Chapter 1

Three months before our lavish wedding was scheduled to take place, my fiancé, Caleb, posted a photo on Instagram. It was a picture of him and my adopted sister, Mia, holding a marriage certificate at City Hall. Beside it was a close-up shot of Mia's hand resting on her visibly swelling abdomen.

The caption read: "To ensure this little miracle arrives legitimately, we took a necessary step."

Mia had left a heart and a teddy bear emoji in the comments section.

My mother, Evelyn, liked it immediately and replied: "Wonderful! Once the baby is born, I'll handle the nannies and wet nurses. You two just enjoy your time together."

In disbelief, I typed a single question mark and hit send. Almost instantly, Caleb’s call came through like a furious bullet.

"Harper, she's only borrowing my last name for a year. It's purely for insurance purposes and the child's legal rights. Once the baby is born, everything will go back to the way it was, and I'll come back to you."

"Don't be so hysterical. You heard your mother; according to the family trust, we need a male heir before we can officially marry. Isn't this the perfect solution? We can still have our wedding party, and handle the legalities later."

I replied with a cold "Oh," hung up, and immediately deleted every trace of Caleb from my social media. I then posted a new status update:

"Urgently seeking a groom to fill a vacancy. Serious inquiries only via DM."

Caleb replied to my post instantly.

[Harper Wayne, are you crazy? It's just a legal document. Do you have to be so dramatic?]

[Do you think posting garbage like this will make me jealous? It's ridiculous. I'm warning you, don't act like a shrew, and don't you dare harass Mia.]

Mia followed closely behind, playing the innocent white rabbit in the comments.

[Sister, Caleb is just trying to help our baby. I would never take him away from you. After you and Caleb get married, my baby will love you just like a biological mother.]

My mother sent a private message scolding me for not seeing the bigger picture.

[You get a child for free without the pain of nine months of pregnancy and childbirth. Mia has made such a huge sacrifice for you; shouldn't you be weeping with gratitude?]

Caleb's Wall Street cronies started jeering in the comments too.

[Since you and Mia are sisters anyway, what does it matter who Caleb marries? Keep the wealth in the family. How about this: odd days for one, even days for the other? Everyone's happy!]

Everyone was trampling my dignity into the dirt, treating my pain as fodder for their amusement.

I stared at my phone screen, tears crashing uncontrollably onto the glass panel.

They were the ones who betrayed their vows.

So why was I the one being condemned?

How ironic.

These people weren't worth another drop of my tears.

I took a deep breath, wiped my eyes, and scrolled past the toxic comments. Suddenly, a concise message caught my eye.

It was from Lucas Sterling: "Can I apply for that vacancy?"

Lucas was my childhood neighbor and once my best friend.

After college, I stayed in Manhattan to run the family gallery, while he went to London to take over his family's massive financial empire.

Ever since I got engaged to Caleb, to avoid any impropriety, we had gradually lost touch.

Before I could even process it, Lucas's FaceTime request popped up.

"Harper, I've been in love with you for years."

"You know I've never liked your hypocritical sister, so there is zero chance of me ever having anything to do with her. My social circle is clean. I've been busy with mergers and acquisitions these past few years; there's no one else by my side."

As he spoke, an email arrived in my inbox.

I opened it to find a notarized deed of gift, including all his real estate and shares in New York.

As I sat there, too shocked to speak, Lucas's usually steady voice carried a hint of nervousness:

"Harper, this is my entire fortune and my sincerity. Will you give me a chance to take care of you?"

My nose stung with sudden emotion.

My memory flashed back to a stormy afternoon, when only Lucas had run three blocks in the pouring rain to buy me the cinnamon roll I was craving.

He was soaked to the bone, yet he handed me the steaming cinnamon roll he had shielded in his arms.

What he gave me was always the purest, most unreserved preference.

Choking back a sob, my voice trembled:

"I will."

True love always seemed so out of reach; what I had desperately tried to grasp had slipped away like sand, cutting my hands in the process.

I used to think...

I used to think it wouldn't matter if I ended up aloneLucas's voice betrayed a joy he couldn't suppress.

"I'll arrange the private jet immediately. I'll wrap up my meetings and be back to marry you within two weeks."

"Harper, you'll wait for me, right? Don't change your mind."

This tycoon.

But on her deathbed, my grandmother held my hand tightly and said her greatest wish was to see me in a wedding dress, protected by someone who truly loved me.

Caleb wasn't worthy.

But if it were Lucas, I think Grandma, watching from heaven, would smile with relief.

who commanded the business world sounded almost humbly pleading. It reminded me of playing house when we were children, when I had promised to be his bride.

I gave a heavy hum of affirmation.

My tears broke the dam again.

"Lucas, I promise you."

As I hung up, my mother pushed the door open, her face dark.

"Where is that emerald brooch your father left you?"

I remained silent, not answering.

Mother frowned impatiently. "What is this attitude? Mia has a charity gala tonight, and she thinks that brooch goes perfectly with her gown. Get it out, don't be so stingy!"

Mia, clinging to Mother's arm, said timidly, "It's okay, Mom. Sister has always treated me like an outsider. If she doesn't want to lend it, I'll just wear a plain one."

"She wouldn't dare by reality, twisted into this grotesque stranger.

Fine. I was leaving this suffocating house forever anyway.

I didn't bother with a futile argument. Silently, I took the emerald brooch—originally my grandmother's, then passed down to my father—out of the safe and handed it to her! That brooch is a legacy left by my husband. I am your mother, I make the rules, and today I'm giving it to you." Mother shielded Mia, her eyes cutting into me like knives. "If you don't hand it over, I'll have the butler search your room."