Emily’s heels clicked sharply as she stepped onto the marble floor, every eye fixed on her like she was a storm about to break. The whispers stopped. The music died in the distance. Only the twins, clutching her hands, seemed calm—too calm.

Richard’s jaw clenched. Six years ago, he had pushed her away, thinking she was a mistake, a secret best left forgotten. But now, here she was—undeniable proof of a past he tried to erase.

“I see you’ve built quite the empire,” Emily’s voice cut through the tension, cold and clear. “But no empire can withstand the truth.”

She raised the twins, their faces mirroring her defiance. “These are our children, Richard. The ones you wanted to pretend never existed.”

Gasps echoed around the room. Tiffany’s smile shattered; Jason’s facade cracked.

Richard wanted to speak, to deny, to fight—but the weight of those two innocent faces held him silent.

Emily’s final words struck like a hammer: “You kicked me out to save your reputation. Now, this is the secret that ruins you.”

The guests froze, the future of Sterling Manor shifting beneath their feet. And in that moment, Richard realized—his carefully curated life was over.