Chapter 1

It was my eighteenth wedding with Julian Sterling, and once again all the guests left with my adopted sister.

My parents called, impatient and barely hiding it.

"Seraphina's stomach is acting up again. We're taking her to the hospital. Cancel the wedding, you should be familiar with what to do."

My maid of honor, my best friend since childhood, clicked her tongue at me over the phone.

"You really think your wedding is more important than Seraphina's health? She nearly passed out from the pain and you didn't want us looking after her. When did you become this cruel?"

And my fiancé didn't even bother to call.

He just texted: Wedding's off. Discuss it next time.

I rolled those words around in my head.

He'd used that same line to brush me off eighteen times.

A cold laugh slipped out before I could stop it, and I realized I felt nothing at all.

Eighteen times. Enough.

I was done begging for scraps from people who'd already made their choice. Whatever came next, I'd figure it out on my own.

I picked up the microphone and walked onto the wedding stage, every inch of it draped in amethyst violets, Seraphina's favorite flowers, not mine.

"I'm sorry, everyone. Today's wedding is canceled."

The guests traded glances. Not a single person looked surprised.

"Called it. Not one of these weddings has ever gone through. If I were Celeste, I wouldn't have shown my face."

"The whole family's obsessed with the little sister. If I were Celeste I'd just let her have him and walk away. Save yourself the embarrassment and at least come out looking classy."

"You don't know the half of it. She's like that girl from Just My Luck. Everything she touches turns to gold, everyone around her hits the jackpot.

Every time Julian tries to call it off with her, Sterling Global's stock tanks the next day.

He's tested it a few times and lost billions. That's the only reason he's still with her."

I walked off the stage under their stares.

I heard every word. My lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile.

This time, a stock dip was going to be the least of their problems.

I changed out of the gown and drove back to the Vane estate to grab my things and leave.

But the second I reached the door, a whole parade came pouring in.

Seraphina at the center, everyone laughing and fussing over her like she'd just survived something heroic.

The moment they saw me, every smile dropped.

Julian's eyes went dark.

"Celeste, you canceled and didn't even bother to give people a reason? Now they're all going to think it's because of Seraphina again. That's on you."

My father scoffed and didn't bother looking at me.

"You really dropped the ball this time, Celeste. Every other time you handled the PR yourself and we didn't have to think about it.

Go put out a statement. Tell them you were the one being unreasonable."

Jade was already pulling out her phone.

"I'll get my agent to call the press. If Celeste puts out a statement now we can still fix this. Get some trolls to go after her online and nobody will be talking about Seraphina."

I didn't respond to any of them.

I just stood there.

Okay. Fine. I'd had enough.

Three days.

I was giving myself three days to cut every last tie and walk away from this life for good.

"Celeste, are you even listening? I'm telling you, if you don't clean this up, I can't promise when the next wedding will be."

Julian stopped right in front of me, voice sharp and impatient.

And then Seraphina finally opened her mouth, voice barely above a whisper.

"It's all my fault. I ruined things between Julian and Celeste. I'm the one to blame."

"This month still has a few good dates. Please don't push the wedding back any further."

She didn't even finish before she started coughing.

Julian rushed to her side and rubbed her back.

"It's not your fault. Don't overthink it. Your sister can't live without me, so it doesn't matter when we get married."

"Then you're the one overthinking it."

Those were my first words since I'd walked in.

Everyone froze.

I lifted the bag in my hand. "I'm leaving."

The words barely left my mouth.

The next second, a sharp crack split the air.

The slap echoed through the entire living room.