The ballroom fell into complete silence.
Emily stared at the old man, her mind struggling to process what he had just said.
"She… was my daughter."
The words echoed in her head again and again.
"What?" Emily whispered.
Alexander's grandfather was still holding the old photograph in his hand. His usually calm expression had changed into something far more complicated.
Shock.
Confusion.
And something that looked almost like pain.
"That's impossible," Sophia said suddenly.
Her voice was sharp, desperate.
"There must be some mistake."
But no one paid attention to her.
All eyes were on Emily.
Emily slowly stepped closer.
Her hands trembled slightly as she looked at the photograph again.
The woman truly looked just like her.
Same eyes.
Same smile.
Same face.
It felt like she was looking into a mirror from the past.
"My parents died when I was young," Emily said quietly.
"That's what I was always told."
Daniel folded his arms calmly.
"That may not be the full truth."
Alexander turned toward him immediately.
"You seem to know quite a lot about this."
Daniel shrugged slightly.
"I simply follow interesting information."
Alexander's voice became colder.
"And my wife's past is 'interesting' to you?"
Daniel met his gaze.
"It should be interesting to you too."
Alexander stepped closer, his presence suddenly intimidating.
"Choose your next words carefully."
Emily gently touched Alexander's arm.
"Wait."
She looked at Daniel again.
"What exactly did you find?"
Daniel sighed softly.
"The woman in that photograph disappeared twenty years ago."
He nodded toward the grandfather.
"She was the only daughter of the Knight family."
Emily's eyes widened slightly.
"But according to the official records…"
Daniel continued,
"She died in an accident."
The guests around them whispered nervously.
"But," Daniel added slowly, "there were always rumors that her body was never found."
The grandfather's grip on his cane tightened.
"That rumor was buried for a reason."
Daniel nodded.
"Yes. Because the Knight family didn't want the scandal."
Emily felt her heart beating faster.
"Are you saying…"
Her voice trembled.
"…that woman might be my mother?"
The question hung heavily in the air.
No one answered immediately.
Alexander's grandfather looked at Emily again.
For the first time since the evening began, his sharp eyes softened slightly.
"It's only a possibility," he said slowly.
"We cannot jump to conclusions."
But Sophia suddenly laughed.
The sound was bitter and mocking.
"This is ridiculous."
Everyone turned toward her.
"So now we're supposed to believe that this girl suddenly appeared out of nowhere… and she's secretly a member of the Knight family?"
Her eyes burned with anger.
"This is clearly another trick!"
Alexander's gaze became dangerously cold.
"You should stop talking while you still can."
But Sophia ignored him.
She pointed directly at Emily.
"She married you out of nowhere!"
She looked at the guests around them.
"And now suddenly she might be your cousin or something?"
The crowd began whispering again.
Emily felt the pressure building around her.
But then—
Alexander stepped forward.
He placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"That's enough."
The entire room fell silent again.
Alexander's voice was calm… but terrifying.
"I don't care who Emily's parents are."
He looked directly at Sophia.
"She is my wife."
His words echoed across the ballroom.
"And anyone who tries to insult her again…"
His eyes turned ice cold.
"…will answer to me."
Sophia clenched her fists.
But before she could speak again—
The grandfather suddenly raised his hand.
"Enough."
Everyone froze.
The old man slowly walked toward Emily.
He studied her face carefully.
Then he looked down at the photograph again.
Finally, he spoke quietly.
"There is only one way to confirm the truth."
Emily held her breath.
"What way?"
The grandfather looked directly into her eyes.
"A DNA test."
The room erupted into shocked whispers.
Sophia's face turned pale.
But Emily felt something far worse.
Fear.
Because if the test proved the connection was real…
Everything about her life might change forever.l