I stood outside the towering mansion, gripping a pair of earrings so tightly in my palm that the edges bit into my skin. My heart pounded as I stared at the gold-plated gate, the guards stationed at the entrance, and the banners displaying my father’s grinning face alongside his much-younger bride-to-be.
The words of the article still rang in my head: The Event of the Year—A Business Tycoon’s Wedding to Remember. Millions spent, the guest list filled with celebrities and high-ranking officials, and a love story hailed as the romance of the decade.
Love story?
The man didn’t know the meaning of the word.
He had left my mother and me to fend for ourselves, never looking back. He ignored her calls, let her wither away in sickness while he built his empire, and when she died, he didn’t even have the decency to pretend to care. I had spent years in foster care, lost and abandoned, while he lavished himself in wealth.
Tonight, I would make sure he lost something, too.
Slipping past the distracted security, I mingled with the crowd. No one paid me any attention. I had made sure to dress the part—an elegant dress, my hair styled, my makeup subtly striking. I wasn’t the scrappy foster kid anymore; I was someone else. Someone polished. Someone dangerous. I looked like I belonged among the rich, even though my heart burned with the memories of hunger and cold nights in shelters.
Inside, the venue was a palace. Chandeliers bathed everything in golden light, champagne flowed endlessly, and laughter filled the air. I kept my head down, moving through the crowd like I belonged. Then, I saw him.
My father stood at the center of it all, shaking hands, accepting congratulations, oblivious to the storm about to crash down on him.
I took a deep breath and made my move. With a graceful stride, I walked straight up to him. Before he could react, I wrapped my arms around him in a tight embrace, pressing my cheek to his chest. I could feel his body stiffen, and before he could pull away, I let go, but not before slipping one of the earrings into his suit pocket.
His confused gaze met mine. There was no recognition, no flicker of familiarity. Just the bemused curiosity of a man who thought I was just another guest.
“Miss,” he started, his voice full of polite dismissal.
I cut him off, loud enough for the nearby guests to hear. “Please don’t do this.” My voice trembled, just enough to be convincing. “I thought… I thought you loved me.”
The surrounding chatter quieted. Heads turned. I saw the bride-to-be, a stunning woman in an expensive gown, frown slightly.
My father blinked, momentarily lost. “I… I don’t know you.”
I let out a sharp gasp, my hands trembling as I covered my mouth. “You don’t know me?” My voice cracked. “Last night, you begged me to come see you in your suit one last time before the wedding. We… we were together. And now you’re pretending I don’t exist?”
Gasps erupted around us. Murmurs filled the room. The bride’s face paled, her perfectly sculpted lips pressing into a thin line.
My father’s expression darkened. “This is ridiculous. I have never seen this woman before in my life.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “You told me I was special! You told me you just needed to get this wedding over with for your business, but that I was the one you truly wanted!” I turned desperately to the bride. “He called me last night! I… I even lost my earring while I undressed him.”
The bride’s eyes narrowed. Her gaze flicked to my father. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“Of course it’s a joke!” My father snapped. “I have no idea what she’s talking about!”
“How can you deny my love?” I whispered, just loud enough for the crowd to hear. “You know I’m the love of your life, don’t do this to us. And please check your suit and look for my earring, you know it belonged to my dear mother, it’s irreplaceable.”
His nostrils flared. I could see the rage boiling behind his eyes, the panic creeping in as doubt spread through the crowd. He hesitated. He knew what would happen if he refused.
Reluctantly, he reached into his pocket. His fingers brushed against something small and cold.
I saw it the moment realization dawned on his face—the way his eyes widened, his lips parted slightly in shock. Slowly, he pulled the earring out, holding it between his fingers as if it had burned him.
The room fell into stunned silence.
The bride took a step back, her face twisting in disgust. “You liar.”
“No! I don’t know how that got there!” My father’s voice rose in desperation. “She’s setting me up!”
But the damage was done. The bride yanked off her engagement ring and threw it at his feet. “You humiliated me in front of everyone. We’re done.”
My father looked around frantically, his carefully constructed world crumbling. His business partners whispered among themselves. Reporters took notes. The weight of scandal pressed down on him.
I took a step closer and whispered so only he could hear, “You left me and Mom with nothing. I just returned the favor.”
Then, before he could react, I turned and walked away, leaving behind the destruction I had planned for years.
As I stepped outside, the night air was crisp and cool against my flushed skin. The mansion behind me buzzed with chaos, but for the first time in my life, I felt light. Free.
Some might say revenge doesn’t change the past. Maybe it doesn’t. But tonight, I had taken back my power.
And it felt damn good.
Would you have done the same in my place? Share your thoughts and don’t forget to like this post!
