225 The Fourth of July party 10

McKenzie didn't pay attention to her mother. She was on a mission to prevent people from drinking punch because every person who finishes that wretched drink will be marked as McKenzie's victim, and she will not let Liz win.

"Miss Bolton… You need to calm down.", a security guard dressed in a sharp black suit said while holding McKenzie's arm.

McKenzie struggled to break free. "Let me go! You don't understand! I need to stop people from drinking the fruit punch!"

"Why, Miss? Is there something wrong with it?", the security guard's question made McKenzie freeze.

She glanced around and this time she was confident that people are looking at her. And this time she was right about it. Everyone in the vicinity noticed her erratic behavior and looked her way. Some because they wanted to avoid getting in McKenzie's way, but most of them didn't want to miss a good show. After all, in this society, a good show worth gossiping about is making every party worth attending. And Miss McKenzie Bolton making a spectacle of herself is worth it!

McKenzie frowned when she saw that few people have their phones out. Are they recording her?

"Zi, what is wrong with you?", Mrs. Bolton asked her daughter cautiously. She hopes that McKenzie calms down and stops causing a scene.

Mrs. Bolton wondered if McKenzie forgot to take her medications because they remove the edge and even make her drowsy, and McKenzie's current behavior is the opposite of that.

McKenzie didn't respond. Her eyes darted over the crowd, and she saw Oliver and Lewis taking steps backward and completely disappearing out of her sight behind others who are eager to see what is going on.

"Miss, is there something wrong with the punch?", the security guard repeated the question. This time he was louder, and he got McKenzie's attention.

McKenzie opened her mouth and closed it, unsure how to answer this without making it worse. After all, Elizabeth has that photo that labels her as a drink-drugger.

McKenzie saw a few more phones recording, and a few more… and she realized that there are a lot of phones recording her. She messed up. All those people smirking, and sneering are obvious proof that she is done. No matter how this ends, for years to come, she will be labeled as an erratic girl, and they will tell jokes about her. She made a complete fool out of herself. Elizabeth won.

But McKenzie will be damned if she does not drag Liz down with her.

"I saw Elizabeth put something suspicious in the bowl with the fruit punch. I asked her what that was, and she admitted that it's cocaine. I flipped the bowl with the punch so that no one can take more and I'm trying to prevent people who already helped themselves from drinking it."

The security guard was visibly confused. "Elizabeth?"

McKenzie nodded and clarified: "Max's girlfriend."

At this point, several other security guards approached McKenzie and many other guests circled them, curious to see what is going on. Madeline was there as well.

"You better have evidence to support that claim, Miss Bolton. Or I will sue you for slander.", Liz's icy voice came from the side.

McKenzie lifted her chin victoriously, happy to see that Liz stepped out from the crowd. "Evidence? Max is dying from overdose inside the villa and you left him there."

Liz shook her head in disapproval. "You accused me of putting cocaine in the fruit punch, but you flipped the bowl in order to destroy the evidence. How are you going to support your claim? As for Max, he was unwell and went to rest. Why are you assuming that he is dying of an overdose? Do you have any evidence, or should I just call my lawyer?"

McKenzie remembered that Liz was patting her purse. And while they talked she was holding onto it.

"Check her purse!", McKenzie screamed. "I bet there are more drugs inside!"

One security guard approached Liz, and asked respectfully: "Miss Williams, do you mind if we check your purse?"

"I don't. But I have a condition. I want you to check her purse as well."

McKenzie's sneer fell and her eyes darted around anxiously. "Wh-what?", she stuttered.

Liz blinked at McKenzie. "I think that is fair. You accused me of drugging the punch, claimed that Max is dying inside instead of resting, and you want security to check my purse. I agree for them to check it, but I want them to check yours as well."

"NO!", McKenzie screamed.

Mrs. Bolton thought that she is going to pass out from stress. "Zi! Give them your purse. NOW!"

"No, mom… you don't understand…"

"This is not complicated that it needs understanding, Miss Bolton. You want to know what is in my purse? It is fair that I have the same request.", Liz said smugly.

Madeline stepped forward. "Zi, her request is reasonable."

McKenzie stared at Madeline. "Mrs. Anderson, why are you siding with her?"

Madeline made two steps closer to McKenzie. "Zi, I know you since you were a baby and I love you like a daughter. But you accused Max's girlfriend of something grave without evidence. And you want our security to check her purse. Hand over yours. They will be checked at the same time."

Mrs. Bolton nodded in agreement.

McKenzie wanted to run, but two security guards held her in place. Madeline pried McKenzie's purse from the latter's grip and gave it to the security guard to check.

They opened Liz's purse: lipstick, mirror, wallet, cell phone, a small pack of tissues, and a travel-size hand sanitizer.

They opened McKenzie's purse: wallet, cell phone… and they didn't take anything else other than four small see-through plastic bags with white powder in it.

"That is sugar!", McKenzie screamed.

Mrs. Bolton swayed slightly, and one security guard held her so that she does not fall down. A few seconds later, someone brought her a chair and a glass of water.

Madeline gave a nod to the security guard before turning to McKenzie. "We will know in a minute."

The people gathered around murmured excitingly while waiting to see how this will end. This is the best Fourth of July party ever!

Madeline approached Liz and asked in a whisper: "Are you sure Max is fine?"

"Yes. Don't worry. I will explain later.", Liz whispered back.

The security guard returned with a substance testing kit. He took some of the powder and put it in a vial with pink colored liquid. After a gentle shake, the liquid color turned blue.

The man nodded solemnly at Madeline and explained: "This is cocaine or crack."

Everyone gasped, but the man was not done. "This is a lot of drugs for one person. 150mg can cause an overdose. This is at least ten times the amount."

Mrs. Bolton stood up from the chair and looked at McKenzie with desperation in her eyes. "Zi, why do you have any drugs with you? Where did you get this?"

McKenzie blanked for a moment before pointing her finger at Liz angrily. "It is her! She set me up!"

"That's enough!", Mr. Bolton roared from the side.

When the security guard went to get the drug-testing kit, he also notified Nathan about the commotion, and the word spread through the lounge, so the men exited to see the outcome. After all, this is not a small thing: someone accused another person of trying to drug the guests, and they found four pouches of a suspicious substance.

Max stood behind Liz and kissed her temple while wrapping his arms around her protectively. "Are you OK?"

Liz leaned back on him. "Yes, thanks…"

McKenzie saw Max appearing and treating Liz like she is the victim, or maybe like this is not important for him. Is he ignoring her? They know each other for years!

Madeline exhaled in relief. It's not that she does not believe Liz, but she prefers to see that Max is fine with her own eyes.

Madeline gestured toward Max. "Zi, Max is not dying of an overdose, as you can see."

Max's eyebrows shoot up. "An overdose? Where did that come from?"

McKenzie's eyes flashed in realization: "Both of you set me up! No wonder Liz was so calm. She made me believe that I drugged you and that you are dying so that I lose my composure…"

"What nonsense are you saying!?", Mrs. Bolton hissed at McKenzie, furious that her daughter is unable to keep her mouth shut. Isn't she aware of what she is saying!?

A moment later, Mrs. Bolton realized that everyone is watching her. She can't tell McKenzie to stop talking in front of all these people. She forced a smile and approached McKenzie while asking in a soft voice: "How can someone make you believe that you drugged someone?"

"You don't understand, mom…", McKenzie shook her head violently. "I didn't want to drug Max. I wanted to drug Elizabeth, but they swapped drinks in front of me and he drank it, to make me believe that I hurt him. They did the same thing in Hawaii… you see, I pushed Liz off a cliff and Max jumped with her. How is it my fault that he ended up in the hospital? If he let her fall, he would be fine. So, it's not my fault. None of this is my fault." McKenzie glared at all the phones pointing in her direction. "You all can record that it's not my fault. I want everyone to know that I never hurt Max. I would never do such a thing! I only wanted Elizabeth to…"

'SLAP!'

A crisp slap interrupted McKenzie's rambling (aka public confession).

Mrs. Bolton looked at her aching palm before turning to Madeline. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything. You will hear from our lawyers.", Nathan responded icily from behind Madeline.

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