His mother smiled triumphantly as I stood humiliated at the altar, oblivious to the forensic accounting files sitting in my coat pocket.

Vanessa stepped up beside Adrian, her painted red nails digging into his arm, her eyes burning with vicious jealousy as she looked at my diamond necklace.

“You think you’re special because you crawled into a mobster’s bed, Elena?” Vanessa sneered, her voice loud enough for the nearby senator to hear. “You’re just a disgraced accountant whose father died in debt! Adrian threw you away like trash on your own wedding day!”

Before I could speak, Lucian took a single step forward.

The air around us grew so cold that Vanessa’s voice cut off mid-sentence. Her eyes locked onto Lucian’s dark, merciless expression, and she stepped back behind Adrian’s shoulder in genuine terror.

“Miss Harper,” Lucian spoke softly, his tone polite yet carrying the weight of an executioner’s axe. “If you ever address my fiancée again, I will ensure that every offshore account registered under your father’s medical practice is audited by federal authorities before sunrise tomorrow. Do you understand me?”

Vanessa went pale, her lips trembling as she nodded frantically, unable to utter a sound.

Adrian took a desperate step toward me, ignoring Lucian for a brief second. “Elena… please. Talk to me privately for five minutes. We made a mistake. My mother pushed me into that cathedral announcement! I didn't want to hurt you!”

I let out a soft, melodious laugh—a sound so cool and unbothered it made Adrian flinch.

“You didn't hurt me, Adrian,” I whispered, leaning closer so only he could hear. “You freed me. You showed me the difference between a weak boy playing at power and a real man who knows how to wield it.”

I glanced at Lucian, whose eyes softened for a fraction of a second as he looked at me, before turning back to Adrian.

“Now, if you’ll excuse us,” I added, stepping around him. “I believe your mother is about to introduce the foundation’s annual charity video.”

On the main stage, Camille Vale stepped up to the podium, tapping the microphone with her silver ring.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the annual Heritage Gala!” Camille announced into the microphone, her voice regaining its polished, fake enthusiasm as the crowd gathered near the stage. “Tonight, we celebrate six years of dedicated service from the Vale Charitable Foundation!”

She gestured toward the massive LED screen mounted behind the stage.

“Let us take a moment to look at where your generous donations have gone this past year!” Camille smiled brilliantly, signaling to the technician in the booth.