I pressed my own weapon against his chest, the weight of our history and the betrayal between us tangible. “Daniel Wright,” I said coldly, “you haven’t forgotten what I am capable of, have you?”
The room froze. The bodyguards hesitated, uncertainty flashing across their faces. Daniel’s hands moved, aiming at me reflexively.
Tonight wasn’t just about spilled wine or a ruined banquet. Tonight was the moment the Harbor docks’ power dynamic changed forever. Daniel Wright, who had once been my confidant and partner, was now a rival. And I would remind him why the Summers family, and I personally, could never be underestimated.
He might have thought he was teaching me a lesson, but the true lesson was yet to come—and it would be delivered on his terms, not mine.
The banquet hall still buzzed from the chaos. Blood had been cleaned, music resumed, and the guests had all but forgotten the earlier scandal, but I couldn’t forget. Daniel Wright had paraded Rachel Parker as if she were his fiancée, flaunting my humiliation.
I watched from the sidelines, chest tight with anger, as Daniel held Rachel close. Her voice was sweet, practiced. “Brother Daniel, I’m so grateful for your guidance. I’ll obey you from now on.” The words twisted in my gut. She had never been anything more than a servant, yet here she was, basking in Daniel’s protection, and even worse—bearing his child.
Daniel’s expression shifted, frustration and caution flickering in his eyes. “Catherine, we’ve been through twenty years together. I don’t want conflict. But you injured one of my men. You need to apologize.”
Apologize? I laughed inwardly. The man he carefully trained, Arthur, had begged for mercy at my hands, revealing the coward beneath Daniel’s stern exterior. And Rachel—how long had she been scheming behind the scenes?
I moved quietly among the crowd, letting my presence remind Daniel and everyone else who truly held the Harbor docks’ power. “Daniel Wright may be the master of the docks,” I thought, “but the docks themselves belong to the Summers family. And I am the rightful heir.”
Rachel sent voice messages to my phone, bragging, pleading, and reminding me of Daniel’s promises. “Miss Summers, Brother Daniel said to apologize. He told me to focus on the baby. I’ll care for him until you’re ready after the wedding.”