When Lucien saw it was Ben Carrington, he knew better than to interfere. He waved his security detail back immediately.

  He turned, his brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at Thea. He couldn't tell if her brother's stunt was a personal act of rebellion or if it had the full backing of the Carrington family.

  Ben strode past the guards, ignoring them completely as he approached Kael.

  Lucien couldn’t hold back any longer. "Miss Carrington," he asked Thea, his voice tight, "what is the meaning of this?"

  Thea offered a disarming, yet chilly smile. "My brother can be a bit… dramatic. Let's hear him out. If he crosses a line, I will handle it personally."

  Lucien turned away, his face darkening with resentment. He understood now. The Carrington siblings weren't here to support him; they were here to dismantle him.

  Ben walked up to the stunned officiant, gently took the microphone from his hand, and tapped it twice.

  "Ahem. Sorry to crash the party, everyone," he began. "I'm here today because a friend told me something pretty messed up. Seems someone's been using some shady tactics—scheming, swindling, and strong-arming a woman out of her life's work."

  A wave of murmurs swept through the ballroom.

  "I spent some time looking into it," Ben continued, "and it turns out the story is true. So I came here to expose this monster for who he really is."

  The whispers grew louder. Everyone in this room was powerful; they had all bent the rules in the name of business. But "monster"? That was a heavy accusation.

  The press gathered in the back were ecstatic. A picture-perfect wedding was boring. A scandal was a goldmine. Lenses swiveled in unison, focusing squarely on Ben Carrington.

  But just as he had them hooked, Ben stepped back and handed the microphone to Kael.

  Kael took it, his expression calm. He didn't start with an explanation. Instead, he began a story.

  "Eighteen years ago, a young woman in her lab developed a revolutionary human bionic system…"

  Before he could continue, someone in the audience called out, "I know this story. The woman was Becky, Edmund's first wife."

  Kael nodded. "Correct. And also the mother of today's bride-to-be."

  Lila froze, a jolt of surprise running through her. Why is he bringing up my mother?

  "Because of its potential to help the disabled, and humanity as a whole, Becky's work became the darling of investors worldwide," Kael went on. "As we all know, that technology was eventually acquired by the Mordant family for a hundred billion dollars. Isn't that right, Mr. Lucien Mordant?"

  Lucien gave a stiff nod. This was public record, and he was confident his family's role in the acquisition was unimpeachable.

  "This technology was the direct precursor to the very Human Mobility Rigs that Caleb Mordant uses today," Kael explained. "Its application has been limited until recently because Dr. Becky's work on the neural interface chip was still incomplete at the time."

  The crowd nodded along. These were well-known facts in their circles.

  "But," Kael said, his voice dropping, "does anyone know what happened right before the technology was sold to the Mordant family?" He cast a sharp glance at Edmund Whitmore.

  A cold sweat broke out on Edmund’s brow as panic tightened its icy grip on his heart. He can't possibly know. Impossible! He's just a boy.

  Kael’s gaze then fell upon Lila, and his expression softened. He turned back to the audience.

  "Eighteen years ago, after her breakthrough, Dr. Becky felt the technology was still too raw. She wanted to spend a few more years refining it. Her husband, Mr. Edmund Whitmore, was impatient. He wanted to cash in immediately. The two of them fought about it constantly. Then, by a very convenient coincidence, Dr. Becky was killed in an accident. And just like that, the argument was over."

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  Kael paused, letting the silence hang in the air. The people in this room were sharp. They understood the implication instantly. The sound of camera shutters clicking filled the hall like a swarm of insects.

  Edmund's face twisted into a mask of fury. He took a moment to compose himself, then rose to his feet. "Watch yourself, kid," he boomed, his voice dripping with contempt. "Don't you stand there and make these veiled accusations. I've weathered worse storms than this. You think you're the first to throw dirt on my name? You have no proof. Don't you dare use this occasion to fabricate lies and slander me. Besides..."

  Edmund shot a look at his daughter. "Even if you did, you'd only be hurting Lila."

  "Hmph." Kael scoffed and gave Ben a slight nod.

  Ben went to the side of the dais and escorted an older woman, perhaps in her late fifties, to the front. The woman ignored both Ben and Kael. She walked straight to Lila, her hands trembling as she reached out.

  "Miss Lila," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "It really is you. You look just like her. Just like Becky." Tears began to stream down her wrinkled cheeks.

  Lila stared at the woman, a flicker of recognition in her eyes, but the memory wouldn't surface.

  Beside her, Edmund Whitmore's heart began to hammer against his ribs.

  "My name is Jill," the woman said. "I used to be Becky's housekeeper."

  Comprehension dawned on Lila's face. "Jill!" she gasped, taking the woman's hand. "You're Jill!"

  "You remember me! Oh, thank God…" Jill's tears flowed freely now. Her gaze then fell on Edmund, and her expression hardened into pure contempt. She snatched the microphone from Kael's hand and pointed a trembling finger at Edmund.

  "I heard him! I heard that bastard on the phone with a stranger, planning to have Lila's mother killed!"

  "What?"

  The world shattered around Lila. It was like being struck by lightning. She turned and stared at her father, her eyes wide with horror.

  Edmund lunged forward, ripped the mic from Jill's hand, and shoved her aside. "Lila, don't listen to this crazy old woman!" he pleaded. "Your mother died in a car crash! The court's ruling was crystal clear!"

  Kael cut in, now holding a second microphone that had seemingly appeared from nowhere. "That's right. A drunk driver. Who then conveniently drove off a cliff fifty miles outside the city. You thought your plan was seamless, didn't you? But there are no perfect crimes. First, you hired a man to kill your wife. Then you hired another to silence the first."

  Edmund could take no more. "Security!" he roared. "Get these lunatics out of here! Now!"

  "Hold it!"

  A new voice, sharp and authoritative, cut through the chaos from the entrance. A group of police officers filed into the hall. Two of them walked directly to Edmund.

  "Mr. Whitmore," one officer said calmly, "you're under arrest on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. This is the warrant."

  Seeing the official document, Edmund knew they had evidence. The fight went out of him. He deflated, his face ashen. He shot a venomous glare at Kael, then his gaze shifted to his daughter. His lips trembled, wanting to say something, but no words came.

  The officers handcuffed him and led him away through the parting crowd.

  Lila watched her father's arrest in a state of shock, her face a blank mask. The sudden, brutal revelation had overloaded her senses, robbing her of the ability to think.

  Nearby, Lucien let out a long, quiet sigh of relief. The bullet was aimed at Whitmore, not me. He stepped forward, his composure restored.

  "While this has been… unexpected, our family's esteem for Miss Whitmore remains unchanged."

  Caleb Mordant's electronic voice crackled to life. "Lila, will you marry me?"

  She was still lost in a daze.

  "Lila, will you marry me?" Caleb's voice repeated, louder this time.

  "Huh?" Lila snapped back to reality. She looked at Caleb, and a slow, genuine smile spread across her face—but it didn't reach her eyes. She faced him squarely.

  "I'm sorry," she said, her voice clear and firm. "I don't."

  With that, she shoved her bridal bouquet into his hands and turned to leave.

  "Wait."

  Kael stepped forward one last time.

  Lila paused, looking at him. What now?

  A strange smile played on Kael's lips. He walked over to Lucien. "You think you're in the clear, don't you?"

  A jolt of fear shot through Lucien. He quickly reviewed his actions, certain he'd left no traces. He straightened his back, puffing out his chest. "I admire your nerve, young man. But the Mordant family does business honorably. If you have something to say, say it."

  "It's true," Kael said with a small, knowing laugh. "You didn't leave any obvious tracks. Edmund didn't have the kind of money to hire a professional back then. So you advanced him the funds…"

  Lucien cut him off. "Don't you dare try to pin that on me! Advance payments are a normal part of business acquisitions!"

  "Mhmm," Kael hummed, nodding. "But wiring that payment directly to his personal account? Isn't that a little… irregular?"

  Lucien waved a dismissive hand. "A minor procedural detail."

  Kael knew he wouldn't break the old fox with simple intimidation. "Alright then, let me ask you this," he continued, his voice low and menacing. "Who gave Edmund the dark web contact for the hitman? Do you really think that offshore account he used to pay him is untraceable? Are you so sure all the dirty laundry from your past is buried for good?"

  At Kael's final question, beads of cold sweat popped out on Lucien's forehead.

  Kael said no more. He walked over to Lila, took her hand, and led her toward the exit.

  "Wait!" Lucien called after them, his voice laced with panic. "What do you mean? What do you want?"

  Kael just shook his head and walked out of the ballroom with Lila, leaving Lucien's question hanging in the ruined celebration.

  As Lucien stood there, his mind racing, Thea Carrington approached him, her expression cool and professional.

  "Given the extreme risk factors your family's enterprise has just demonstrated, Helios Biosciences will be severing all contracts and partnerships with you, effective immediately," she stated flatly. "Our legal team will be in touch."

  Lucien Mordant's legs gave out, and he collapsed to the floor.