A collective gasp rippled through the audience as over two hundred guests reacted with wide-eyed shock. Wealthy socialites dropped their champagne glasses, and the bride’s family stood up from their head table in absolute fury. The crowd’s murmurs swelled into a roaring tide of outrage directed entirely at Julian, who stood frozen on the marble floor. Maya took a slow, deliberate step forward, her gaze locked onto him with fierce intensity. Now tell them the truth, Maya demanded in a stern, unwavering voice that carried over the dramatic beat of the music.