Darius stammered, his suave demeanor dissolving under the weight of his own actions. “I… I never meant for it to happen like this,” he said, casting desperate glances around the room as if searching for an escape. “Simone and I… it’s complicated.”

Complicated. The word hung in the air like a mockery. But the crowd, ravenous for drama, leaned in, their curiosity insatiable. I felt their eyes boring into me, waiting for the next act of this unscripted tragedy.Simone, regaining consciousness, was helped to her feet by a couple of guests. Her face was a canvas of guilt and fear. Yet, she met my gaze, an unspoken apology flickering briefly before vanishing into the depths of her turmoil.

I turned back to my father, addressing the deeper betrayal. “Was this your plan all along?” I asked, my voice steady. “To use me as a pawn in your business games?”My father hesitated, the truth flickering momentarily across his features before he composed himself. “Of course not,” he replied, but his voice lacked conviction. “This was never supposed to happen.”