Andy fell off the stairs

Hearing the rumors, a smirk crossed across Andy's face as a plan formed in her mind

then—she jumped onto Esther without warning, clinging to Esther's hand. Esther's skin crawled under Andy's touch, but she didn't flinch. To others' side of view, it would look as if Andy was holding Esther's hand lovingly. Today, Andy was determined to smear Esther's name for good. Esther didn't touch Andy when Andy pushed herself backwards and rolled down the floor. "Aaargh!!" Andy screamed, feeling a searing pain in her head when she hit the staircase. Her petite body rolled down the stairs until she stopped, losing consciousness.

The crowd gasped in shock, their faces pale with horror. Then they all stared at Esther, their eyes filled with accusation and anger. "Murderer.." "She tried to kill Andy Ibarra at her own party—" "She is a killer—someone called the police." "Isn't she scared of retribution." "Yes—she can't go unharmed." "Call security before she tries to escape."

"You're a monster, Esther!" someone shouted. "How could you do this to Andy?" another guest chimed in. "You're just a low-class maid, what do you know about dignity?" a third person sneered.

At the corner of her eyes, Esther saw Lilith and Genesis's smug faces as they approached Andy. "Why would you act so barbarously, Esther?? This isn't your first time acting irrationally and hitting someone. Andy came to apologize even though you were the one who caused me pain." Genesis even showed the bandage wrapped around her head. They also recalled the live video were Genesis Stokes was harassed by Gilbert Gu. This made everyone see Esther as nothing more than a bully and a criminal.

"You're a menace, Esther!" Lilith spat. "You're always causing trouble wherever you go." "Yeah, she's got a grudge against the Ibarras," another guest chimed in. "She's just jealous of Andy's wealth and status."

"First, you slap me, set me up and now you are hitting Andy—what grudge do you have against us. Isn't the Strokes family treating you so well—" "So she is some maid at the Strokes—that's why she is so confident." "Even with such status, she dared to offend a big shot like Andy." "Is she not scared of retribution." "Shame!? Country bumpkin like her should worship Andy, but here she is causing trouble in such a grand party."

"You're nothing but a servant, Esther," someone jeered. "You should know your place." "Yeah, you're just a nobody, what makes you think you can take on the Ibarras?" another guest chimed in.

Esther's face remained calm and unreadable, her eyes analyzing the situation. Andy sure played her cards right—making Esther look evil and barbarous, but what she didn't know was that Esther was a master at this game.

Before coming to the party—she hacked into the security surveillance system, which meant that whatever happened would be reported on her device. At that time, Esther didn't think it would come in handy, but now that this incident occurred, she felt a pang of pity towards Andy.

Esther stared at the crowds with an unreadable expression as she retorted. "What if I prove I am innocent and all this is preplanned?" "What are you saying, Esther? Everyone saw you push Andy." Lilith intervened, not hiding her deep-rooted hatred for Esther.

...

Esther's eyes locked onto Lilith's, her gaze piercing. " if I prove I am indeed innocent and framed—I want my ties with the Strokes cut off, but if I don't, I would accept retribution from the higher-ups. With everyone here as witnesses—no justice would go unserved." Her voice was calm, but her words hung in the air like a challenge.

Esther's fingers flew across her device, connecting it to the projector. The screen behind her flickered to life, displaying a frozen image. "What is still there to prove?" Genesis added, her voice laced with venom. "Are you trying to say we are all blind and that you are the innocent one—are our eyes not working well. Can't we tell from good to bad."

The guests murmured in agreement, their faces twisted in disgust. "We all know that Andy is innocent, so give up this act. It's better you stop this charade and apologize, maybe your punishment would be reduced," someone suggested.

"Accept it Esther—everyone knows the truth," Lilith chimed in, her voice dripping with malice. But Esther's words had struck a chord. Lilith's eyes narrowed, her face growing warm with anger.

"Are you really sure you can tell from bad and good, Lilith Clay?" Esther asked, her voice laced with sarcasm. The words hit Lilith hard, and she felt a surge of defensiveness. She knew very well what Esther was implying. After that day in the cafeteria, she had been seen by peers as someone who supports the rich and looks down on the poor.

Lilith's face grew hot with anger, but she remained silent, unsure of how to respond. But then Lilith's eyes gleamed with a mix of satisfaction and relief as she thought about the consequences that Esther would face. "So what if it's just a matter of a few days before her name is cleared?" Lilith thought to herself. "Esther would be taken to jail and wouldn't be spared."

The thought of Esther facing the full force of the law brought a sense of vindication to Lilith. She knew that the Ibarra family wouldn't sit on their hands, not after what happened to Andy. The memory of Andy's battered face and twisted ankle still lingered in her mind, fueling her desire for revenge against Esther.

Lilith's gaze drifted to the Ibarra family, her eyes taking in the tense expressions on their faces.

"They won't let her get away with this," Lilith thought to herself. "They'll make sure she pays for what she did to Andy." The thought brought a sense of satisfaction to Lilith, and she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She knew that Esther's fate was all but sealed.