Ginger’s nostrils flared, her forced smile faltering. "You’re wearing white," she said sharply. "Only the bride wears white. Surely you know that?"
I glanced down at my gown, feigning surprise. "Oh, did I? But white is such a lovely color, don’t you think?"
"Lovely or not," she snapped, raising her voice so everyone could hear, "you’re out of place. Where did you even get that gown? That necklace?"
She added, louder still, her words aimed to wound, "Let me guess—did you take out a loan for this stunt? Or is it a fake?"
A few chuckles rang out from the crowd, her jab landing as intended. I smiled back, calm and unbothered.
"You don’t know, do you?" I began, my voice cutting through the murmur of the room. "I am the daughter of the Whit—"
Before I could finish, a loud gunshot rang out.
The room went still. Laughter stopped. Silence consumed the space.
Then, chaos.
Screams erupted as people scrambled toward the exits, high heels clattering against marble floors. Daniel grabbed Ginger’s arm, dragging her away toward the hallway. He left. That was it. He just left.
What a coward.
With no other choice, I followed the frenzied crowd.
The hallway was a disaster. Bodyguards lay sprawled across the floor, blood pooling beneath them. More screams echoed as more guests rushed to escape the madness.
I hurried, my steps quickening as I tried to make sense of the chaos. Another explosion shook the building, the deafening blast sending debris flying.
I stumbled, coughing through the dust, but managed to steady myself. The hallway ahead was blocked by rubble, forcing me to turn back.
Then came another round of gunfire, closer this time.
I crept forward, drawn by equal parts fear and curiosity. A door was slightly ajar, and I peered inside.
A man in a hoodie stood in the center of the room, a gun in his hand. The scent of gunpowder still lingered.
And there, on the floor, lay Penny Eddy—the CEO of Alliance Insurance and Daniel’s father. Blood pooled around him, staining the plush carpet.
My heart skipped a beat, and as I turned to leave, footsteps sounded behind me.
I slowly turned, and the sight that met my eyes made my heart freeze in my chest.
I saw him first—a man whose eyes were sharp and dangerous, his gaze locking onto mine. Before I could react, his hand shot out and gripped my arm, pulling me back.
“Not so fast, young lady,” he said with a smirk, amusement in his voice.