My family laughed when I arrived alone at my sister’s wedding, and my father made sure everyone heard him say, “She couldn’t even find a date.” A few minutes later, after he shoved me into the fountain and the applause finally faded, I looked him straight in the eye. “Remember this moment.” Because the secret I had protected for three years was already walking toward the ballroom doors.

The District Attorney, a man named Thomas, stepped fully into the light. His face was completely devoid of emotion as he aimed the gun at Julian. "Drop your weapon, Mr. Vance," Thomas ordered, his voice cold and flat. Julian slowly lowered his gun, his eyes burning with silent fury. "You're making a mistake, Thomas," Julian warned, his voice dangerously low. Thomas scoffed, ignoring Julian's threat. He turned to my father, who was still holding the shotgun with trembling hands. "You have the files, Graham?" Thomas demanded. My father nodded eagerly, kicking a leather briefcase toward the DA. "Everything is in there," Graham said, his voice desperate. "The offshore accounts, the dummy corporations, everything." I stared at them, the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. "You're working together," I whispered, the betrayal stinging like a slap. "Thomas helped you hide the money you stole from my mother's trust." Thomas smirked, picking up the briefcase with one hand. "Your father was sloppy, Clara," Thomas sneered. "I simply helped him clean up his mess... for a significant fee, of course." "And my mother?" I demanded, my voice rising in anger. "Where does she fit into all of this?" Thomas's smile faded, a flicker of genuine annoyance crossing his face. "She was a loose end," he said coldly. "She found out about our arrangement and threatened to go to the police." He looked at my father with utter disgust. "Graham was supposed to handle it, but he couldn't pull the trigger." "So you locked her away instead," I spat, disgusted by both of them. "Where is she?" "That doesn't matter anymore," Thomas said, raising his gun. "You and Mr. Vance have become a liability." He aimed the gun directly at my chest, his finger tightening on the trigger. Suddenly, a deafening explosion shattered the office window. A tear gas canister landed directly at Thomas's feet, filling the room with thick, blinding smoke. Through the chaos, I heard the sound of heavy boots and automatic weapons.