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(Emily’s POV).

As I walked down the aisle on that long-awaited day, my heart overflowed with joy and anticipation. 

Finally, seven years of love and devotion to Ben had brought us here, to the moment we would tie the knot. 

I could see the guests smile through tears of joy, celebrating our love with us.

“Breathe, Emily. Breathe,” I kept telling myself, whispering.

My heart was beating fast and my hands were covered in cold sweat. A panic attack came to me but it was an attack of happiness that anyone would want to feel.

I was nervous and kept breathing in and out as I became the center of attention of the staring guests. But this was what I had been waiting for in seven years of loving a man.

And I arrived at the pulpit with my breath caught in my throat like someone had just chased me.

However, dreams could turn to dust in an instant as I stared in a direction that destroyed my happiness all at once.

The screen meant to display our journey together flickered with images that shattered my world. 

An intimate photo of Jane—my stepmother, having an affair with another man, filled the ballroom with gasps of disbelief. 

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was almost unbelievable that my stepmother would have an illicit relationship behind my father's back.

The worst thing was … that man was Ben, my husband-to-be.

Shock turned to horror as my father—who had looked radiant moments before, collapsed in his chair, clutching his chest.

“Dad!” I screamed with my eyes widened.

Frantically, I removed my bridal veil and rushed to my father's side. I held his head up higher with a cry that ruined my bridal makeup. Damn, I didn't care about this wedding anymore.

My wedding dress, which was a symbol of hope and happiness, was now heavy with betrayal and despair. This was the hardest event I had experienced in my life. A few minutes of happiness turned into a catastrophe that I wouldn't even be able to forget.

I wailed in pain until my voice completely disappeared even while crying. It hurt so much and I knew there was no going back.

I didn't know where Ben and Jane were because all I knew was that they weren't there when what happened to my father—no, I meant when that fucking pictures showed up! They disappeared as if this was part of the plan. Or ... was it?

Hours passed like a nightmare until Ben and Jane finally showed up at the hospital the next day. 

"Why have you come?" I asked coldly.

"To witness the destruction of you and your father, my dear stepdaughter."

I heard her being so happy with what happened to my failed wedding and also my father. Apparently, apart from her having an affair, she was also the destroyer of all one's happiness.

“You have no heart did this to my father, Jane!” I said with hatred.

“It's better like this. I have no love for your father, except for his wealth.”

Her defiance cut through the tension, her words a cruel stab. I was glad that my father hadn't heard this. Or else, his condition would become more fatal.

“You know what, this husband-to-be, whom you failed to marry, had motives that are completely contrary to what you had been living with. He is full of lies and he doesn't love you at all! He just wants your property, just like me,” she relished the chaos she had caused, exposing Ben's true motives—a marriage of convenience, a facade of love hiding his greed.

I felt on the verge of resigning myself to not fighting back. Because when I wanted to get angry, my energy seemed to be depleted because of the events that had just happened, but of course, I wouldn't just stay silent.

But, was it true he didn't love me at all? So, what was all these seven years to him? Nothing? I didn't know the answers and it frustrated me.

Heartbroken and desperate for answers, I faced Ben, searching in his eyes to find the love I once believed in. 

“So, everything we've lived through is just a drama you've planned?" I asked in a trembling voice. 

"You can say that.”

His words were like daggers that tore apart everything I held dear although it was just a simple answer. He really dumped me like trash that was no longer useful to him. The love that I had once seen in his eyes, had completely vanished like dust that was swept away quickly.

"So you really don't love me? Not even one percent?" I asked once again.

Then his eyes looked at me in a way that was so cold, unfamiliar, and even almost unfamiliar. "I can play drama for as long as it takes, Emily. I did that to you in seven years.”

"How could you?!" I pushed his body roughly. Hitting his chest until all I got was him pushing me away and walking away from me with Jane.

My tears felt like they had run out of time. Nothing came out again after he left me.

Amidst the chaos, Linda—my father's loyal assistant came and said, “Miss, I came to deliver the news that Jane now held a controlling stake in your father's company.” 

That news was disastrous for my family legacy all of a sudden. It became one that tore my heart.

“You better seek help from Ben’s family, Miss,” she urged me. 

“No. I can’t. I think Ben is complicit in this betrayal. I can’t do anything that has to do with Ben with his relatives. I don't trust him anymore.”

“Miss, I am sorry for what happened to you, but there’s someone who can help you. It’s Mr. Mike. I have his contact information if you want his information. He provides a glimmer of hope for your father’s company. You can ask him for help. I’m sure he will help you,” Linda said in my darkest moments.

“I have to think first, Linda. But anyway, thank you for informing me. You are still here for me as well.”

“Anytime, Miss.”

As I navigated the rubble of shattered dreams and the looming threat of my father's empire, the possibility of survival flickered in the distance.

Betrayed and broken, I faced a future I never imagined—a journey through deceit, ambition, and a relentless quest for justice amidst the ruins of what was once my perfect life.

***

The hospital corridors echoed with the weight of my shattered world. Every step felt like a march through a battlefield full of broken promises and unanswered questions. My father lay unconscious, his life hanging in the balance, while Ben and Jane's betrayal ate away at my soul.

As I sat at my father's bedside, the sterile hospital room offered little comfort. Memories of happier times flooded my mind—moments with my father, his wise counsel, and unwavering support. Now, all I could see were the consequences of Jane's betrayal, her calculating ambition threatening to destroy everything my father had built.

Linda's words rang through my mind, urging me to consider seeking help from Ben's family. The thought made my stomach churn with bitterness. How could I turn to those who had orchestrated this downfall? Ben, the man I loved with all my body and soul, turned out to be a mere puppet in Jane's cruel game.

Yet, in the midst of despair, Linda mentioned Mike's name like a flickering candle in the darkness. Who was he, and could he offer a glimmer of hope in this bleak moment? The name evoked a vague familiarity, a potential ally waiting in the wings.

The weight of betrayal pressed down on me, threatening to extinguish hope. However, a strong resolve rose within me. I would not let Jane's greed go unchecked. I would fight for my father's legacy, for justice, and the pieces of my broken heart.

The hours were long as I grappled with the reality of my bitter new truth. The world I knew had collapsed, and in its place stood a terrifying battlefield. I had been blinded by love and ambition, but I refused to be defeated.

As night fell outside the hospital window, I vowed silently to myself and my father. I would uncover the truth, expose Jane and Ben's betrayal, and reclaim what was rightfully ours. With each passing day, my resolve grew stronger, fueled by the fire of betrayal and an unyielding determination to come out victorious.

The journey ahead will be full of challenges and heartache, but I will face them head-on. Because in the depths of despair, I found strength that I never realized before. And when I held my father's hand, willing him to fight, I knew that our battle had just begun.

“You have to survive, Dad. And watch me take revenge on them for what they did to us.”