"My husband pushed me into the fountain at our wedding and called it a joke—until I discovered the humiliation had been planned three months before I ever said “I do.” "

Monday night arrived.

The Grand Glasshouse was a magnificent venue—a soaring structure of steel and floor-to-ceiling glass located in the heart of the city’s financial district. Tonight, it was lit up with glaring purple and neon blue spotlights. Giant banners hung from the mezzanine level, featuring Ethan’s face next to Ryan’s, framed by the sleek logo of Vortex Media.

Caterers rushed around carrying trays of champagne. Over two hundred guests—tech investors, digital creators, industry journalists, and Ethan’s wealthy social circle—filled the main hall.

At the center of the stage stood a massive, eighty-foot LED screen, currently displaying a countdown timer: 00 : 15 : 00.

Ethan stood near the VIP bar, wearing a tailored charcoal suit. He held a glass of expensive bourbon, surrounded by three Vortex Media executives in sharp suits. He was laughing, gesturing grandly, fully soaking in the spotlight he had craved his entire life.

Ryan was fifty feet away in the elevated AV booth, surrounded by three monitors, adjusting audio levels on his console, looking like a manic director preparing for his big premiere.

No one noticed the woman in a floor-length emerald green silk gown walking through the main entrance.

I carried myself with absolute elegance. My hair was styled in glamorous waves, my makeup was flawless, and my shoulders were held high. Beside me walked my father, wearing a classic black tuxedo, his expression calm and formidable.

As we crossed the polished marble floor, the noise in the room began to dip.

A few influencers recognized me from the wedding photos Ethan had teased online over the weekend. Whispers began to ripple through the crowd.

"Is that... the bride?"

"I thought she was in Hawaii?"

"Look at her... she doesn't look upset at all."

Ethan turned around, hearing the shifting murmur of the crowd. When his eyes landed on me, his mouth dropped open in shock. The glass in his hand nearly slipped from his fingers.

He quickly excused himself from the executives and marched toward me, his face a mixture of relief, anger, and deep suspicion.

"Nora?" he whispered harshly as he reached us, looking around frantically to see if cameras were tracking us. "What the hell are you doing here? You didn't answer my calls for three days!"

"Hello, Ethan," I said smoothly, my voice as cool as glass. "I couldn't miss my own husband's big night, could I?"

Ethan blinked, thrown entirely off balance by my calm demeanor. He glanced at my father, who stared back at him with icy, silent contempt.

"You... you're not mad?" Ethan asked, lowering his voice. "You're dressed up. You look incredible."

"I realized you were right," I lied effortlessly, offering a soft, radiant smile. "It's about business, isn't it? The metrics. The launch. I was being emotional last week, but I see the bigger picture now."

A huge wave of relief washed over Ethan’s face. His massive ego, always eager to accept that he was right, instantly swallowed the lie. His posture relaxed, and the arrogant smirk returned to his lips.

"I knew you’d come around, baby!" Ethan chuckled, reaching out to slide his hand around my waist.

I smoothly took a step sideways, pretending to adjust my purse, avoiding his touch.

"Come on," Ethan said excitedly, grabbing two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter's tray and handing one to me. "You came just in time. The stream launches in ten minutes. The Vortex executives are dying to meet you. They want us to do a joint stage bow right after the video ends!"

"I'd love that," I said, raising my glass in a toast. "To unforgettable moments."

"To unforgettable moments," Ethan echoed, clinking his glass against mine and knocking back his drink.

He had no idea that ten minutes prior, Lauren had walked into the back storage hallway wearing a catering uniform, opened the unlocked AV maintenance cabinet, and plugged Maya’s hardware bridge directly into the primary network switch.

Up in the elevated AV booth, Maya sat two rows behind Ryan, wearing a headset and holding a slim tablet inside her trench coat. She caught my eye from across the room and gave me a subtle, two-finger tap against her collarbone.

The signal was set.

Ethan pulled me toward the front row of VIP seats directly before the stage. "Sit right here, Nora. You're going to have the best view in the house."

"I certainly am," I replied softly, sitting down and smoothing my green dress over my knees.

The giant LED screen behind us began to flash as the main lights in the Glasshouse dimmed.

A booming voice echoed over the surround-sound speakers:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the exclusive global premiere of Vortex Media's flagship series... PRANKED ROYALTY!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and wild applause. Ethan stood up, waving his arms to the crowd like a conquering hero, before sitting back down beside me and grabbing my hand tightly.

The countdown clock reached its final seconds:

00 : 00 : 03

00 : 00 : 02