Maron couldn't help but glance at Elise, who had remained perfectly composed from the very beginning.

He had been genuinely surprised to encounter her at the studio today. Years ago, he had done everything in his power to convince Elise to stay in Astonia. He could have propelled her to the very top of the international fashion scene. The nation's royalty had even reached out, specifically requesting Lovely's personal designs.

Yet she had refused, claiming she was choosing something far more important than fame and recognition.

Before returning to Zidonia, she had agreed to meet with Maron one last time to thank him for his years of unwavering support. She mentioned she might retire from fashion design entirely and focus on business instead. He had naturally pleaded with her not to abandon her craft, insisting he would never demand a yearly quota of designs from her. All he wanted was for her not to give up on her own dreams, because he could feel the burning passion she held for fashion design.

Fortunately, she had listened to his counsel. That was why, over the last few years, her breathtaking designs had occasionally surfaced in the market.

Even so, the audience remained deeply skeptical.

"Those are just empty words!"

Maron scowled. A public figure of his international stature should not have to endure such relentless, repeated questioning on behalf of another.

With a solemn expression and a voice that resonated with authority, he declared, "Elise is Lovely! I give you my personal guarantee on this, staking my authority and reputation as an editor of the world's most renowned fashion magazine and as a chief fashion designer!"

In reality, when a public figure of his caliber steps forward to vouch for someone, even putting their own hard-earned reputation on the line, it should be proof enough.

There was no rational reason to question his integrity. However, the audience members who had been bribed by Samuel were determined to swing public sentiment against Elise at any cost.

"I can prove my own identity," Elise stated bluntly at that moment, unwilling to let Maron face further harassment on her account.

This man had discovered her, mentored her, and become a true friend.

Elise had always been aloof. Her abusive family had left her paranoid and deeply distrustful of everyone. It was why she had refused to reveal her face as Lovely. This decision naturally put her at odds with media outlets from multiple nations, who almost succeeded in canceling her career entirely.

That was when Maron had stepped in. He took on the role of her referee, championing her designs until they were accepted and celebrated across the globe.

Her living conditions improved dramatically as a result. But just as her fashion career was reaching its pinnacle, she gave it all up and returned to Zidonia for Samuel's sake.

She had been convinced that it was rare to find someone who didn't despise her for her past, someone who could truly accept her. She told herself she must cherish him and learn to be grateful.

That was why she sacrificed her career, engaging in endless social drinking to attract sponsors and secure contracts, all to help Samuel pull Mitchell Corp back from the brink of collapse. There was a time when the alcohol seemed to drown her senses, leaving her utterly fatigued with design. She found no joy in it anymore, let alone any creative inspiration. If Maron had not continuously encouraged her and helped her rediscover her original spark, she would never have returned to fashion design at all.

Despite sacrificing so much for Samuel, she never told him, convinced he already knew.

The outcome was bitterly ironic. The man to whom she had given her heart was now doing everything in his power to discredit her and strip her of everything she had.

Pushing those turbulent emotions deep down, Elise turned to the host. "May I ask a crew member to bring me my phone from the dressing room?"

"Of course," the host nodded. A crew member swiftly retrieved Elise's phone.

With the phone in hand, she calmly tapped the screen and spoke clearly into the microphone. "Now, I would like everyone to check Lovely's official Twitter and Facebook pages for the most recent update."

Immediately, the live audience whipped out their phones. The livestream viewers simultaneously logged into their respective social media accounts to check.

There it was, displayed on both of Lovely's official social network pages for all to see: [Greetings. My name is Elise Scott!]