The wedding staff nearby began murmuring.

“Is this guy crazy? Marrying into the Dawson Family is the jackpot of a lifetime!”

“Right? What’s he acting so self-righteous for?”

“I heard he works a regular job—probably only makes a few thousand a month. I bet we make more than him. And he wants to turn down this chance?”

Kate's voice became even colder.

“Now, apologize to Andre, or this wedding is off!”

“Then it’s off!” I snapped. “A woman like you is not worthy of being part of my family.”

“I’ll walk away right now as long as you give me back the rings. I don’t need this farce.”

My voice rang out, calm and firm.

Kate was so stunned that she let out a short laugh of disbelief.

“You... Hubert, are you out of your mind?”

“I am Kate Dawson, the only heir to the Dawson Group! You’re really calling off this wedding?”

“I don't care if you're Kate Dawson or not, I'm not getting married today!”

My voice was calm, without any ripples, making Kate's face flushed red with anger. 

Andre quickly put his arm around her waist and calmed her down, “Ms. Dawson, forget him! Your grandfather loves you, he’d never force you into a marriage you don’t want.”

“You’re beautiful, capable and the only successor of the Dawson Family. Any man would be lucky to have you.”

“Besides, no matter who you marry in this life, the Dawson Family will always belong to you!”

After hearing Andre's words, Kate's expression improved a lot.

His words clearly pleased her. The arrogance returned to her eyes.

“But the guests are already here. Wouldn’t cancel the wedding damage the Dawson Family image? What if Grandpa blames me later?” Kate asked sadly.

Andre reached out and pinched Kate's shoulder, saying flatteringly, “Ms. Dawson, don't worry about that. Most of today’s guests are business partners. They won’t dare offend the Dawson Family just because of this.”

“As the only heir, you do what you want. I’ll always support you.”

Kate was deeply moved by these words. She looked at him with an almost girlish affection.

“You're the best! I wish my future husband could be as considerate and sensible as you.”

“Not some lowlife who pretends to be noble but comes from nothing.”

Blood still trickled from my wounds. I was exhausted—physically and mentally.

I fixed my gaze on her and said coldly, “Since the wedding is off, please return the wedding rings to me, Miss Dawson. They hold special meaning.”

When Kate heard what I said, she looked at the female bodyguard behind her, took out a stack of crisp red banknotes and threw them in my face.

“Special meaning? It’s just a pair of rings. The Dawson Family can afford thousands of them.”

“This is enough to buy ten. Wear them on your hands and your feet if you want.”

Cash fluttered down around me.

I didn’t even blink.

“Ms. Dawson, I’ll say it again. That ring is not something money can replace. Do you get it?” 

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience burst into laughter.

The staff sneered openly now.

“Unbelievable.”

“Does he really think that a cheap little ring matters to the Dawson Family?”

“If I were him, I’d take the money and disappear. What a joke.”

Kate sneered and said sternly, “Hubert, don't be so shameless! I’ve already given you money, what else do you want?”

“You think this so-called ‘special meaning’ isn’t just some sob story about your mom scraping together a dowry with dirty money?”

She paused deliberately, her tone sharp and venomous.

“Oh, right. Speaking of your mother, she's been raising you since you were three years old. Bet she had to cozy up to quite a few men to survive, huh?”

“I heard your father died early and wasn't often at home before he died. Who knows, maybe your father isn’t even your real father.”

“If that’s the case, those rings are dirty too. Melt them, now!”

The moment she insulted my parents, all the blood in my body rushed to my head.

My father, like me, was involved in a top-secret project. When I was three years old, he died in the line of duty.

After that, the Bureau supported us. I got scholarships and government help all through school. After earning my master’s degree, I followed in his footsteps without hesitation.

We, the Taylor Family, had never wronged anyone. Never shamed our country.

And now, we were being insulted by a spoiled brat who only knew how to throw money around.

I raised my head and stared at Kate as I questioned coldly, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Kate sneered and raised her chin arrogantly, “What? Do you think I don't dare?”

“Even if you die here today, no one would dare to say a word!”

Right then, the door to the dressing room opened.

Three staff members in professional uniforms pushed in a cart carrying a high-tech smelting machine.

Kate gave her command immediately, “Hold him down and make him kneel on the ground to watch those rings melt into liquid!”

Several bodyguards grabbed me. Their sharp nails dug into my wounds and a steel rod cracked against my shin, forcing me to my knees.

Pain roared through me, cold sweat soaking my back.

I struggled, my voice hoarse, “Kate, stop this! If you melt those rings today, your family will never recover.”

Andre snatched the rings off his dog’s neck and tossed them straight into the machine without a second thought.

Then he walked up to me, sneering and slapped me hard across the face, “Still acting tough? You think anyone will save you?”

“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.”