Chapter 5: The Wedding Goes On
The police escort was swift. Within ten minutes, Victoria Thorne was in the back of a squad car, her influence, her wealth, and her freedom vanishing as the heavy doors slammed shut.
Amelia stood in the ballroom, her dress stained with wine, but she looked more radiant than ever. She turned to the guests, many of whom were still stunned into silence.
"The ceremony is delayed, not canceled," Amelia announced, her voice filled with a calm, infectious confidence. "Please, enjoy the cocktails. There’s a change in the family management, but the celebration will proceed."
She turned to Daniel. He took her hand, his eyes filled with genuine adoration.
"You didn't cry," he whispered, brushing a stray hair from her face.
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"I don't have time for tears," Amelia smiled, pulling him toward the dance floor. "I have a company to run, and a husband to marry."
As the music started again, the stain on her dress faded into the background. It wasn't a mark of humiliation anymore; it was a badge of victory. She had walked into the lion's den, survived the trap, and emerged not as a pawn, but as the owner of the board. The Thorne empire was no longer a legacy of deceit—it was hers.
