3. Shaming the Family

Everyone froze.

Monica looked at Lily in shock. "Lily, darling, you're joking, right?" She tried to remain calm, though shock was clearly written all over her face.

"No. I'm serious." Lily’s eyes were sharp, her voice calm, yet there was a slight tremor in her tone. "I don't want to marry Bryan."

Silence blanketed the entire room.

The guests' gazes were fixed on Lily—most filled with shock, while the rest held sheer disbelief.

Bryan, standing beside her, tensed up. His expression shifted drastically into one of panic and wariness, as if he could not believe what he had just heard.

He looked as though he wanted to say something, but before he could speak, Adhitama—the father—had already seized Lily's wrist firmly.

"My apologies, Arya. My family and I will take our leave first," Adhitama said curtly, his voice flat yet laden with tension.

Without waiting for a response, the man dragged his daughter out of the banquet hall, passing right through the inquisitive whispers of the guests.

Seeing this, Arsen arched an eyebrow.

Interesting.

His gaze followed Lily as she was forced away by her father. Calmly, he took a sip of his wine, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Perhaps Lily isn't feeling well, so she's talking a bit strangely." Arya, Bryan's father, let out a forced, awkward laugh in an attempt to diffuse the tension in the room. "Please, just enjoy the party."

Arsen gave a slight nod but said nothing. He noticed the anxiety in Arya's and Monica's eyes, yet chose not to react.

Thomas—his personal assistant—approached and whispered, "Sir, did the plan fail?"

Arsen did not answer right away. He simply finished his wine in a single gulp, then slowly stepped toward Arya, Monica, and Bryan.

At that moment, his ears caught the conversation between Bryan and his father.

"What did you do to make Lily dare to call off your engagement in front of everyone?!"

Bryan lowered his head, looking anxious. "It's like this, Dad..." his voice grew weak. "Actually... Lily caught me with another woman in her apartment."

Arsen stopped in his tracks.

His eagle-sharp eyes narrowed.

So that’s how it is.

At the Mahesa family residence...

"How could you call off your engagement with Bryan so out of the blue?!" Adhitama's voice thundered through the living room.

Lily's chest felt suffocated. She knew her decision shook the relationship between the two families, but none of them knew what had actually happened.

"Bryan isn't the decent man you think he is, Dad. That's why I will never marry him!"

"Not decent?" Adhitama narrowed his eyes. "Then what about you?"

Lily went silent.

What did her father mean?

"Me? What about me?" she asked, trying to grasp the direction of this conversation.

Adhitama reached for his phone and showed the screen, which displayed several photos.

Lily held her breath.

Photos of her at a bar.

Sitting with a glass of alcohol in her hand, drunk, while she was...

Her blood ran cold.

So this was the reason her father had been so cold toward her for the past few days?

"What was your purpose in going to a nightclub?" Adhitama's voice grew lower, but anger was clearly woven into it. "Did you think I wouldn't know?"

Lily clenched her fists.

"I admit I was wrong for going there, Dad, but it was all because—"

"Whatever the reason is, was it really justifiable enough for you to disgrace our family?!" Adhitama cut her off sharply. "Do you think this kind of behavior is acceptable?"

Lily was stunned. Her father had no intention of listening to her at all!

"If so, would you rather let me marry an unfaithful man?!" Her voice trembled with emotion.

Adhitama looked taken aback, but the man hardened his stance once again. "If that's what it takes to preserve our family's reputation, then yes!"

Silence.

Lily felt her heart shatter into pieces upon hearing her father's answer. It was hard for her to believe that the man who had always been the pillar of her life... was actually willing to sacrifice her solely for the sake of reputation!

Lily was devastated; Lily was furious!

"If that's truly the case, then you might as well just cast me out of the Mahesa family! I would rather live on my own than sacrifice my future for a man like Bryan!"

Adhitama was stunned to hear his daughter's words.

The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense.

For a moment, the man merely stared at Lily without saying a word.

Then, with an unreadable expression, Adhitama finally spoke in a voice laced with fury.

"You should have thought before speaking in front of everyone."

Lily took a deep breath, trying to regain control over her emotions.

She realized that tonight, her father was not going to listen to her.

On the other hand, she had no intention of backing down either.

"I know my decision and my actions might be seen as shameful by others." Her voice stabilized once more. "But I don't care. If you and Mom refuse to support me, then I will find my own way."

Risha was shocked. She had never imagined her daughter would act this way. But as a mother, she could also sense that Lily was under immense pressure.

Thus, Risha stepped in to calm them both down. "Enough, please don't be like this. We can talk about this again later, okay?"

Lily looked at her mother, then turned toward Adhitama, who exhaled a harsh breath before walking away with a look of utter displeasure.

It hurt.

It felt like being stabbed from both sides—by Bryan, and by her own father.

The Next Day...

Lily walked into the company building with hollow steps.

After the argument with her father, they had both chosen silence and left the issue unresolved.

She thought returning to work might distract her mind, but before she could even reach her office, an HR staff member approached her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lily..." the woman appeared uncomfortable. "Per Mr. Adhitama's direct orders, you are terminated from the company effective today."

Lily's world felt as though it had come crashing down.

She stared at the termination letter handed to her, her hand trembling slightly as she took it.

Fired?

No discussion?

No chance to explain?

Her father... had really discarded her just like that?

Lily stared at the letter, holding back the agonizing pain that tore at her heart. Still, she maintained her composure, offered a faint nod, and said, "Thank you."

Without saying another word, she walked out of the building with her head held high.

If this was the price she had to pay for freedom... then Lily was willing to pay it.

Only... did this mean she could still go back home?

Lily's pace slowed.

Her mind went blank, her body feeling weightless—as if drifting aimlessly.

One by one, the events that had befallen her replayed in her mind.

Bryan. His betrayal.

Her father. His utter lack of faith in her.

And now, she didn't even have a job.

Unbeknownst to her, tears began to fall.

She kept walking, completely oblivious to her surroundings.

Until—

HONK!

A deafening horn pierced the air.

Lily turned her head, but it was too late.

A black car was speeding straight toward her.

She froze.

Yet, in a split second, a strong hand yanked her backward.

Her body jerked, her chest colliding against something solid and firm.

"Dying under a car is hardly a good way to solve your problems, Miss!"

Hearing that voice, Lily looked up.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Y-You...?"