Chapter 1 The Accident

A deafening crash shattered the air.

"Something's terribly wrong! The scaffolding has collapsed! Hurry, we need to save them!"

The makeshift scaffolding gave way suddenly, smashing two lead actresses and a group of dancers to the floor, throwing the venue into chaos.

Madison Dixon found herself trapped, her left leg wedged painfully between splintered wooden planks. Amid the tumult, a frantic voice pierced the commotion. "Watch out! The chandelier's coming loose!"

Her eyes shot upwards, terror seizing her as the crystal chandelier danced ominously overhead.

The potential disaster loomed large; a direct hit could be devastating.

Her complexion drained to a ghostly white, fear etched across her features as she struggled against the merciless wood. Each tug sent sharp stabs of pain up her leg, with blood beginning to seep out, staining the wooden shards.

The thought of ripping her skin in a desperate attempt to escape chilled her to the bone.

In her most vulnerable moment, she scanned the horrified crowd, her gaze catching a familiar, rushing silhouette-Colten Pearson, her fiance.

Hope flickered as she reached out to him, but her heart sank when he unexpectedly darted past her. His focus was elsewhere; he swept Lana Elliott into his arms, her co-star who lay crumpled nearby.

"Don't worry, I've got you," he assured Lana, cradling her securely.

"Colten!" Crying, Lana clung to Colten, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

Colten offered a silent comfort to her, effortlessly lifting her from the stage without so much as a fleeting look towards Madison, even though she was closer to him and was going to marry him.

As fate would have it, the wire of a light fixture suddenly gave way, plunging the stage into an enveloping darkness.

Just before the shadows enveloped everything, Madison's eyes searched for Colten, but he never turned back.

Overwhelmed by a primal urge to survive, she clenched her teeth tightly, wrestling her leg free with desperate strength. The eerie sound of wooden planks being forcibly torn away filled her ears.

Her left leg was suddenly released, and in the next breath, a firm grip hauled her from her perilous position.

With a thunderous crash, the crystal chandelier plummeted to the floor, scattering shards of glass in every direction.

As instinct took over, Madison raised her arms to guard herself, but a strong presence was already standing between her and danger.

With the lights returning, the stage was laid bare, a scene of utter devastation and ruin.

Yet, the mysterious savior who had intervened was already gone.

In a panic, Madison scanned the chaos, her gaze finally fixing on Colten.

At the critical moment the chandelier had fallen, he had thrown himself protectively over Lana.

With Lana still clutching his waist, he made no move to pull away, a silent statement of what mattered most to him.

A wry smile ghosted across Madison's lips, laced with quiet sorrow.

She had almost convinced herself that Colten had returned to save her.

The director's voice boomed across the set, his tone sharp and accusing. "What the hell happened here? If that chandelier had fallen on someone, it would have been a disaster."

His fury was palpable, a storm brewing in his eyes as he confronted the props manager, who scrambled for words, desperately trying to shift the blame.

Amid the escalating uproar, Colten finally turned his piercing gaze towards Madison. His eyebrows knitted together as he noticed her bleeding left leg. From a distance, Madison couldn't see his expression clearly.

Cradled in his arms, Lana gasped, her voice slicing through the commotion. "Madison, did you try to kill me?"

Her accusation echoed, abruptly silencing the room.

Colten's features hardened, the air around him turning frigid. "What exactly happened here?"

Tears welled up in Lana's eyes, spilling over as she recounted her story.

"I saw Madison by the light fixture earlier, fiddling with the wire. I didn't think it was anything serious at the time. She confronted me just before we went on stage, claiming I didn't deserve to compete for the spot in the state troupe. I've poured my heart into this, and I just wanted a chance..."

Her eyes brimming with tears, she gazed at Colten and went on, "I only wanted to chase my dreams, but I never imagined she'd stoop to this."

"Shattered Wings," the school drama club's latest sensation, starred two promising lead actresses. It was recognized as a gateway for aspiring performers hoping to enter the prestigious state troupe.

Yet, the competition was fierce; there was only one opening, and the choice would inevitably come down to either Madison or Lana.

From the group of dancers, a voice rose, breaking the tense silence. "Had the stage not given way, that chandelier would have crashed right onto Lana's head."

"Oh my God! Imagine if it had struck her while she was performing. Could she have even survived such an assault? To commit such a heinous act over a mere spot?"

"It's deeper than just the spot. Colten harbors feelings for Lana, yet Madison, the fiancee his family chose, has been tormenting Lana behind the scenes. I believe that, regardless of the role, she had every intention of getting rid of Lana."

A fleeting spark of triumph flickered in Lana's eyes, though she quickly masked it with practiced ease.

Grasping Colten's sleeve, she looked up at him with tearful eyes. "Colten, thank goodness you came for me. Let's just put this behind us, shall we?"

Her feigned benevolence only fueled the whispers further, some voices now vehemently calling for legal action against Madison, branding her a would-be murderer.

Facing the growing hostility, Madison's expression hardened; her fists balled at her sides, her face ashen yet resolute. "Then go ahead, call the police. But I will not confess to a crime I didn't commit!"