My father shoved me into a fountain at my sister’s wedding. Four hundred guests watched me fall.

As the police officers snapped the steel handcuffs around Arthur’s wrists, chaos erupted across the ballroom.

Guests were standing up on their chairs, filming the entire arrest on their phones. Investors who had been laughing with Arthur ten minutes ago were now frantically backing away, calling their lawyers to cut all financial ties with Hayes Logistics before the news hit the press.

"Get him out of here!" Julian’s father, the head of Sterling Medical, roared at the officers, his face purple with rage. "He’s a thief! He lied to us about his family’s assets!"

"Julian! Do something!" Allison screamed hysterically, grabbing her groom’s arm as tears ruined her heavy makeup. "They’re arresting my dad! Stop them!"

Julian brutally shoved Allison’s hand off his coat, his eyes glaring at her with pure, unadulterated hatred.

"Touch me again, Allison, and I swear to God I’ll have my lawyers annul this marriage before midnight!" Julian yelled at her, his voice booming over the noise. "Your father is a fraud! Your family is broke! You lied to me!"

"Julian, no! I didn't know!" Allison wept, falling to her knees on her white lace train, reaching up toward him like a beggar. "I love you! It’s my wedding day!"

"Your wedding day is over!" Julian spat, tearing the white rose boutonniere from his tuxedo lapel and throwing it onto the floor at her feet. He turned around, bowed deeply to Daniel, and practically ran toward the exit with his family trailing behind him.

Allison sat alone on the white carpet, surrounded by spilled champagne, crushed roses, and broken crystal, her fifty-thousand-dollar dress ruined, sobbing uncontrollably as her groom walked out on her.

She looked up at me through her tear-stained eyes, her face twisted in desperate rage.

"You did this!" Allison shrieked at me, pointing a trembling, manicured finger. "You ruined my life, Nora! You were always jealous of me! You couldn't let me have one night! You brought him here to destroy me!"

I walked over to where she was kneeling on the floor. I didn't look down on her with hatred. I looked down on her with pity.

"I didn't destroy your night, Allison," I said softly, my voice calm amidst the storm. "You built your happiness on twenty years of my suffering. You laughed when Dad pushed me into that water. You told me not to ruin your photos while I was freezing."

"I was the bride!" Allison wailed.

"And now you're just a woman who realized that fake gold doesn't last," I replied.

I turned my back on her, taking Daniel’s arm once more.

Daniel looked down at me, his eyes softening instantly as he pulled me close against his side, wrapping his broad arm around my shoulders to keep me warm.