At the same time, a matte black armored vehicle smashed through the iron gates as if they were paper. Several dark SUVs followed behind, surrounding the mansion with quiet precision.
The armored truck stopped in front of me, and before it fully halted, the door opened. My father stepped out wearing a tailored black suit and a long wool coat, his presence commanding and unshaken.
He wrapped his coat around my shoulders and pulled me into his arms. “Forgive me, sweetheart,” he whispered into my wet hair.
“They humiliated me,” I said, my voice shaking again.
He looked into my eyes and wiped my tears with steady hands. “Get into the truck and change into something warm, then walk beside me like the daughter you are.”
Inside the vehicle, I found a simple black dress and heels that my father always carried for formal events. I changed quickly, dried my hair as best I could, and stepped back out feeling transformed.
We walked toward the grand entrance while my father’s security team handled the estate guards without firing a single shot. The front doors swung open under a powerful kick, and the music stopped abruptly.