CHAPTER 2 – The Owner's Daughter
No one answered.
The ballroom, moments earlier filled with whispers and judgment, fell into complete silence.
Richard Ashford stood motionless in the center of the room.
He wasn't a tall man.
He didn't raise his voice.
Yet his presence seemed to drain every ounce of confidence from those who had mocked Vivienne only minutes before.
Eleanor was the first to recover.
She let out a short, dismissive laugh.
"And who exactly are you supposed to be?"
Richard looked at her calmly.
"I'm her father."
Chloe rolled her eyes.
"Oh, wonderful. The entire family has arrived."
More laughter rippled through the room.
Richard didn't react.
Instead, he turned to Vivienne.
"Are you hurt?"
She forced a small smile.
"I'm fine."
He looked at the torn fabric hanging from her shoulder.
"No."
"You aren't."
For the first time that evening, tears gathered in Vivienne's eyes.
She had spent years pretending insults didn't matter.
Years convincing herself that patience would eventually earn respect.
But hearing those three simple words from her father nearly broke her composure.
Dominic finally stepped forward.
"Sir... I think there's been a misunderstanding."
Richard slowly turned toward him.
"You must be Dominic."
"Yes."
"My son-in-law."
Dominic nodded awkwardly.
"I was trying to calm everyone down."
Richard studied him for several seconds.
"You watched while your pregnant wife was publicly humiliated."
"I—"
"You watched while her dress was torn apart."
"I didn't think—"
"No."
Richard interrupted him quietly.
"You didn't."
Dominic lowered his eyes.
Chloe folded her arms.
"This is ridiculous."
"My ring has been stolen."
"If your daughter didn't take it, she has nothing to fear."
Richard smiled politely.
"Interesting."
He looked toward the photographers.
"How many people witnessed my daughter being assaulted?"
Several photographers instinctively lowered their cameras.
One elderly guest whispered,
"Assault?"
Richard heard him.
"Removing someone's clothing by force without consent."
He glanced toward Eleanor.
"That qualifies."
Eleanor's confidence wavered.
"Oh, don't exaggerate."
"We were only searching her."
Richard nodded once.
"In front of two hundred guests."
"While she is eight months pregnant."
"Excellent."
His attorney quietly made a note on a tablet.
Eleanor suddenly noticed him.
"And who are you?"
"The Ashford Group's chief legal counsel."
The room grew noticeably quieter.
Rachel, the wedding planner, hurried forward.
"Mr. Ashford..."
Richard recognized her immediately.
"Rachel."
"I'm... so sorry."
She looked genuinely shaken.
"I've already secured the surveillance footage."
Every head turned toward her.
Chloe frowned.
"What footage?"
Rachel swallowed.
"The ballroom cameras recorded everything."
Amanda's face instantly lost all color.
Vivienne noticed.
So did Richard.
One of Richard's security directors stepped beside him.
"Sir."
"The footage has been copied to three encrypted drives."
"No one can alter it."
"Good."
Richard nodded.
"Preserve everything."
Chloe suddenly looked nervous.
"Why would anyone alter it?"
No one answered.
Then Eleanor laughed again.
"This changes nothing."
"The ring is still missing."
Richard looked at her.
"I agree."
"We should absolutely find it."
He turned toward his investigators.
"Lock every exit."
Immediately, four security officers moved toward the ballroom doors.
Guests exchanged confused glances.
One businessman protested.
"Excuse me, I have another event."
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait," the investigator replied politely.
"This is now an active theft investigation."
Several guests stared.
Who were these people?
Why was hotel security taking orders from them?
The hotel's general manager rushed into the ballroom.
His face was pale.
The moment he saw Richard...
His posture changed completely.
"Mr. Ashford."
He bowed slightly.
"I'm terribly sorry."
Chloe blinked.
"You know him?"
The manager looked confused.
"Of course."
He turned back toward Richard.
"Would you like us to prepare the executive conference suite?"
"No."
Richard replied.
"We'll handle everything here."
The manager nodded immediately.
"Yes, sir."
Chloe stared at the exchange.
Her confidence began to crack.
Dominic looked between them.
"Executive suite?"
The manager hesitated.
Then quietly answered,
"This hotel belongs to the Ashford Hospitality Collection."
A murmur spread across the ballroom.
Someone whispered,
"Ashford?"
"Wait..."
"The billionaire family?"
"No..."
"It can't be..."
Richard ignored the reactions.
Instead, he walked to the center of the room.
"I have no interest in embarrassing anyone."
"I only want the truth."
He turned toward Rachel.
"Play the footage."
Rachel froze.
"Here?"
"Yes."
She nodded and signaled to the hotel's AV technician.
Within seconds, the enormous LED screen behind the wedding stage flickered to life.
The same screen that had displayed childhood photos of Chloe only an hour earlier.
Now...
It displayed security footage.
Time stamp.
Ballroom entrance.
Crystal clear.
Every guest slowly turned toward the screen.
The recording began.
Vivienne stood near the champagne fountain.
Chloe approached.
Eleanor grabbed the back of Vivienne's dress.
The fabric tore.
Gasps echoed again.
Richard didn't look at the screen.
He watched Dominic instead.
His son-in-law couldn't even bear to watch.
Then...
The camera angle shifted.
A server accidentally bumped into Chloe near the dance floor.
For less than a second—
Something sparkled.
A diamond ring slipped from Chloe's bouquet...
Not from Vivienne's purse.
Not into Vivienne's hands.
It landed silently on the marble floor.
Only one person noticed.
Amanda.
The screen showed Chloe's cousin looking around quickly.
Then bending down.
Picking up the ring.
And quietly sliding it into her silver evening purse.
The ballroom exploded into chaos.
Amanda's eyes widened in terror.
"I..."
"It isn't what it looks like..."
Richard spoke only four words.
"I believe it is."
Amanda took one terrified step backward...
Then suddenly turned and ran for the ballroom exit.
Only to find four security officers already waiting.
May you like
The doors were locked.
She had nowhere left to run.
