She Melted the Ring, I Burned the Vows

“Beg for mercy. Maybe Ms. Dawson will let you leave in one piece.”

As I watched the rings begin to melt, a sinking chill crushed my heart.

When Kate saw my expression, pleased by my despair, waved a hand dismissively.

“Let him go.”

The moment my body was freed from the shackles, my phone, which had fallen to the ground, rang.When I saw the caller ID, I answered instantly.

“Hubert, the technical department reported that there's a problem with your wedding ring. Did something happen to you?”

It was my supervisor. His voice was calm, but there was a hard edge beneath it.

I stared at everyone in the room—their arrogant, mocking faces.

“Sir, I'm at the Golden Grand Hotel in Cloverdale right now. My wedding ring...was melted!” 

My supervisor’s voice shook with fury. “What?!”

“Those rings were made of classified materials. It took dozens of levels of clearance to get approval for them.”

“Who the hell had the guts to do this?”

I took a deep breath and said, “It's the Dawson Family, sir. Not only did they melt the wedding ring, they also said that even if I die here today, no one would dare to say anything!”

“They also insulted my parents. Said my mother must’ve... that I’m a bastard child…”

When I said this, my voice cracked in the end.

The other end of the line fell silent.

Then came a cold, steel-edged command, “Give the phone to someone from the Dawson Family! I want to hear who exactly thinks they’re above the law.”

Before I could pass the phone over Andre snatched it from my hands and shouted into it, “Who the hell are you? You think you’re worthy of speaking to Ms. Dawson?”

“Let me tell you, the Dawson Family is not only powerful in Cloverdale, but also influential throughout the country.”

“If you dare to interfere in today's matter, the Dawson Family will not let you go!”

After he finished speaking Andre tossed my phone into the smelter. It disintegrated in an instant.

Kate watched him with sparkling eyes, practically swooning.

I looked at her, lips curling in disgust and sneered, “Ms. Dawson, aren't you afraid that your secretary might’ve just crossed the line?”

Kate rolled her eyes, clearly unconcerned.

Andre spat at me with a laugh.

“Idiot, everyone in Cloverdale knows that no one dares go against the Dawson Family.”

Just as he said that, the door burst open.

A hotel manager ran in, panic written all over his face.

“Ms. Dawson! Something’s wrong—terribly wrong!”

“There’s a group of heavily armed personnel outside. They’re asking for you by name.”