Marcus ignored the whispering crowd entirely, stepping right past the trembling heiress to reach the wet marble floor.
He lowered his large frame down onto one knee, completely unbothered by the wet liquid soaking into his expensive black trousers.
His stern face instantly softened into deep, warm concern as he reached out a gentle hand toward the weeping girl.
Marcus: Are you okay, my fiancée?
The sharp word echoed through the silent room, causing collective gasps of pure shock to erupt from the guests.
Julian stared in absolute disbelief, his jaw dropping open as he clutched his bruised arm against his chest.
Julian: Your... your fiancée?! That's impossible!
Ava slowly raised her wet head, her eyes red and swollen from crying as she looked up at Marcus.
She recognized the warm, comforting brown eyes of the man who had stood by her through her worst financial struggles.
For months, Marcus had kept his true massive wealth hidden from everyone, living simply to find true love.
Ava had loved him for his kind soul, never knowing he was actually the most powerful billionaire in the state.
Ava: Marcus... you came for me?
Marcus: I will always come for you, my sweet Ava.
He reached down and gently placed his dark suit jacket around her soaked shoulders, wrapping her in comforting warmth.
He helped her stand up carefully, keeping a firm arm around her waist to support her trembling legs securely.
Chloe stepped forward hesitantly, her voice shaking violently as she tried to make sense of the wild situation.
Chloe: Mr. Sterling... she lied to you! She was dating Julian just five minutes ago!
Marcus: Julian is a greedy worm who thought he could use my family's trust fund for his games.
Marcus turned to face Julian, his strong eyes cold as steel as he pulled a thick document from his coat pocket.
Marcus: Your father signed your entire inheritance trust over to my holding company yesterday morning, Julian.
Julian's face turned completely ghost white as he stared at the legal seal printed on top of the heavy paper.
Julian: No... no, my father would never give you control of my estate!
Marcus: He did, because he knew you were a reckless fool wasting money on cruel parties like this one.
The crowd gasped again, realizing that Julian had just lost his entire massive fortune in a single afternoon.