggling that much to make ends meet?"

Another wave of vicious attacks crashed over Melanie.

Through it all, Elara remained perfectly silent. She stood gracefully among the chattering socialites, looking like the picture of innocent tranquility.

Melanie didn't rush to defend herself. She waited for the shrill voices to die down before she finally spoke, directing her words solely at Elara.

"Miss Bennett, I personally selected the color, leather, texture, and hardware for this handbag at the boutique. It was custom-made for me. So, let me ask you: why do you have the exact same bag?"

The room erupted into an uproar.

"How dare you play the victim! Are you accusing Miss Bennett of carrying a fake?"

"Miss Bennett spends millions of dollars a year at Hermes. She's one of their top-tier clients! You think she'd carry a knockoff? Get real!"

"Seriously. If you're going to lie, at least make it believable."

As the wealthy women resumed their relentless overlapping chatter, Elara finally moved. She stepped gracefully out of the crowd and stopped right in front of Melanie.

They stood inches apart. One wore a striking black evening gown, the other pristine white. Both held identical classic orange Hermes handbags, creating a stark, almost theatrical contrast.

The retort caught Melanie off guard. When Preston had confided in her, she hadn't doubted a single word.

"Ms. Royce, he's just playing with you. Naturally, he wouldn't admit to having a fiancée," Elara whispered, her eyes gleaming with quiet triumph. "If things were truly over between us like you claim, why would I have this handbag?"

She glanced down at the bag in her hand.

Melanie's eyes followed. At this distance, the details were crystal clear. It was entirely identical to hers, and undeniably authentic.

"I'll tell you the truth," Elara murmured seamlessly. "Preston gave this to me. To him, you are nothing unique—just like this bag."

Her voice didn't waver. Her face remained perfectly composed. The sheer casualness of her delivery made the lie sound horrifyingly real.

Melanie fell silent.

Seeing her opponent speechless, the corners of Elara's lips curled upward. This entire socialite gathering had been orchestrated just for Melanie. She was going to make sure Melanie swallowed every last drop of this humiliation.

The women standing behind Elara hadn't caught the whispered exchange, but they had heard her earlier public declaration loud and clear.