Color drained from Oliver's face as he felt the weight of every skeptical, mocking stare in the room. At that moment, he would have given anything to disappear.

Even so, he managed to grit out a protest, voice brimming with frustration. "Are you finished with this charade? We settled everything before today. Why are you turning the wedding into a circus?"

Murmurs of disapproval rippled through the Harvey family.

"Kiera calls herself a diplomat? She's acting like a spoiled child, not a professional!"

"Can't she solve her problem in private? Does she have to make it a public scandal?"

"Now it makes sense why her parents are nowhere to be seen. They probably knew she'd embarrass the entire family."

None of their words fazed Kiera. Instead, she sent Oliver a cool, knowing smile.

He felt his last bit of hope slip away.

A moment later, Kiera raised her hands and clapped.

All eyes turned as the screen behind them flickered to life.

Footage appeared—Oliver, playing with himself, repeatedly calling out for his fiancee's sister. "Danna... Danna..."

The entire room froze in disbelief.

All those Harvey relatives who had just moments before demanded Kiera be punished fell abruptly silent, their outrage evaporating in an instant.

A heavy, stunned hush settled over the venue as every pair of eyes turned to the screen.

Danna, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines, blanched at the sight. She was going to marry into the influential Ward family; the last thing she needed was to be caught in such a scandal.

She'd flirted with Oliver just to get under Kiera's skin, never once imagining he'd be foolish enough to leave behind damning proof.

Tears welled in Danna's eyes, glimmering on the brink of falling.

"Oliver, I always treated you with respect. I never realized you harbored such inappropriate feelings for me!" she cried out, her voice trembling. Turning to Kiera, she added, "I'm sorry, Kiera. Oliver approached me more than once, but I didn't want to ruin your relationship, so I tried to stay away..."

With that, Danna effortlessly cast herself as the innocent party—victimized, blameless, and entirely above reproach.

Oliver could only stare in shock, his hope fading as Danna's accusations landed squarely on his shoulders.

A cold wave of dread washed over him, the weight of the scandal and its consequences finally sinking in.

Danna, however, wasn't ready to accept defeat. Kiera's bold reveal had thrown her carefully laid plans into disarray, but she refused to let the chaos end here.

Quickly composing herself, Danna crafted a fresh strategy in the back of her mind.

Feigning devastation, she took unsteady steps toward Kiera, eyes glistening with manufactured sorrow.

Kiera's reflexes kicked in, and she reached out to steady Danna. In that brief moment, Danna artfully shifted her wedding dress, exposing a series of vivid red marks on her otherwise flawless skin.

Oliver's face went pale as he stared at the marks, his finger trembling as he pointed accusingly at Kiera. "Kiera! Are these love bites? You told me no intimacy before marriage, so how do you explain this?"

Every guest in the hall recognized the meaning behind those marks—no one needed an explanation.

No one had thought that a wedding already mismatched in status would end with both the bride and groom being unfaithful.

The crowd erupted in fresh shock, the sound of cameras clicking rising to a frantic pitch as everyone tried to capture the unfolding scandal.

With her head bowed just enough to hide her expression, Danna allowed herself a secret, victorious smile. Satisfaction coursed through her veins like never before.

She had spent a lifetime living in Kiera's shadow.

Kiera had always been the one everyone admired—the accomplished diplomat, the glowing pride of the Miller family, destined to inherit everything.

Meanwhile, Danna was continually outshone, never truly winning their father's approval.

How could two women share a family name but live such wildly different lives? Danna refused to accept the injustice.

Now, watching Kiera frozen under the relentless barrage of camera flashes, unable to retreat, Danna felt exhilaration bubbling inside her.

This was the moment she had carefully plotted, the day she would finally pull Kiera down and shatter the flawless reputation that had always overshadowed her own.

Confronted with the chaos, Kiera felt her stomach drop. She gathered herself swiftly, refusing to let panic take root.

If disaster had already struck, she needed to take control—whatever it took.

Oliver, eyes wild with rage, fixated on the marks Danna had exposed. He spat his accusations for all to hear. "Bitch! Always acting out of reach, keeping me at arm's length, and all along you were sneaking around behind my back!"

Before he could spew another insult, Kiera's patience snapped. She landed a sharp, well-placed kick that sent Oliver to the floor, clutching his side and cursing her through clenched teeth.

Kiera stared down at him, her voice like ice. "Maybe I should have torn your mouth apart yesterday."

A group of journalists surged closer, energized by scandal. Microphones and cameras jostled in her face as questions flew.

"Miss Miller, is it true both you and Mr. Harvey were unfaithful?"

"Will this affect your diplomatic reputation?"

"Sources say you've been disowned by your family and forced to seek protection from wealthy backers. Is there any truth to these rumors?"

Kiera faced the group of reporters, her eyes steady as microphones and cameras crowded in from every direction.

These were the same media outlets that once celebrated her every accomplishment. Now they were eager to tear her down.

Even as the scandal swirled and the pressure mounted, Kiera refused to flinch. Calm radiated from her.

Lifting her chin, she offered the crowd that signature poised smile, the same one that had once captivated the world and earned her a diplomat's respect.

Kiera replied calmly, "Yeah, these are love bites. So what?"

Her nonchalant words swept through the press like a cold gust. Journalists fell silent, each one at a loss for words as they traded looks of pure disbelief.

Admission like that was the last thing anyone had expected from her.

For a split second, Danna froze. Any satisfaction she'd felt evaporated, overtaken by surprise at Kiera's calmness.

It did not take long for a new idea to spark in Danna's mind. She rushed to wrap the shawl over Kiera's shoulders once again, her voice trembling as she tried to sound heartbroken. "Please forgive me, Kiera. I ruined your wedding. I never thought you stayed out all night because..."

Her words faded, heavy with implication, and every onlooker finished the thought in their own minds.

Suddenly, the entire crowd buzzed with whispers, suspicion thick in the air as eyes darted toward Kiera.

Every sentence from Danna only stoked the flames, making Kiera wonder about her true intentions.

With her brow furrowed and her gaze hard, Kiera fixed Danna with a look that was all suspicion.

Danna looked back, feigning surprise and shrinking away before she spoke up. "Did I say something wrong again, Kiera?"

Then she stepped in front of Kiera, shielding her from the press, and snapped at the crowd, her words ringing with righteous anger. "Stop jumping to conclusions! No one knows Kiera like I do. Just because she didn't come home last night doesn't mean she'd ever cross a line!"

Of course, the visible marks on Kiera's skin only made things worse, turning every word Danna spoke into another reason for the crowd to doubt her.

Looking back at Kiera, Danna's face filled with regret. "I'm sorry I let you down..."

Nothing about Danna's face hinted at dishonesty; she looked genuinely heartfelt.

Eventually, Kiera's attention drifted away from Danna, and a tired breath slipped from her lips.

For a fleeting moment, she tried to convince herself that Danna meant well, unwilling to believe Danna would harm her.

Yet, the chaos swirling around her offered no room for hesitation. Accepting a microphone from one of the reporters, Kiera let her voice ring out, sharp and cold. "Whatever stories you may hear about my private life, none of that matters now. This wedding is finished."

She squared her shoulders, fixing a hard stare on Oliver. "Why would I ever settle for a man who chases after my sister? Now, I declare that all ties with the Harvey family end here. I intend to press charges against Oliver for dragging our family's name through the mud."

The announcement landed like a thunderclap, sending the crowd into chaos.

With a scoff, Kiera let her gaze sweep across the assembled guests. "If anyone here feels bold enough to spread more rumors, go right ahead. The Miller family won't hesitate to take legal action against every last one of you."

A heavy hush fell, journalists reeling from her unshakable confidence.

No longer did the Harvey family's relatives hold their heads high; every one of them wished to vanish from sight.

Oliver was struck as if by lightning, experiencing the highs and lows of life within a single day. Once flattered as Kiera's fiance, he now found himself utterly discarded by her, the weight of loss pressing down on him like a nightmare he could not escape.

"That will be all. You can go now." Warmth returned to Kiera's expression as her composure softened and a gentle smile took its place.

People wasted no time shuffling out, mumbling weak apologies as they went.

Suddenly, a dull thump broke through the commotion—Oliver had dropped to his knees right in front of Kiera.

"Kiera, please! I'm begging you. Don't destroy the Harvey family. We won't survive another collapse!" Oliver clung to the hem of her dress, shaking with fear. His voice cracked with desperation.

Kiera responded with a dismissive wave, and security didn't hesitate to move in. Two guards seized Oliver, hauling him away without a second thought.

The echoes of his pleading bounced off the walls long after he disappeared.

"Karma finds its way to those who cross the Miller family," said Kiera, her words soft but cutting, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present.

No one doubted the severity of Oliver's fate.

Gossip vanished from every corner, replaced by a hush of wary respect for Kiera.

Reporters shifted their attention entirely to Oliver's ruin.

After all, nobody in their right mind would risk angering the rising diplomatic star for the sake of a man discarded by the Miller family.

Just like that, Kiera had calmed the chaos as easily as if she'd snuffed out a candle.

Across the hall, Danna watched with clenched fists, frustration simmering beneath her composed facade.

All her careful schemes had been effortlessly unraveled by Kiera once again.

A chill ran down Danna's spine, not just from defeat, but from the sharp focus in Kiera's eyes—a look that felt as if nothing could escape her notice.

They left the wedding behind, but Kiera suddenly came to a halt. Turning, she faced Danna, forcing the latter to look away, unable to meet her gaze.

"Why did you say those things back there, Danna?"

Trust, once unshakable, had started to fray for her, making it impossible not to question Danna's intentions.

Each suspicious moment had slowly worn away the sisterly closeness that once seemed unbreakable.

Tears spilled down Danna's cheeks as she begged, "I'm sorry, Kiera. I let my mouth get ahead of me and ended up hurting you. If it'll help, you can yell or hit me—whatever it takes to forgive me!"

Without warning, Danna bit her lower lip and lifted her hand, ready to strike her own face.

Quick reflexes brought Kiera's hand up to catch her wrist just in time.

Staring at Danna, streaked with tears, Kiera's mind drifted to the day Danna had saved her life.

All those lingering doubts flickered and faded under the weight of Danna's tears.

Brushing a tear from Danna's cheek, Kiera spoke softly. "Enough of that. I haven't scolded you, so there's no need for these tears."

A warm smile broke through as Danna hooked her arm through Kiera's, her voice lightening. "I knew you'd never stay mad at me."

Light flashed from Danna's ring, scattering brilliant red reflections.

That ruby was mesmerizing, so much so that Kiera had to squint against its glare.

Such a rare and valuable ruby ring was hard to find. How did Danna come to possess it?

Curiosity stirred inside Kiera as she asked, "Danna, where did you get this ring?"