Dad hesitated, as if questioning whether he should continue. “I hired a private investigator a few months ago, just to be sure about David. You know how protective I am of Emily,” he admitted, looking at me earnestly. “I didn’t want to believe it, but the investigator uncovered evidence that David was married before—under a different name. And it ended terribly.”

I sat there, stunned. A thousand questions whirled through my mind. “Does Emily know?” I asked, my voice cracking.

“No,” he replied, his eyes filled with sorrow. “I didn’t want to ruin her wedding day. But now… she has to know. We have to protect her.”

The weight of the situation settled heavily in the room. I thought about Emily’s bright smile, her laughter as she danced with her new husband, oblivious to the storm looming over her future. Anger and fear churned within me. “What do we do now?” I asked, feeling a mix of urgency and helplessness.