The man's Adam's apple bobbed nervously. He pulled out his phone and said, "Sir, here is the transfer record of the money Ruth paid me. She gave me thirty thousand dollars to publicly defame that gentleman over there. I compromised my integrity for the money, and I deeply regret it."

While the transfer record and the man's admission were genuine, his expression showed no remorse-only fear.

He was clearly intimidated by something he had witnessed earlier: an elderly man who could leave a palm print on a wall with his bare hand and another who could crush a porcelain teacup effortlessly.

Initially, the group had mocked these old men, calling them insane when they were caught. But it didn't take long for them to realize that the true insanity lay in underestimating these seemingly ordinary elderly men.

“I also have a transfer record," another man chimed in, stepping forward to show his phone to the officer.

"Sir, this is my social media account showing transactions from Miss Ruiz's account. She promised me $30, @00 to cause a scene here, and another $30, 000 if it went well. Shame on me for selling my conscience for money."

One by one, others in the group stepped forward, handing their phones over to the officer.

"What are you talking about? That's not the name of my social media account. When did I ever give you any money?" Ruth exclaimed in frustration, pulling out her phone to prove her innocence.

However, before she could show anything, Lilah swiftly took the phone from her hands. With a few swipes, she opened Ruth's alternate account, took a photo of the profile page with her own phone, and projected it onto the large screen for all to see.

The name on the homepage matched the account that had transferred money to the accusers. The profile picture was of a girl seen from behind, posing valiantly.

"Miss Ruiz, next time remember to close your alternate account,"

Lilah remarked with a mocking glint in her eyes. Enraged, Ruth attempted to snatch her phone back, but Lilah dodged effortlessly.

She found the damning transfer records, took another photo, and displayed it again on the big screen.

With the evidence now undeniable and all eyes on her, Ruth found herself at a loss for words.

“Miss Ruiz, I need you to cooperate with our investigation. Please come with me."

"Oh my God. The truth is like this. I didn't expect it to be a setup. How vicious of her!"

"What grudge did they harbor against each other? Why would she conspire against Miss Phillips? And to think an innocent person was involved. I feel so sorry for the perfumer who was accused of plagiarizing!"

“It's despicable, the lengths people will go to manipulate in secret. Had Miss Phillips not uncovered the truth just in time, she and the perfumer could have suffered irreparable damage from wrongful accusations!"

The audience buzzed with a heated discussion.

Meanwhile, beneath the stage lights, Ruth's eyes brimmed with tears of rage, and her disdain for Lilah deepened amidst the crowd's growing disapproval.

"Guys, we all understand the devastating impact of slander on a creator's reputation. I am here to affirm that Trey is not just a perfumer; he is a visionary in his field. His talent has given birth to fragrances that have charmed our senses and won the hearts of many consumers..."

Lilah paused, her gaze sweeping over the audience.

Lilah's gaze moved over the crowd. She experienced a sense of powerlessness.

"We, as creators of romance, wished there were more dreamers like Trey in the perfume industry, willing to work diligently. I hope you can handle criticism with reason. It's important to have a balanced view, not to accept everything without question."