Anastasia hurried off to find Salma.


    Salma was already in the lounge, changing out of her dress.


    Just moments earlier, Ashley had burst into the ballroom, grabbed a drink, and thrown it right in Salma''s face, screaming that Salma was a homewrecker, stealing someone else''s husband.


    In the lounge, Pattie wrung out a towel and handed it to Salma. “Grandma, here— wash your face."


    "Thank you, Pattie." Salma smiled, taking the towel and cleaning herself up. She didn''t seem angry at all—just treated it as a minor annoyance.


    "Mom?"


    Anastasia walked in, concern all over her face. "Mom, are you alright? Monica told me Ashley was causing trouble."


    "I''m fine," Salma said, finishing up. The punch was gone from her hair now; nothing that couldn''t be fixed.


    Pattie hovered nearby, upset. She signed, "Mom, Mrs. Shaw was yelling at grandma."


    Monica, who followed them in, was fuming. "Ashley''s lost it,ing all the way from Willowbrook just to stir things up. Who''s the homewrecker now? She''s got some nerve."


    Salma wasn''t bothered. "It''s a happy day. Don''t let people like her ruin it. Ana, Monica, I''m fine. Pattie''s such a good girl, always looking out for me."


    Anastasia knew exactly what her mom was thinking-don''t blow things up on a day meant for celebration.


    "Monica, stay here with Mom. I''ll be back."


    Off in a side room at the hotel, Tavon and Ashley were in the middle of a shouting match.


    Anastasia heard the yelling before she saw them. Ashley was tugging at Tavon''s jacket, mascara streaking down her cheeks.


    Tavon finally lost his patience. He shoved Ashley away, sending her sprawling. "You''re being ridiculous! Why are you here, making a scene at a birthday party? Ashley, you''re impossible. You just make my life harder and harder."


    He was trembling with anger, hand raised like he was about to say more.


    Ashley scrambled up, crying even harder. "Ohm the problem? After twenty years of marriage, now I''me just annoying? Salma makes you happy huh? Fine, go chase after someone younger, but you just had to go back to your old me. I can''t stand it, Tavon-not with Salma!”


    Tavon snapped. "I told you, there''s nothing between us! She''s the mother of my daughter, and it''s my granddaughter''s birthday. When t was paralyzed, Salma took care of me, asked for nothing. She''s a hundred times better than you."


    "Oh, she took care of you? And when you made a mess in bed, who cleaned you up? Me! But you never noticed that, did you?"


    "Just stop talking, Ashley!"


    Those days had been the lowest point in Tavon''s life. Hearing Ashley drag it out like this stung his pride.


    Seeing things escte, Anastasia stepped forward. "Dad."


    Tavon paused, some of the anger fading.


    Ashley just turned on Anastasia, wild-eyed. "And what are you doing here? This is all your fault! If you hadn''te back, our family would still be fine."


    Ashley put all the me on Anastasia—if she hadn''t married into the Salstrom


    family, Tavon wouldn''t have left Willowbrook for Riverdale.


    Anastasia shot her a cold look. "Really, Mrs. Shaw? Are you forgetting how things went? My mom and I have lived in Riverdale


    for over twenty years-we never went to Willowbrook looking for you. You came to our door first."


    Ashley''s lips curled in anger. "I regret evering here. Should''ve stayed away from Riverdale."


    Anastasia''s voice was icy. "You only came when you needed my bone marrow. Now your family''s falling apart and suddenly it''s my fault again? If you regret it that much, maybe you shouldn''t have shown up today."


    "You and your mother are both nothing but trouble," Ashley spat, losing all self- control. "You getting assaulted was just karma-serves you right."


    Anastasia''s face went stone cold. Tavon exploded. "Ashley! Are you out of your mind?"


    Ashley just sneered, “Everyone knows it! She was attacked by four men—” Before she could finish, two security guards rushed in, each grabbing one of Ashley''s arms and dragging her out.


    A few steps away, Herman stood by, eyes cold. "Throw her out," he said tly.