"Truthfully, I hadn't planned to introduce Richard Chamberlain."
Richard felt a surge of relief – his timely intervention had worked. If he hadn't acted, the man being introduced today would have been Mason Reed, that 'good-for-nothing delivery guy'.
The Chairman continued, "And my original introduction for Sophia Laurent, and what followed... was also meant to be quite different."

"This Sophia Laurent was supposed to be my future daughter-in-law."
What?!
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Daughter-in-law?!
All eyes instinctively swiveled towards Richard. Was he the heir?
Richard felt a dizzying sense of self-importance wash over him. Was he the lucky one?
"But Sophia Laurent has proven herself heartless and ungrateful," the Chairman's voice turned icy and sharp.

"While dating my son, she cheated on him and denied all his sacrifices."
"Today, we bring her up here not for celebration, but for condemnation."
"This is also a clear message to all Seabreeze Holdings employees: infidelity will not be tolerated here. We take conduct like this extremely seriously."
"She is fired. Effective immediately."

"Furthermore, a formal blacklist notice will be issued industry-wide."
"The man she cheated with is Richard Chamberlain."
"Richard, knowing full well Sophia was in a committed relationship, deliberately inserted himself into it."
"He is equally fired. He will also be blacklisted throughout the industry."
Sophia Laurent's face drained of all color. She was utterly stunned. Called up to be condemned?
Daughter-in-law?
What did that mean?
Could the heir possibly be...
Richard Chamberlain's face turned ashen. As the Chairman spoke again, both of them snapped their heads towards a new focal point, their expressions shifting from shock to dread.
"Now, please welcome my son, and my wife."
As his words faded, a spotlight pierced the crowd. People instinctively parted, creating a clear pathway.
My mother, elegant and composed, took my hand, and together we walked towards the stage.
Sophia's eyes widened in disbelief, her jaw nearly slack. The man she had relentlessly belittled as worthless now stood tall in impeccably tailored formal wear, radiating confidence.
Under the intense, silent scrutiny of thousands, I strode forward.
Upon reaching the stage, the Chairman of Seabreeze Holdings gripped my hand tightly, his own trembling with emotion. He raised our clasped hands high above our heads.
"This is my son!" he boomed, his voice echoing across the vast grassland. "Mason Reed!"
"He is the future heir of Seabreeze Holdings!"
"He is currently single!"
"His mother and I have discussed his future, and we care not about a partner's background or wealth. We care only about their character and integrity."
"Son-in-law! Son-in-law!" Sophia's mother shrieked, scrambling desperately onto the stage, ignoring security attempts to stop her. "Sophia was forced! She was a victim of workplace harassment! This... this Richard beast threatened her job! She's always loved Mason! She's cried herself to sleep every night since!"
"That's right! Son-in-law!" Sophia's father joined the fray, his voice pleading. "Sophia and Mason loved each other for years! They were practically engaged! They planned a wedding just two weeks from now! If it wasn't for Richard threatening her job, Sophia would never have left Mason! It's all a terrible misunderstanding!"
He turned desperately to me. "Mason! Say something! Think about how Sophia treated you all these years! Think about how we treated you! Search your heart! Haven't Sophia, and your future in-laws, been good to you?"
Sophia herself broke away and rushed towards me. She grabbed my hands, her eyes wide with manufactured panic. "Mason! I didn't want to lose my job! I wanted so badly for us to buy an apartment here in Seabreeze, to have our own home! Richard used my job to threaten me! I had no choice but to go along with him!"
"Bullshit!" Richard roared, his face purple with rage. "I have videos! Videos of this slut Sophia Laurent actively seducing me!"
Sophia's father lunged for Richard's phone, but my father's security detail was faster, swiftly confiscating it.
Within moments, the phone was connected to the massive event screens.
The footage played clearly: Sophia Laurent in an office setting, posing provocatively before pressing herself intimately against Richard.
"It's AI! Deepfake!" Sophia screamed hysterically, turning back to me. "Mason, don't believe it! It's fake!"
Then, a new tactic: "Mason... I'm pregnant! You're going to be a father!"
I looked at her with icy detachment. "Go ahead. Have the baby. When it's born, we'll do a paternity test. If it's mine, I'll marry you. Do you dare have it?"
Sophia's face contorted. She knew full well it couldn't be mine – she hadn't let me touch her in months.
"Mason, how can you be so cruel?" she wailed, tears streaming. "You promised to protect me forever! Do your promises mean nothing now?"
"Would you prefer I tell everyone here our story?" I asked, taking the microphone from my father. "Shall I share it all?"
Seeing my resolve, Sophia dropped to her knees with a thud. "Mason, I know I was wrong! Truly wrong! But I only made the mistake any woman could make! I slipped up once! Please, forgive me!"
"Forgive her!" Sophia's mother echoed, collapsing to her knees beside her daughter.
Sophia's father also sank to his knees. "Mason, look! We're all kneeling! On our knees begging you! Forgive Sophia! Let's be a family again! Living well together is what matters most!"