Chapter 1: The Stolen Vow
“Perfect,” I whispered, stepping back to admire my handiwork.
After three sleepless nights, I’d finally finished the last pearl on my wedding dress. Every stitch, every bead—placed by my own hands. The ivory silk cascaded to the floor in gentle waves, catching the morning light streaming through my studio windows.
Six years with Alistair had led to this moment. Six years of loving him, supporting him through his illness, donating my rare blood type that matched his perfectly. Six years of building a life together.
The wedding was only three days away.
My phone buzzed on the workbench. Alistair’s face lit up my screen, and I smiled, answering with excitement bubbling in my voice.
“Hey! I was just putting the final touches on my dress. You’re going to—”
“Hazel, we need to talk.” His voice cut through my happiness like ice water.
My fingers froze on the delicate fabric. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. I’d never heard that tone from him before—distant, exhausted.
“What is it?” I asked, my heart suddenly hammering.
He didn’t soften the blow. “The wedding is off.”
The room tilted around me. “What? Is this some kind of joke?”
“I’m serious, Hazel. I can’t marry you.”
My knees weakened, and I collapsed onto my work stool. “Why? What happened? Did I do something wrong?”
A long pause stretched between us before he spoke again. “It’s Ivy. She’s dying.”
Ivy. My stepsister. The thorn in my side since my father married her mother when I was twelve. The girl who had stolen everything from me—my father’s attention, my mother’s jewelry, my sketches, my friends. Now this?
“What does Ivy have to do with our wedding?” My voice was barely audible.
“She has terminal cancer. Six months, maybe less.” His voice cracked with emotion I’d rarely heard. “Her final wish is to marry me.”
The absurdity of his words hit me like a physical blow. “And you’re going to do it? Just like that? Throw away six years of our relationship?”
“Try to understand, Hazel. She’s dying. She’s your sister—”
“Step-sister,” I corrected automatically, my mind still reeling.
“She’s family,” he insisted. “Can’t you find it in your heart to pity her? To grant her this one wish before she dies?”
Pity. He wanted me to pity the girl who had tormented me since childhood. The girl who had mocked my dreams of becoming a designer. The girl who now wanted my fiancé.
“You can’t be serious,” I whispered.
“I’ve already agreed.” His tone hardened. “Look, I know this is difficult. That’s why I’m offering you fifty percent of Everett Enterprises as compensation.”
“Compensation?” The word felt dirty in my mouth. “You think you can buy me off?”
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The readers' comments on the novel: The Billionaire's Dangerous Redemption (by Claire Winters)
This had the potential to be a really good read, unfortunately it is inconsistently contradictory and all over the place....