Chapter 121

Within seconds, everyone collapsed to the floor in agony.

Victoria Kensington was among them. She writhed on the ground, clutching her stomach weakly. Her cries were pitiful. "It hurts... Please, someone help..." Beads of sweat covered her forehead. Her suffering appeared genuine.

The event organizers sprang into action. Archibald Worthington barked orders. "Cut the music! Get medical assistance now!"

The background music ceased abruptly. Assistants rushed to reorganize the stage. They leveled the platforms that were previously set at varying heights.

Isabella Montgomery moved first. She approached the nearest model kneeling beside her. It was Genevieve Laurent! Genevieve had curled into a fetal position. She glared at Isabella with pure hatred. But the pain was too severe. She couldn't form any words.

Isabella reached out. She checked Genevieve's forehead. She felt for a pulse.

Genevieve's assistant saw this and shoved Isabella away. "Who do you think you are? A doctor? Get away from her!"

The push caught Isabella off balance. She fell to the floor. She didn't seem bothered. She sat casually, one leg bent. Her hand rested loosely on her knee. "Relax. It's acute food poisoning. Halophilic bacteria. It'll pass in two days."

Camille Laurent didn't understand the medical terms. She saw Isabella's calm demeanor and snapped. "You're not in any pain! Look at them! They're suffering!"

"Exactly. Stop pretending you know anything. Just shut up," another assistant joined in, this one from Seraphina Delacroix's team. The hostility toward Isabella was palpable.

Nathaniel Blackwood had already coordinated with the organizers. He ensured the audience was escorted out. His gaze found Isabella. He turned to Sebastian Blackwood. "Go. Check on them. Now."

"Why? It's not my sister-in-law who's sick. Don't you have other doctors for this?" Sebastian teased, remaining seated. He was a doctor but notoriously selective with patients.

Nathaniel's voice was low. "That's precisely why it's complicated."

Sebastian's smirk vanished. He understood the implication. He rushed forward immediately. He examined each supermodel, noting their symptoms. His expression turned grave. "It's acute food poisoning. Caused by halophilic bacteria."

Camille heard the term again. "What is halophilic bacteria?"

"Vibrio parahaemolyticus," Sebastian explained professionally. "A gram-negative bacillus. Thrives in salty environments. Can survive over forty-seven days in seawater. Causes severe abdominal pain and diarrhea. It's a popular choice on the black market. Tasteless. Easy to store. Not lethal, but excruciatingly painful."

A wave of shock passed through the group. "So this wasn't accidental? We were poisoned on purpose?"

"Who... who would do this to all of us?"

"We barely ate anything today..."

The models lay weakly in their assistants' arms, murmuring their fears. Suddenly, Seraphina Delacroix gasped. "The strawberries... We all ate the strawberries..."

Strawberries!

"That's right! Beatrice Holloway brought them..."

"But we all ate them. Why is Isabella completely fine?" Isadora Vasquez's weak voice cut through the murmurs.

Every eye in the room turned to Isabella. Amid the chaos of contorted, crying faces, she alone sat composed and unaffected. She looked utterly unperturbed.

Victoria's face paled. She quickly turned to Isadora. "Don't say such things! It can't be my sister! I know we've had our issues, but she would never do this!"

"You're right..." Isadora replied meekly.

But the seed of suspicion was planted. The other models had heard. Their distrust grew visibly. Seraphina Delacroix glared at Isabella, her voice accusing. "Isabella. It was you... You did this! Didn't you? Because we all bullied you! This is your revenge!"