The house was unusually quiet when Monica stepped in, her footsteps echoing faintly through the hall. Normally, the warmth of home soothed her, but tonight… the walls felt suffocating.
Her father, seated comfortably on the leather sofa, looked up from his tablet.
"Monica? You're home early," he said, smiling. "Everything okay?"
Monica didn't answer.
She stood at the edge of the living room, shoulders trembling, face pale with shock.
Her father's smile faded."Monica… what happened?"
She swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice — but it came out cracked, raw.
"Dad… we need to talk."
Her father stood instantly. He knew his daughter. This tone was not normal.
"What is it?" he asked, stepping closer.
Monica clenched her fists, gathering strength she didn't know she had.
"It's about the man you brought yesterday. The doctor. The one whose family came to propose."
Her father frowned. "Yes? What about him?"
Monica's breath broke.
"Dad… he's the one behind everything."
Her father blinked. "Everything… meaning?"
She inhaled sharply — then poured it out in one breath:
"He is the one who threatened Lisa. He is the father of her baby. He blackmailed her. Hurt her. Controlled her. He threatened Rayyan too. He's the one sending violent messages. He's dangerous, Dad — very dangerous."
Her father stared at her, stunned.
"Monica… are you absolutely sure of this?"
A tear rolled down her cheek."Yes. The police arrested him today. He confessed."
Her father staggered backward, gripping the edge of the sofa for balance.
"That's… impossible. He's a doctor. He comes from wealth… influence… a respected family. He's my friend's son."
Monica lifted her chin, voice gaining fire.
"Being rich doesn't make him innocent."
Her father pressed his temples, shaken."I need to confirm this…"
Before Monica could stop him, he had already dialed his friend.
The Storm Arrives
Fifteen minutes later, a large black Mercedes pulled up at their gate.
Her father's friend — the doctor's father — stormed into the house, rage boiling over. His wife followed, equally furious. They didn't wait for permission.
"You!" the man shouted the moment he saw Monica. "Do you know what you've done?! The police took my son! My only son! Do you understand the humiliation you caused?!"
Her father tried to intervene."Brother, calm down. There must be some explanation—"
"There is nothing to explain!" the man roared, slamming his fist on the glass coffee table so hard it rattled. "Your daughter LIED! She twisted stories because she rejected the proposal!"
Monica stepped forward, trembling but fierce.
"I didn't lie," she said clearly. "Your son admitted to everything. He blackmailed Lisa. Threatened Rayyan. He—"
"SHUT UP!" the man screamed, advancing toward her.
But before he could take another step, Monica's father moved in front of her like a wall.
His voice was cold — the kind of cold that comes from absolute power.
"If you raise your voice at my daughter again, I will throw you out of this house myself."
His friend froze.
Monica's father was not a man anyone challenged lightly.He built companies, funded half the city's events, and knew every major figure in the region. When he spoke with authority, people listened.
The man swallowed, but anger still crackled in his eyes.
"You think your daughter is innocent?" he spat. "She ruined my son's career! She will pay for this! I will sue her for defamation! I will destroy—"
Her father cut him off sharply.
"Finish that sentence," he warned quietly, "and I will make sure every contract your business has… disappears by morning."
Silence fell instantly.
The man blinked, stunned.
Her father continued, voice like ice:
"You came into MY house, shouting at MY daughter, after YOUR son threatened and blackmailed women? You dare talk about ruining someone's life?"
His words sliced the room in half.
"Your son," he continued, "is lucky the police arrested him. If harm had come to Monica… I would've used every connection I have to bury him."
The man remained speechless.
Beside him, his wife tried to salvage the situation.
"Brother… please. There must be some misunderstanding. Our son is a good boy—"
Monica's father turned toward her sharply.
"Good boys don't blackmail girls. They don't threaten to kill. They don't impregnate someone and run away."
The doctor's father turned red with humiliation.
"My son said she LIED! He said the girl trapped him!"
"And he threatened to kill Monica for making a police report."Her father's voice dropped dangerously low. "I have proof from the police. They showed me the case file while you were shouting here like a madman."
The man flinched.
"You're lying," he whispered weakly. "You're lying…"
Her father stepped closer.
"No. You are lying — to yourself."
The Accusation Turns
But then the man snapped back, pointing a shaking finger at Monica.
"You ruined our families' reputation! Everyone knows about the proposal already. Now they will think my son is a monster because of you!"
Monica's eyes filled again.
"I didn't ruin anything," she whispered. "HE did. Not me."
"You rejected him," the man hissed. "You insulted him. That's why he reacted."
"REACTION?" Monica shouted, voice breaking. "Is threatening to kill someone a reaction to you?"
Her father wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulders.
"Enough," he said. "This discussion is over. Take your wife and leave. Now."
The doctor's father looked stunned, betrayed.
"You're choosing your daughter over our friendship?"
"Yes," Monica's father said without hesitation."Because a father who doesn't protect his daughter… is no father at all."
The man opened his mouth to argue, but her father raised a hand — a command.
"Get. Out."
With one last glare, the man turned and stormed out with his wife trailing behind.
The door slammed.
And silence engulfed the house.
Aftermath
Monica collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted.Her father sat beside her, slowly pulling her into a side embrace.
"Monica… I'm sorry," he whispered.
Those words… she had never heard from him before.
"I trusted the wrong people," he said, voice thick. "I almost pushed you into danger. I'm so sorry, darling."
Monica sobbed quietly, leaning against him.
"It's okay, Dad… you didn't know."
"But I should have," he said firmly. "From today onwards… no more proposals. No more forcing. No more decisions made without your approval."
She looked up, surprised.
"I trust your judgment," he said. "And I promise… I will protect you with everything I have."
Monica burst into tears again — this time, from relief, from love, from finally being heard.
Her father hugged her tighter.
"You're my daughter," he whispered. "You are more precious than any friendship, any proposal, any family name. And I will never let anyone hurt you again."
For the first time in days… Monica felt safe.
Truly safe.