The music was soft.
The lights were dim.
Rayan and Ayesha were dancing slowly in the middle of the hall.
Her head was on his shoulder.
His arms were around her waist.
For a moment, it felt like there were only two people in the whole world.
“Ayesha,” Rayan whispered in her ear, “After tonight, you will never have to work again.
You will never have to worry about bills.
You will only have to worry about one thing.” “What?” Ayesha asked softly, looking up at him.
“How to handle my love.
Because I am going to love you so much, you will get tired of it.” Ayesha giggled, her face red.
“I will never get tired of your love, Rayan.
Never.” They were lost in each other’s eyes, when suddenly, the main doors of the palace opened with a loud bang.
The music stopped.
The dance stopped.
Everyone turned to see who had dared to interrupt the CEO’s engagement.
A man walked in.
55 years old, tall, handsome, expensive suit, but his eyes were cold, just like Rayan’s used to be.
But his coldness was evil, not lonely.
Dadi Jaan saw him and her face turned white.
Her hand started shaking.
The glass of juice fell from her hand and broke.
“You…
you…
how dare you come here after 20 years?!” Dadi Jaan shouted, her voice full of hate and pain.
Rayan turned around.
When he saw the man, his whole body froze.
His arms around Ayesha tightened so much that Ayesha felt pain.
“Father?” Rayan whispered.
The word came out like poison.
Yes.
It was Mr.
Kamran Ahmed.
Rayan’s father.
The man who left Rayan’s mother when Rayan was only 8 years old.
He had an affair with his secretary, took all the money from Rayan’s mother’s company, and ran away to London.
Rayan’s mother died two years later due to depression and heartbreak.
Rayan had never forgiven his father.
He had built his whole billion-dollar empire just to prove that he didn’t need his father.
“Hello, my son,” Kamran said with a fake smile.
“I heard my only son is getting engaged to…
a waitress?
I had to come.
As a father, I have to save my son from making the biggest mistake of his life.” He walked towards the stage.
Security tried to stop him, but Dadi Jaan raised her hand.
“Let him come.
Let everyone see the face of the man who destroyed my daughter.” Ayesha looked at Rayan.
Rayan’s face was like stone, but his eyes…
his eyes were full of tears he was trying to hide.
This was the first time Ayesha had seen Rayan so broken, so vulnerable.
Like a small 8-year-old boy again.
“Who is this, Rayan?
Is he really your father?” Ayesha whispered.
Rayan didn’t answer.
He was staring at his father with pure hate.
Kamran came to the stage and took the mic from Dadi Jaan without permission.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I am Kamran Ahmed, father of Rayan Ahmed.
And I am sorry to say, this engagement cannot happen.” The whole hall gasped.
500 people started whispering.
“What?
Why?” Kamran continued, “You all know me.
I am the founder of Ahmed Group in London.
My son, Rayan, is emotional.
He doesn’t understand business.
If he marries a poor waitress, what will our business partners in London and Dubai think?
They will think the Ahmed family has lost its class!
Our share prices will fall!
I have worked 20 years to build our reputation in London!
I cannot let a gold digger destroy it in one day!” He pointed at Ayesha.
“This girl…
what is her background?
Her father was a poor school teacher who died.
Her mother is a kidney patient.
They live in a 2-room house in a poor area.
Tell me, is this the standard of Ahmed family?
My son deserves a princess, not a servant!” Ayesha started crying again.
First Zara, then Sana, now his father.
Why was everyone trying to humiliate her?
But this time, Rayan didn’t shout.
He didn’t fight.
He just stood there, frozen, looking at his father.
Because this was not Zara or Sana.
This was his childhood trauma.
The man who gave him nightmares for 20 years.
Dadi Jaan shouted, “Kamran!
Get out!
You have no right to speak here!
You left your wife to die!
You left your 8-year-old son crying!
You have no right to call yourself a father!
You are not part of this family anymore!
I removed your name from this family 20 years ago!” Kamran laughed evilly.
“Mother, you can shout, but legally, I am still Rayan’s father.
And legally, I still own 30% shares of Ahmed Industries, which his mother left.
And according to the company rules, if Rayan marries a girl