“You stay in the background tonight. Don’t embarrass me.”
Later, he cornered her alone in a hallway.
“Look at you,” he sneered.
“Pregnant, broke, working my wedding.
I wanted you here to see how far above you I’ve risen.”
Janelle shook but stayed silent.
She needed the money.
She needed to survive.
But something inside her quietly cracked.
Not a break —
A spark.
CHAPTER 5 — THE PUBLIC EXECUTION
At 10:15 p.m. the groom took the stage.
“I’d like to honor our hardworking staff tonight.”
He called all servers forward.
Janelle stepped up, trembling.
Then Cassian walked toward her with a microphone — eyes cold, smile cruel.
“This,” he said, pointing to her,
“is what happens when you try to reach above your station.”
A planted server bumped her “accidentally,” sending water down her front.
Then Cassian did the unthinkable.
He grabbed the front of her dress…
And ripped it open.
The ballroom gasped.
Cameras flew up.
Her pregnancy was exposed to everyone.
She stood there half-naked, humiliated, shaking.
This should have destroyed her.
Instead, it awakened something.
Her baby kicked.
Janelle lifted her chin, wiped her tears, and took the microphone out of Cassian’s hand.
The entire ballroom fell silent.