As he re-entered the chapel, Jonathan was acutely aware of the eyes following him. The priest, looking bewildered, paused mid-sentence. Jonathan approached the front. “I’m suspending this service,” he announced, his voice carrying a note of authority that brooked no argument. “I have reason to believe that my daughter’s fate is not as we’ve been led to understand.”

The room buzzed with bewilderment and speculation, but Jonathan had no time for the swirling chaos of society’s scrutiny. He was a man of action once more, with a chance — however slim — to reclaim what he had lost.

Marcus watched from the back as Jonathan, with renewed resolve, exited the chapel, a silent promise hanging between them. The boy’s heart pounded with a mix of fear for Emily and relief that someone believed him.