The grand ballroom of the Royal Crest Hotel sparkled beneath enormous crystal chandeliers. Gold decorations covered every wall, and hundreds of distinguished guests waited for what was supposed to be a joyful wedding celebration.
Instead...
Silence filled the room.
Richard Harrison, a respected businessman, held his daughter Emma tightly in his arms.
Her wedding dress was beautiful.
Her face was not.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and bruises around her eye and jaw shocked everyone who looked at her.
Richard gently wiped away her tears while trying to calm her trembling hands.
Across the ballroom stood the groom, Victor.
Wearing a burgundy velvet tuxedo, he showed no remorse.
Instead, he smiled confidently.
"I own her now... you can't protect her."
The cruel words echoed through the ballroom.
Guests exchanged horrified glances.
Emma lowered her head.
Richard slowly released his daughter and stepped toward Victor.
Every guest could feel the tension growing.
Victor remained smug, believing no one would challenge him.
He was wrong.
The father who had spent his life protecting his daughter had finally reached his limit.