Chapter 328

Chapter 328:

“Inviting someone to strut on the runway only to be mistreated? Aria Fashion, you owe us an explanation!” The crowd rallied behind Maxine, largely due to Sierra’s influence. Aria Fashion had the audacity to offend Sierra’s friend—a move that could only be interpreted as a death wish.

The manager was visibly sweating bullets. Moments before, he had been the recipient of high praise, but now he found himself under the harsh glare of scrutiny. The partnering executives fixed their stern gazes on him, their demands for an explanation thick in the air.

Buckling under the weight of public condemnation, he had no choice but to step forward. “I deeply apologize,” he started, his voice laced with regret. “The oversight was mine. Our models manage their own outfits, which are quite valuable. Everyone handled their garments impeccably, except for an unfortunate incident with Maxine’s. At the time, I was admittedly upset, but in retrospect, I realize my reaction was hasty and ill-considered.”

His attempt to plead ignorance did little to quell the uproar from Sierra’s supporters in the crowd.

A voice from the audience cut through the tension, sharp and skeptical. “You’re quite aware of what transpired. Was this mishap genuinely Maxine’s fault?”

“We will investigate the specifics further,” the manager assured swiftly, eager to defuse the situation. “Rest assured, we will clear Maxine’s name.”

“There’s no need for further investigation.” Madisyn had risen from her seat and was now advancing towards the stage.

The manager blinked in surprise. “Miss Johns?”

“Yes. You have surveillance footage backstage that can easily be reviewed,” Madisyn replied coolly.

A fleeting sense of relief passed through him. Surveillance footage? He had disabled that long ago.

Backstage, Tatiana smirked. Madisyn was fooling herself if she thought they hadn’t covered their tracks thoroughly.

With a mere gesture from Madisyn, the large screen behind the runway flickered to life, displaying footage. The manager’s eyes widened. When had Madisyn gained access to their system?

The screen revealed a clear view of the backstage area, focusing directly on the dressing room door. After Maxine’s assistant put the dress in the dressing room, a figure approached, toying with a pair of scissors. Seemingly aware of the lack of surveillance, the person swaggered in arrogantly and left with a smug expression, evidently pleased with her handiwork. The figure appeared malicious and spiteful.

Maxine had already guessed who the perpetrator was, yet she still couldn’t mask her astonishment. “This is Tatiana’s assistant?” The audience was in an uproar. It wasn’t entirely unexpected. The discord between Tatiana and Maxine was no secret, but this blatant sabotage during such a pivotal event crossed a new line of malevolence.

A wave of revulsion swept through the crowd. “How vile! It was indeed Tatiana.”

“Clearly, the Aria Fashion manager must have been complicit. Why else would he demand compensation from Maxine together with Tatiana? I’ll hate them for the rest of my life.”

“Disgusting!”

Tatiana, witnessing this spectacle, seethed with rage. Damn it! How could this happen? Her humiliation intensified as the jeers from the crowd continued. Hadn’t the manager ensured the surveillance was disabled?

The manager was equally flustered, his brow slick with sweat. “How could this occur? This was clearly intentional. We will interrogate the responsible party thoroughly to get justice for Maxine.”

Madisyn fixed her gaze on him. “Since we’re all here, perhaps you’d care to explain?”

Attempting to salvage his integrity, the manager responded, “We absolutely condemn such reprehensible actions at our show. The guilty party will be held accountable for the damage caused.”

“And what about compensation for Maxine’s emotional distress?” Madisyn asked.

“Of course, that will be considered. Let’s hear what Maxine suggests.” The manager deliberately passed the question to Maxine, confident that she would not demand a substantial amount of compensation, thus avoiding any appearance of greed in front of the audience.

Maxine declared, “Then let’s proceed with the penalty for breach of contract.”

The mention of a breach of contract penalty earned Maxine looks of admiration from many in the crowd. The contract stipulated that the penalty would be ten times the appearance fee—a sum initially intended to be paid by Maxine, but now the responsibility fell to the manager.

Silenced and seething internally, the manager managed a begrudging, “Alright, alright.”

As the fashion show drew to a close, Maxine headed backstage to change. Tatiana, cold fury etched across her face, watched her intently. Without a word, Maxine walked past her, but Tatiana reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

“You’re getting bolder by the day,” Tatiana remarked icily.

Maxine responded with a sharp edge of sarcasm, “No matter how bold I am, I haven’t harmed anyone. If anyone’s bold, it should be you, Tatiana. You’re one of the rare ruthless ones in the entertainment industry.”

Tatiana’s eyes narrowed. As models continued to pass by, the collective gaze of everyone in the vicinity shifted toward Tatiana, whose actions had painted her in a distinctly unfavorable light. Everyone started to disdain her now.

It only fueled Tatiana’s rage. “Maxine, don’t you understand the consequences of your actions?” she hissed, her voice sharp with anger.

“I’ve seen the consequences for you,” Maxine retorted with a mischievous grin, her expression so provocative that Tatiana felt an almost visceral urge to tear her face apart.

At that moment, the manager approached, attempting to diffuse the tension. “Tatiana, let’s talk over there.”

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