The screen remained black.

The final words from the recording echoed in everyone’s mind.

*“Ava’s father is not the man Marcus told me he was.””*

Then nothing.

No explanation.

No name.

No answer.

Just silence.

Darius stood beside the DJ booth, staring at the damaged file as if he could force it to continue through sheer will.

“Fix it.””

The DJ, who had stayed frozen near the back of the room, slowly stepped forward.

“I don’t know if I can.””

Darius turned.

“Try.””

The DJ nodded nervously and moved toward the equipment.

Everyone watched.

Nobody spoke.

The bride.

The groom.

The mother.

The man who had just admitted to changing DNA results.

And the little girl whose entire life had been turned upside down.

Ava looked at Darius.

“Are you still my dad?””

The question stopped him.

Everything else disappeared.

The guests.

The secrets.

The accusations.

All of it.

Darius immediately knelt in front of her.

“Ava.””

She looked scared.

“I heard what they said.””

He gently held her hands.

“Listen to me.””

Her eyes filled with tears.

“I don’t want to lose you.””

Darius’s expression broke.

“You’re not losing me.””

“But what if I’m not really yours?””

He shook his head.

“Being your dad was never just about a test.””

Ava looked at him.

“I don’t understand.””

“I taught you how to ride a bike.””

She nodded.

“I fell.””

“And you got back up.””

“You held my hand.””

“Yes.””

“You came to my school play.””

“Every single one.””

“You stayed when I was sick.””

“Every time.””

Darius wiped a tear from her cheek.

“That’s your dad.””

Ava hugged him.

For a moment, the entire room became quiet.

Even Marcus looked away.

Nia watched them with tears in her eyes.

Simone watched too.

And something about that moment seemed to hurt her.

Because she realized the thing Marcus had tried to destroy was the one thing that could not be erased.

The bond between a father and daughter.

The DJ suddenly spoke.

“I found something.””

Everyone turned.

The screen flickered.

A damaged folder appeared.

“Some of the file recovered.””

Darius stood.

“What file?””

The DJ pointed.

“A hidden video.””

Marcus immediately moved.

“No.””

The word came too quickly.

Everyone noticed.

Darius looked at him.

“You don’t get to decide anymore.””

Marcus stopped.

The DJ clicked.

The screen came alive.

A video appeared.

It showed Nia.

Years younger.

Sitting alone in a small room.

She looked exhausted.

Afraid.

The room recognized the voice before she even spoke.

“Nia.””

Darius whispered.

The recording began.

“If Ava is watching this one day…”

Nia’s younger self looked directly into the camera.

“I need you to know I tried.””

The present Nia covered her mouth.

“I tried to tell him.””

The younger Nia looked down.

“But Marcus said nobody would believe me.””

Darius looked at Marcus.

Marcus’s face stayed emotionless.

But his hands tightened.

The video continued.

“He said Darius would choose his reputation over his daughter.””

Darius shook his head.

“No.””

The younger Nia continued.

“He said if I fought him, he would make sure Ava grew up without either parent.””

Ava looked at Marcus.

The little girl who had once been nervous now looked angry.

“You wanted me alone?””

Marcus looked at her.

For a moment, something almost like guilt crossed his face.

Then it disappeared.

“You don’t understand.””

Darius stepped forward.

“She understands enough.””

The video continued.

“I believed him.””

Nia’s younger voice cracked.

“That was my mistake.””

The screen showed her crying.

“But there was something Marcus didn’t know.””

Everyone leaned closer.

Darius held his breath.

The recording continued.

“I kept a copy.””

The video ended.

The ballroom waited.

Ava looked at the USB.

“There’s another copy?””

The DJ checked the files.

“There’s one more.””

Marcus finally moved.

“Don’t.””

Darius looked at him.

“Why?””

Marcus didn’t answer.

“Why are you afraid?””

For the first time, Marcus looked cornered.

Darius saw it.

“You changed the results.””

Marcus said nothing.

“You manipulated Simone.””

Silence.

“You destroyed my relationship with Nia.””

Still silence.

Darius stepped closer.

“But you’re afraid of one file.””

Marcus looked at the USB.

And that told everyone everything.

The DJ opened the final folder.

A document appeared.

A scanned page.

At the top was a title.

*ORIGINAL PATERNITY REPORT.*

Darius stared.

Nia closed her eyes.

Simone whispered:

“Oh my God.””

Marcus suddenly lunged toward the DJ booth.

But Darius grabbed him.

The two men struggled.

Guests screamed.

Chairs moved.

The elegant ballroom became chaos.

“Let go of me!”” Marcus shouted.

“No.””

Darius held him back.

“Not this time.””

The DJ quickly opened the document.

The first line appeared.

Then the second.

Everyone waited.

The result was finally visible.

And then the DJ stopped.

His face changed.

Darius looked at him.

“What?””

The DJ slowly turned the screen.

“I think you need to see this yourself.””

Darius stepped closer.

His eyes moved across the page.

And the color disappeared from his face.

Because the result did not say what anyone expected.