There was something else in that folder.
Something Margaret had not wanted Daniel to discover until she was absolutely certain.
Thomas removed a second set of documents.
"This concerns a company called Hayes Property Group."
Victoria's eyes widened slightly.
Daniel noticed.
"What about it?"
Emily answered.
"Several properties connected to the Collins trust were approached for acquisition through this company. The proposed transactions were structured in a way that would have transferred significant value to an entity controlled by the Hayes family."
Daniel looked at Victoria.
"Did you know about this?"
She shook her head.
"My father handles business matters. I don't get involved in everything."
Thomas nodded.
"That may be true. But your name appears in several communications."
He placed the next page in front of her.
Victoria did not touch it.
The email contained a discussion about the wedding.
Not the flowers.
Not the guest list.
Not the ceremony.
It discussed Daniel's marriage as a potential opportunity to gain influence over the Collins estate.
One sentence stood out.
Once the marriage is finalized, it will be easier to position the family for access to the Collins assets.
Daniel read it twice.
His hands began to shake.
"Did you marry me because of my father's money?"
Victoria's expression changed immediately.
"How dare you?"
"Answer the question."
"I love you!"
"Then why is my family being discussed like a business opportunity?"
She stepped closer.
"Your mother has manipulated all of this. She's always hated me."
Margaret looked exhausted.
"I never hated you, Victoria."
"Then why are you doing this?"
"Because I won't allow anyone to use my husband's legacy to hurt my son."
Victoria turned toward the guests.
"This is unbelievable. They're trying to destroy my marriage on my wedding day!"
I stepped forward.
"No, Victoria. Your actions brought us here."
She pointed at me.
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
I looked at the folder.
"Then perhaps you should read the documents."
She refused.
Instead, she turned to Daniel.
"You're really going to believe these people over your own wife?"
Daniel did not answer immediately.
He looked at the woman standing in front of him.
The woman he had loved.
The woman he had defended.
The woman he had promised to spend the rest of his life with.
Then he looked at his mother.
He remembered the years she had spent supporting him.
The money she had contributed to the wedding.
The quiet sacrifices she had never mentioned.
And finally, he remembered the sound of Victoria's hand striking her face.
His voice became very quiet.
"Did you hit my mother?"
Victoria looked away.
"She provoked me."
Daniel closed his eyes.
That answer told him more than any document could.
The next revelation came from Margaret herself.
She had remained silent while the lawyers spoke.
But now she reached into her handbag and removed a small envelope.
"Daniel, there's something else."
He turned toward her.
"What is it?"
She handed him the envelope.
Inside was an old photograph.
It showed Robert standing beside a younger Margaret in front of a small construction site.
Daniel recognized his father immediately.
But there was another man in the photograph.
A younger version of Victoria's father.
Daniel stared at the image.
"Why are they together?"
Margaret looked at the photograph.
"Your father and Mr. Hayes knew each other long before you met Victoria."
Victoria's face lost its color.
Margaret continued.
"Many years ago, Robert helped a young businessman who was struggling to keep his company alive. He provided a loan when several banks refused to help. That businessman was Victoria's father."
Daniel looked at her.
"Grandpa Hayes?"
Margaret nodded.
"Your father never wanted repayment. He believed that helping someone when they were struggling was simply the right thing to do."
Victoria stared at Margaret.
"That's impossible."
Margaret continued.
"Robert never spoke about it because he didn't want anyone to feel indebted to him. But the agreement was documented."
Thomas opened another section of the folder.
"Indeed. The original loan was eventually converted into a minority ownership interest in one of the Hayes family's commercial ventures."
Victoria looked at her father, who had just entered the ballroom after receiving a phone call.
He stopped when he saw the documents.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Thomas addressed him.
"Mr. Hayes, we need to discuss the ownership records connected to the original agreement."
Victoria's father looked at the folder.
His expression told everyone that he understood exactly what was happening.
Daniel turned toward him.
"Did you know about my father's investment?"
Mr. Hayes hesitated.
"Daniel, this is complicated."
"Did you know?"
He lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
The answer landed like a stone.
Daniel looked at Victoria.