After the ninety-ninth proposal, Liam finally agreed to marry me. I spent all morning on my hair and makeup, choosing a simple white dress that felt both hopeful and appropriate for the City Clerk’s office. I sat on a cold stone bench across from the grand, columned entrance from nine a.m. until the sun began to dip, painting the sky in shades of bruised purple. Then, my phone buzzed with a text from him. “Getting a license for Daisy’s dog. We’ll have to reschedule.” A moment later, a new post from Daisy popped up on my Instagram feed. A picture of her chihuahua, held in Liam’s arms, both of them beaming. The caption read: “Someone still comes running the second I call. Makes you wonder… if I called out on his wedding day, would he leave her at the altar for me? ” Beneath it, a single comment from Liam’s account appeared. “I would.” I stared at that two-word death sentence for a long time, the ambient noise of the city fading to a dull hum. And then, a strange sense of calm washed over me. It was over. The fight had gone out of me, leaving behind a hollow sort of peace. I scrolled through my contacts, found a number I’d saved but never planned to use, and dialed. “You wanted an alliance between our families, right? The City Clerk’s office closes in thirty minutes.” 1. “Are you serious?” The man on the other end of the line sounded so genuinely shocked that he stumbled over his words. “You… you mean it?” “Yes or no?” “Yes! Yes, absolutely. Don’t move. I’m on my way.” Caleb Sterling hung up so fast it was as if he was afraid I’d vanish if he stayed on the line a second longer. Less than twenty minutes later, a black Maybach screeched to a halt at the curb in front of me. The driver’s door flew open and Caleb emerged, looking nothing like the perpetually relaxed, borderline-lazy heir I’d always known him to be. It was the first time I’d ever seen him in a suit. It fit him perfectly. When I didn’t move, he leaned in close, his handsome face a mask of playful menace. “Ava Sinclair, you better not be yanking my chain. You back out now, and all bets are off…” “I’m not backing out,” I said, rising. “Let’s go.” Once we had the marriage certificate in hand, he treated it like a sacred artifact, carefully tucking it into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Watching him, you’d think he was genuinely in love with me, not just with the strategic advantage our union would give his family’s business empire. As we parted ways on the steps of the courthouse, Caleb gave me a jaunty tip of his chin. “I’ll see you in a week. To pick up my bride.” I nodded. I’d just walked through the front door of my family’s estate when Liam came in behind me. He shot me a single, unreadable glance before hurrying past me into the house. He moved like a man escaping a fire. In the grand living room, my parents were sitting with a few of my uncles, all close family friends. My mother’s face lit up when she saw me, and she beckoned me over with a smile. “Darling, do you have the certificate? We asked Liam, but he said he didn’t have it.” My eyes instinctively flickered toward Liam. One of my uncles chuckled. “Well, of course she has it. Everyone knows our Ava has been desperate to lock Liam down since they were kids. She’ll guard that piece of paper with her life.” At his words, a shadow passed over Liam’s face. He stared directly at me, his eyes filled with a familiar, weary disgust and a clear warning. It was a look I knew well—a silent command to smooth things over, to explain, to manage everyone’s expectations so he wouldn’t have to. For a split second, I almost did it. The old habit was strong. But then, as the words formed on my tongue, they dissolved. Why should I? We were nothing to each other now. Let him feel the burn of uncertainty for once. Let him wait. I clutched my handbag a little tighter and smiled. “Yes, it’s with me. But you can’t see it just yet.” I let the statement hang in the air before adding, “Oh, and we set a date for the wedding. It’s one week from today.” With that, I excused myself and went upstairs, leaving a fresh wave of good-natured teasing in my wake, all of it centered on how deeply I must love Liam. They weren’t wrong about the history. Liam came to live with us when he was ten years old. We grew up like siblings, then something more—at least for me. He was the classic boy from the wrong side of the tracks, taken in by my father, and I fell for him. But he never saw it that way. He saw my affection as a gilded cage, an insult to his pride. He hated the special treatment he received because of me, the whispers that he was the Sinclair family’s charity case. All his patience, all his kindness, he saved for another girl. No matter how devoted I was, how many times I humbled myself to propose, he met it with disdain. He had no idea how many lucrative alliances my family, the Sinclairs, had to politely refuse because I insisted I would marry no one but him. He didn’t know about the quiet snubs, the closed doors, the business deals that mysteriously fell through. In our world, if you aren't at the very top, rejection is a sign of weakness. Isolation is an invitation for predators. My love for him had become a liability my family could no longer afford. But now, they wouldn’t have to. And I didn’t need him anymore. As I was about to close my bedroom door, a figure pushed past me into the room. “Ava. We need to talk.” 2 Liam shut the door behind him, his face tight with anger. “We didn’t get a license! Why would you lie to them? And how dare you set a wedding date without talking to me.” I looked at his clenched fists and offered a placid smile. “Who says the wedding is with you?” His brow furrowed in irritation. “I don’t have time for your games. Just go back down there and clear this up. Don’t let it turn into a bigger mess than it already is.” I swallowed the familiar bitterness and walked to the window, looking out over the manicured lawns. “Don’t worry, Liam. There won’t be a mess. In fact, it’s a win-win for everyone. You’ll be… free.” His frown deepened. “What is that supposed to mean?” I sighed, about to tell him everything, when the door burst open with a bang. A tiny chihuahua shot into the room and immediately began nipping and tearing at my ankle. Daisy rushed in after it, scooping the dog into her arms with a frantic apology. “Oh my God, Ava, I’m so, so sorry! It was an accident! Please don’t be mad at Tinkerbell!” The puppy was so small its bites felt more like playful nibbles. Hardly a reason for Daisy’s theatrical panic. I looked at her, confused. She was the daughter of our head housekeeper, a girl who was all smiles and sunshine to everyone else, but who always adopted a posture of meek fragility around me. It was a performance that always made Liam think I was secretly bullying her. Seeing Daisy’s eyes well up with tears, Liam’s face softened with protective concern. “It’s okay, Daisy, don’t worry. He barely even nipped her. Nothing happened.” Then his gaze shifted to me, his eyes as cold and hard as river stones. “It’s just a dog, Ava. Do you have to make a big deal out of everything?” A humorless laugh escaped my lips. I hadn’t said a single word, yet I was already the villain. Before I could respond, a voice called up from the foyer. Someone had arrived with wedding gifts. Downstairs, Liam’s face grew even darker as he saw the mountain of lavishly wrapped boxes. Daisy’s eyes, however, widened with naked greed. She immediately reached into an open crate and pulled out a framed sketch. “Wow! Ava, did Liam get all of this for you?” I frowned. How could Liam possibly afford any of this? He was a boy my family had sponsored, nothing more. I was about to correct her when Liam grabbed my wrist and pulled me aside, his voice a furious whisper. “Do you have to humiliate me like this? I don’t need you to buy me a reputation! I’m telling you right now, I am not marrying you. End this ridiculous charade.” So that’s what he thought. “You’re mistaken,” I began. “These are from Cale—” “Ah! Tinkerbell, no! You can’t chew on that!” Daisy’s shriek cut me off. I turned to see the sketch on the floor, torn into several pieces by the dog. A genuine surge of anger shot through me. Forget the value for a moment; this was a gift for my wedding. “Daisy,” I said, my voice sharp. “Do you have any idea what that was? Are you really incapable of controlling a three-month-old puppy, or was this deliberate?” At my tone, tears began streaming down her face. “I’m sorry, Ava, I’m so, so sorry.” I stepped forward to pick up the ruined pieces, but Liam, thinking I was going to attack Daisy, forgot all about his wounded pride and shoved my hand away. “Ava, she’s already apologized! What more do you want? It’s just a drawing! Are you actually going to hit her? You’re becoming more and more unreasonable.” I’m unreasonable? I was the one who had lost something, yet I was the one being irrational. Fine. If he wanted unreasonable, I’d show him some cold, hard reason. I fixed my gaze on Daisy. “That sketch was a Hockney. It’s valued at one hundred thousand dollars. Since your dog destroyed it, as his owner, you’ll be responsible for the cost.” Daisy’s tears stopped instantly. She stared at me, stunned, for a few seconds before her crying intensified, her body language suggesting she was about to drop to her knees and beg. Liam caught her, glaring at me with outrage. “Ava, that’s enough!” I swatted his hand away. “Of course, you’re welcome to pay for it on her behalf.” The words struck him like a physical blow. His face went pale with fury, his whole body rigid with insulted pride. He clenched his fists, his voice shaking with rage. “Stop acting like a spoiled princess. I’ll pay you back. Every last cent.” With that, he wrapped a protective arm around Daisy and stormed out. Watching him go, I couldn’t help but think of the boy who had first arrived at our house all those years ago. 3 He was ten years old when my father found him, a shy, quiet child. As an only child, I was thrilled to have a companion, and for years, he was the protective older brother I’d always wanted. Everything changed on his eighteenth birthday. Someone at his party joked that he was my future kept man, that marrying into the family was a clever career move. From that day on, he began to pull away, to resent me. All my years of devotion couldn’t stand up to a few careless words from strangers. I shook my head, a bitter smile on my lips. From every practical standpoint, Caleb Sterling was a perfect match. He had a reputation for being a bit of a playboy, but he was undeniably handsome, charming, and most importantly, his family’s wealth was endless. The day before the wedding, I went to the bridal boutique I had told Liam about a hundred times, each time being met with an impatient dismissal. I never imagined I’d run into him there, standing beside Daisy. He was in a tailored suit, she in a wedding gown. They looked perfect together. Suppressing the familiar ache in my chest, I walked into the shop. The manager greeted me warmly. “Ms. Sinclair! The custom gown you designed is ready. Shall I have it brought out for you?” I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. I had spent three months pouring my heart into that design. I wasn’t going to abandon it because of him. “Yes, please, thank you…” “Ava?” A voice cut me off. I turned to see Liam and Daisy walking toward me. Daisy, lifting the hem of her own dress, hurried over. Her eyes lit up when she saw the gown my assistant was carefully carrying. “Wow! Is this the one you designed? It’s beautiful.” Liam’s brow furrowed as he looked at it, his expression one of distaste, as if he were looking at something contaminated. Daisy reached out and touched the delicate lace. “Can I try it on?” Before I could answer, she turned to Liam, her voice a sweet plea. “Liam, can you wait for me to try this one on, too? Please?” Liam was silent for a beat, then gave a small, indulgent nod. “No,” I said, my voice firm. I was willing to let them have each other, but I drew the line at letting her wear my wedding dress. My refusal made Liam’s expression turn cold. “Ava, I’ve told you, I am not marrying you. You’re never going to wear this dress. What’s the harm in letting Daisy try it on?” I met his gaze, my own voice unyielding. “The harm is that it’s mine. So, no.” Liam looked taken aback, clearly not expecting such direct opposition from me. I had always been the one to back down. “But Liam, I really want to,” Daisy whined, clinging to his arm, her lower lip trembling. The next thing I knew, Liam had snatched the gown from my assistant’s hands. “It’s just a dress. She’ll give it back when she’s done.” Daisy took it with a triumphant smile. As she turned to go to the dressing room, the long train of the gown caught on a nearby metal clothing rack. There was a terrible screech of metal as the entire rack, weighed down with heavy garments and a mannequin, tipped over and came crashing down. For a split second, Liam’s hand instinctively shot out toward me. But then Daisy let out a sharp cry. “Ah!” His arm changed direction. He lunged for Daisy, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her out of the path of the falling debris. I was buried underneath it all. The sharp edge of the metal rack pressed into my back, sending a bolt of agony through me with every breath. When they finally pulled me out, I looked at Liam, and all I felt was a profound, chilling emptiness. Fifteen years of my life, my love, my loyalty—all of it meant less to him than a girl he’d known for three months. On the floor in front of me lay my wedding dress. A dirty high-heel print was stamped onto the pure white silk. It had been deliberately trampled. I raised my eyes to Daisy, who was nestled safely in Liam’s arms. She offered me a small, triumphant smirk. That was it. I’d had enough. I moved toward her, intending to pull her away from him, but Liam stepped in front of her, his face a mask of anger. “I know you’re upset I didn’t get to you first, Ava, but you can’t take it out on Daisy. She was almost hurt, too.” I pointed a trembling finger at the ruined gown on the floor. “And how do you explain that?” Liam’s jaw tightened. After a moment, he said, “She didn’t do it on purpose. It was a chaotic moment, she was scared, she dropped the dress. As for the footprint, we can have it cleaned.” He wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Besides, I’m not going to be at the altar tomorrow. It’s not like you’ll be getting married anyway. Stop making a big deal out of nothing.” With that, he led Daisy out of the store. Just as their figures disappeared through the door, the manager hurried over, a phone pressed to her ear. “Ms. Sinclair? Mr. Sterling has asked me to escort you to the third floor.”
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