With Colton questioning Allison, Melany was the most nervous. She had never explicitly claimed to be Scarlet Snake, but over the years, she'd allowed others to believe it. No one could prove otherwise; the real Scarlet Snake had long since vanished from the public eye, rumored to be in her sixties, possibly deceased. Melany had quietly enjoyed the praise and mystique surrounding the name.

“Colton, please… let it go,” she whispered, her voice tight with anxiety. In her mind, finishing third was enough. He hadn't aimed for the top; he'd played it safe. After all, he'd taken Scarlet Snake's formula, added his own tweaks, and used it to garner praise. Only after double-checking the entry list and confirming Scarlet Snake's absence had he dared to compete. But now, Colton was relentless.

“Let him go? No way. He won’t leave after robbing you.”

A knot of fear tightened in Melany's chest as she looked at the crowd, her curiosity piqued. The air felt thick, like a storm about to break. This couldn't come to light. She had to act fast.

“Please everyone, this isn’t what it seems…” Her voice wavered, her eyes filling with tears. “I gave Colton a similar perfume once, as a gift. Maybe… maybe Allison smelled it. Or maybe she was inspired by it. That would explain the similarities.”

Her tone was careful, deliberately veiled. She didn't directly accuse Allison of copying, but planted the seed of doubt, implying Allison had used her perfume for inspiration.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Rebecca exclaimed, her voice hot and indignant. “Are you suggesting Allison copied your perfume? How impertinent! Do you really think the judges can’t tell the difference between an original and a stupid knockoff?”

Rebecca's outburst drew a crowd, eager to see the commotion. Several leaned forward, intrigued, to compare the perfumes. Soon, experts emerged, nodding at Rebecca.

“True. There are similarities in the base notes, but number five is leagues ahead. The complexity… the depth is unmatched. Number three, on the other hand, is… well, it’s pretty basic.”

Another commented, “It could be a coincidence. Similar base notes do occur. But there’s no doubt number five is much more sophisticated.”

His words seemed diplomatic, but everyone knew otherwise. In perfumery, two creations based on different concepts shouldn't share such striking similarities. Perfume number five was like an intriguing story, while number three, though pleasant, was boring and unoriginal, as if its perfumer was hesitant to take risks.

“It seems… as if number three is… borrowing from number five.” Someone finally voiced the unspoken thought.

Colton chimed in, his tone heavy with sarcasm. “Impossible. Melany’s style has been established for years. It’s Allison she’s imitating, and not very well, I might add. It’s laughable how anyone can enter these contests these days. Maybe when they’re caught lying in court, they won’t find it so funny.”

Kellan replied, his conviction unwavering. “Lies? If you’re so sure number five is a fraud, where’s the evidence? Because if not, I’ll be happy to help Mrs. Clarke take this to court. Let’s see how you defend Melany and yourselves there.”

The atmosphere turned cold. A shiver of terror ran through the crowd; all eyes turned to Colton. Kellan’s firm had a terrifyingly efficient legal team.

Allison remained calm, her attention on Melany. Her gaze was firm, a slight smile playing at her lips.

“Earlier, Colton claimed you were Scarlet Snake. You didn’t say yes, or no. Now that the contest is over, with everyone watching, I’ll ask you again, Melany: are you Scarlet Snake?”

The room buzzed with anticipation. Melany's lips trembled, her composure crumbling under Allison's question. She had avoided answering, but Allison was leaving her no escape.

Just as Melany stammered an excuse, Colton stepped in front of her. “Of course she is!” he said, his voice firm. “Melany is just modest. She’s used many aliases in these competitions, unlike some people who blatantly cling to their connections.”

Rebecca laughed, her voice dripping with disdain. “You can’t be serious! Allison is the real Scarlet Snake. Some people should be more careful before pretending to be someone they can’t even measure up to.”

His words fell like a stone; everyone froze. Silence fell. Who was the real Scarlet Snake?