I couldn’t stop smiling as I ran the mop across the hardwood floor. For years, I’d worked as a janitor at a luxury event venue, taking pride in keeping the place spotless for grand celebrations that never had anything to do with me. But this time was different. This time, my own daughter, Isabel, would be walking through those doors to see the space where she might be getting married.

The night before, Isabel had called me in tears. “Dad, the venue canceled on us. The wedding’s this weekend! What are we going to do?”

I had reassured her immediately. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I think I have the perfect solution.”

The following morning, I went straight to my boss, Mr. Greene. Since there were no bookings for the hall that weekend, I asked if Isabel could use it. “Of course,” he said kindly. “You’ve been with us fifteen years, Carl. It’s the least I can do.”

When I told Isabel the news, she was ecstatic. She and her fiancé, Trevor, were flying in that afternoon to take a look. I had never met Trevor before, but Isabel always spoke of him with such warmth. She described him as charming, successful, and the kind of man who made her feel like the luckiest woman in the world. I wanted to believe that for her.

The heavy doors creaked open, and I looked up expectantly, ready to meet the man my daughter loved. A tall figure in an expensive suit strode in, his polished shoes clicking against the floor. But instead of a smile, he looked around with disdain, his lip curling when his eyes landed on me.

“Seriously? I thought we were viewing a luxury venue, not walking into a janitor’s closet,” he sneered.

I straightened, trying to explain. “Sir, this hall is being prepared for—”

“For me,” he cut me off. “And I don’t want you here when Isabel arrives. We’re trying to picture a wedding, not a cleaning commercial.”

My stomach dropped at the sound of my daughter’s name. This was Trevor? The man she had chosen? His arrogance was suffocating.

He waved his hand dismissively. “Get out of here, janitor. No one wants you ruining the aesthetic.”

I wanted to lash out, but instead, I bit my tongue and turned toward the door. If this was the man Isabel thought she loved, I needed to find a way to show her who he really was.

Before I could leave, Isabel burst through the doors, her face lighting up as she rushed over and hugged me tightly. “Dad! Thank you so much for organizing this. You’re literally saving our wedding!”

Trevor’s sneer vanished instantly. In an instant, he transformed into the picture of charm, slipping an arm around Isabel and pointing out how perfect the venue was. He spoke of views by the lake and decorations as if he were already orchestrating everything. I stood there gripping the mop handle, fury bubbling in my chest. How could my daughter not see through him?

That evening, I met Isabel at our favorite diner and tried to tell her what had happened. “Sweetheart, Trevor was rude to me today. He didn’t know I was your father, and he treated me like dirt.”

Her smile faded, but she shook her head gently. “Dad, Trevor already told me. He said you two had a misunderstanding, and he feels terrible about it. He didn’t mean anything by it.”

The realization chilled me. Trevor had anticipated I would say something and had already twisted the story in his favor. He wasn’t just arrogant—he was calculating.

The next day, the venue was swarming with vendors. Trevor barked orders at florists and caterers like a dictator. I pulled him aside, my patience gone. “There was no misunderstanding yesterday. Tell Isabel the truth before tomorrow.”

He smirked without missing a beat. “Or what? Will you mop the floor with me?” Then his voice dropped, laced with venom. “Isabel is beautiful, compliant, and from humble beginnings. She’ll be grateful for whatever scraps of affection I give her. If you try to interfere, I’ll make sure she never speaks to you again.”

I clenched my fists, every muscle screaming to knock him down, but I knew that brute force wouldn’t save Isabel. I needed to outsmart him.

On the morning of the wedding, I had my plan. I brought Isabel to a quiet alcove near the service entrance under the pretense of calming her nerves, then left her there. Moments later, I cornered Trevor in the hall and demanded one last conversation.

“I’ll say this once,” I told him. “Admit what you really think about Isabel, or I’ll make sure everyone hears the truth.”

Trevor laughed coldly. “Your daughter is marrying up. She gets wealth and security, and I get a gorgeous trophy wife. That’s all this is. A business arrangement.”

A soft gasp came from behind him. He spun around, and there was Isabel, standing pale and trembling in the alcove doorway.

“You… you really think of me like that?” she asked in a broken whisper.

Trevor’s confidence cracked. “Isabel, no, you don’t understand. Your father manipulated this—”

But Isabel shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. “You said it yourself. A partnership. A trophy. That’s all I am to you.” She pulled the engagement ring off her finger and pressed it into his palm. “We’re done.”

Trevor’s face contorted in anger. “You’ll regret this! You’ll never find anyone like me.”

“You’re right,” Isabel said, her voice steady now. “And thank God for that.”

He stormed out, and the moment he was gone, Isabel collapsed against me, sobbing. I held her tightly, whispering, “You’re stronger than you know, sweetheart. You deserve someone who loves you for who you are, not what you can give them.”

She clung to me, and for the first time in years, I felt like I hadn’t failed her. I had saved her from a man who would have ruined her life. And as I looked down at my daughter in her wedding gown, tears on her cheeks but relief in her eyes, I knew she would one day find someone worthy of the love she had to give.