CHAPTER 2 — THE GROOM'S DECISION
CHAPTER 2 — THE GROOM'S DECISION
Nobody spoke.
Not even Victoria.
Then a voice came from behind her.
"That's enough."
It was Daniel.
My fiancé.
The man standing between me and the family that had spent months making us feel unwelcome.
Victoria immediately turned.
"Daniel, don't be ridiculous. This woman is embarrassing us."
"No."
His voice was calm.
"You embarrassed yourself."
The guests froze.
Daniel walked toward our daughter.
Not my daughter.
Our daughter.
Because for years he had treated her as his own.
He knelt beside her.
"You okay, sweetheart?"
She nodded weakly.
Then he stood and faced the crowd.
"I've spent my whole life hearing about bloodlines."
His eyes settled on Victoria.
"About status."
Then on his parents.
"About who belongs and who doesn't."
His jaw tightened.
"But today I watched a grown woman tear apart a little girl's family heirloom simply because she thought she was better than her."
Nobody moved.
"And if that's what belonging to this family means..."
He removed the wedding ring from his pocket.
"...then I don't belong either."
The manor erupted with shocked whispers.
His mother burst into tears.
His father looked horrified.
Victoria looked as though she had been slapped.
Daniel walked over to me.
Took my hand.
And smiled.
"For the first time in my life, I'm choosing my family."
Then together, we walked away from the wedding.
Leaving hundreds of stunned guests behind.
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And for the first time all weekend...
I felt free.
