Victor stared back at him steadily.
“You are asking for five million dollars?” Victor asked.
“You can take out a bank loan or liquidate some personal assets,” Harrison replied smoothly. “At your age, a man ought to have acquired some property.”
Samantha stood up abruptly from her chair.
“That is enough!” Samantha yelled in frustration.
Zachary clicked his tongue in annoyance without looking away from his screen.
“Samantha, sit down right now,” Zachary said coldly. “I am trying to track an important market trade.”
“They are actively insulting my father!” Samantha exclaimed.
“Well, he chose to show up dressed like a laborer, so what did you honestly expect?” Zachary answered carelessly.
Victor felt a sharp wave of disappointment that hurt far more than Harrison’s cheap insults.
He looked closely at the young man who intended to spend the rest of his life with his daughter.
Zachary was not uncomfortable with the disrespect.
He felt no shame about the behavior.
He fully agreed with his parents.
Victor took a slow, deep breath before delivering his firm judgment.
“This marriage is not going to happen,” Victor announced clearly.
Gwendolyn stood up instantly in anger.
“Who do you think you are to talk to us like that?” Gwendolyn shouted.
She grabbed the full glass of red wine sitting before her and splashed the liquid directly over Victor’s head before Samantha could stop her.
The dark wine ran down his graying hair, spilled over his face, and soaked into the denim jacket that still bore the tiny concrete scar from the tragic day he lost his legs.
Zachary let out a brief, sarcastic laugh.
Then he went right back to reading his mobile phone.
Victor closed his eyes for a brief second to gather his thoughts.
When he opened them again, his eyes contained no sadness whatsoever.
Samantha recognized the deep calm that settled over her father’s face.
It was the quiet focus that always came right before he made an absolute decision that could never be reversed.
None of the Dupont family members realized the storm they had just brought upon themselves.
PART 2
“Mom, what on earth did you just do?” Samantha screamed in horror.
She grabbed a cloth napkin and tried to wipe her father’s wet face, but Gwendolyn brushed her hand away aggressively.
“I am simply teaching him how to show proper respect to our family,” Gwendolyn claimed proudly.
“Respecting us?” Samantha asked tearfully. “You just threw a drink over a man who did absolutely nothing wrong to you!”
Harrison slammed his heavy palm down on the dining table.
“Your father walked in here purely to insult us,” Harrison barked loudly. “First he shows up looking like an actor in a cheap play, and then he presumes to decide whether my son is worthy of marrying you.”
Victor wiped his eyes calmly and looked directly at Harrison.
“That final part is the exact reason I came here today,” Victor said quietly.
Harrison took a menacing step toward the wheelchair.
“Listen to me very carefully, old man,” Harrison threatened. “I hold powerful connections across the entire construction industry in this region. If you are somehow still working on any local job site, I will ensure that no contractor ever hires you again.”
Zachary finally pulled his eyes away from his phone screen.
“Dad, let us just leave,” Zachary said with a sigh. “This entire dinner has become completely ridiculous.”
Samantha stared at her fiancé in complete disbelief.
“Is that truly all you have to say about this situation?” Samantha asked him.
“What do you expect me to say?” Zachary replied with a shrug. “Your father clearly came here looking for an argument.”
“Your mother just poured a full drink on him!” Samantha shouted.
“Tell him to order a new jacket online,” Zachary replied dismissively.
That cold answer shattered whatever affection Samantha had left for him.
She slowly pulled off her diamond engagement ring.
