The Laurent estate was shining.
Everything was perfect.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling. The marble floors reflected the soft golden lights. Long tables were covered in white silk cloth. Flowers were arranged carefully in the center of each table.
Guests moved around with soft smiles. Soft music filled the hall.
It was exactly how an engagement ceremony between the Vale family and the Laurent family should be.
Powerful.
Elegant.
Perfect.
Aria stood beside Felix at the center of the hall.
She wore a white gown, simple but graceful. The diamond ring on her finger sparkled every time she lifted her hand.
Felix leaned close to her ear. "You look nervous."
She let out a small laugh. "It's too many people."
He squeezed her hand. "They're here to celebrate you."
"Our families," she corrected gently.
He smiled. "You are the future of the Vale family. Of course they are here for you."
She flushed slightly.
Across the hall, her mother stood with a glass of wine, greeting guests politely. Her father was speaking with board members from both companies.
Everything was smooth.
Until her mother's eyes shifted.
She noticed Elena standing near the corner.
Elena was pale.
Her lips were dry.
And she wasn't holding any wine.
Her mother narrowed her eyes.
She walked toward her.
"Elena," she called softly.
Elena forced a smile. "Mother."
"Why aren't you drinking?" her mother asked, glancing at the untouched glass on the tray beside her.
"I'm fine," Elena answered quickly.
"You look unwell."
"I'm just tired."
Her mother's tone sharpened slightly. "You always choose the wrong time to look weak."
Elena's smile stiffened.
Aria noticed the tension and excused herself from Felix.
"I'll be right back," she murmured.
He nodded. "Don't stay long."
Aria walked toward them.
"Mother, is everything alright?" she asked gently.
Her mother exhaled. "Your sister is making a face all evening. On your engagement day."
Aria looked at Elena carefully. "Are you feeling sick?"
Elena's eyes flashed briefly.
"I'm fine," she insisted.
Her mother sighed. "Why can you never behave like Aria? Today is important. For once, can you not draw attention?"
Silence fell between them.
Elena slowly lifted her chin.
"Behave like Aria?" she repeated quietly.
Her mother frowned. "Yes. Calm. Mature. Decent."
Elena gave a short laugh.
"You think she's decent?" she asked.
Aria blinked. "Elena"
Elena's eyes darkened. "She can be cruel."
The words hung heavy.
Aria shook her head slowly. "What are you saying?"
Elena picked up a glass of water instead of wine.
Then she suddenly grabbed a spoon and hit it against the glass.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
The sound cut through the hall.
Guests turned.
Conversations stopped.
Her father frowned from across the room. "Elena?"
Felix stepped closer to Aria. "What is she doing?"
Elena stepped forward into the center.
Her voice trembled at first.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," she began.
Aria's heart started beating faster.
Elena placed a hand over her stomach.
"I didn't want to ruin tonight," she continued. "But I can't stay silent anymore."
Whispers started.
Her mother looked confused. "Elena, enough."
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"I'm pregnant."
The room froze.
Gasps filled the hall.
Aria's mind went blank.
"Pregnant?" her mother repeated in shock.
Her father's face turned dark. "What?"
Elena nodded slowly. "Yes."
Aria stepped forward. "Elena, you're only sixteen."
Her father's voice hardened. "And why announce this tonight? On your sister's engagement?"
Elena looked at them both, eyes shining with anger.
"Exactly," she snapped.
The room grew quiet again.
"You always prefer your real daughter," Elena continued, voice breaking. "So much that you never see me."
Her mother stiffened. "That is not true."
"It is," Elena shouted. "You see Aria's achievements. Her work. Her success. But me? I'm always second."
Aria took a step forward. "You know that's not true. I worked for what I have."
Elena scoffed loudly. "Worked? You think that makes you better?"
"I never said that."
Elena's lips curled. "You can't be that mean."
Aria frowned. "Mean?"
Elena's eyes filled with tears again.
"One month ago," she said slowly, "Aria paid men to assault me."
The words crashed into the room.
Silence.
Then shock.
Aria felt her ears ring.
"What?" she whispered.
Elena bent down and grabbed a small diary from her purse.
She threw it forward.
It landed on the marble floor.
"In this diary," Elena cried, "I wrote everything. Years of abuse. Years of threats. Years of humiliation."
Guests stared at Aria.
Aria's voice shook. "This is not true."
Elena continued, louder now, "She wanted to get rid of me. She wanted me gone so she could be the only daughter."
Aria's hands trembled. "I would never"
Suddenly, a recording played from a speaker near the stage.
The sound was clear.
Elena's voice filled the hall.
"Why are you doing this, Aria?"
Then another voice.
Aria's voice.
Cold.
"So you will know your place. You are adopted. You will never amount to anything."
The room gasped again.
Aria's heart dropped to her stomach.
"That's fake!" she cried. "I never said that!"
Her father stared at her.
His eyes were not warm anymore.
"They manipulated it," Aria insisted desperately. "It's not real."
Elena began sobbing. "I begged her to stop. I begged her not to hurt me."
Aria looked around wildly.
People were whispering.
Shaking their heads.
Disappointed.
Her chest tightened painfully.
She searched for one person.
"Rita," she breathed.
Her best friend stood near the back.
Rita's face was pale.
"Rita," Aria called, stepping toward her. "Tell them. You know me."
Rita's lips trembled.
"I didn't think you would take it that far," Rita whispered.
Aria froze.
"What?" she asked weakly.
Rita started crying. "You told me you hated her. You said she didn't deserve to be here."
"That's not"
"You threatened me too," Rita cut in. "You said if I spoke, you would ruin me."
The room shifted again.
Aria felt the ground slip beneath her.
"I never threatened you," she choked.
Rita covered her face. "I knew about the bullying. I knew you sent people to scare her."
Aria stared at her best friend like she had never seen her before.
"I trusted you," Aria whispered.
Felix's grip on her arm tightened.
"Is this true?" he demanded.
She turned to him quickly. "Felix, no. Please believe me."
He pulled his hand away sharply.
"You disgust me," he muttered.
She felt like someone had slapped her.
"I didn't do this," she cried.
He reached for her hand and yanked the ring off her finger.
The metal scraped against her skin.
"Felix"
"I don't know who you are," he said coldly.
Then he grabbed her wrist forcefully and dragged her away from the center.
Guests stepped back.
Whispers followed them.
She stumbled slightly as he pulled her toward the exit.
"Stop!" she begged. "You're hurting me."
He released her near the doors.
"You embarrassed my family," he snapped. "You ruined everything."
"I didn't," she sobbed. "I swear I didn't."
He looked at her like she was a stranger.
"Stay away from me," he said harshly.
He walked back inside without another word.
Aria stood alone in the hallway.
Her chest felt tight.
Her vision blurred with tears.
She wiped them quickly.
"No," she whispered to herself. "No. This can't be happening."
She turned and walked back into the hall slowly.
People moved away from her.
Like she was something dirty.
Her father stood near the center.
His face was cold.
She walked up to him, shaking.
"Dad," she said softly.
He did not answer.
She swallowed hard.
"Do you believe this?" she asked, voice breaking. "Do you believe I would do something like that?"
He looked at her.
She waited.
Her heart pounding.
Waiting for his answer.