Chapter 5

I stopped short.

My brother Trevor was already coming out to meet me. He snatched the birthday present out of my hands.

"You're here. Go get inside. Both families' elders are waiting."

"Since when does Ivy's seventh birthday need wedding decorations on the front door?"

Trevor avoided my eyes, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me toward the house. His grip made it ache.

The moment the door swung open, I finally had my answer.

Wedding streamers hung across the living room, and the marble coffee table was covered in wedding favors.

Aunt Linda was pointing her phone at me, filming. With a laugh, she shouted, "Look, everyone, the bride's here!"

Martin stood by the sofa in a white dress shirt, a groom's boutonniere pinned to his chest, frosty stare.

My mother hurried over holding a white dress with the tags still on and pushed it into my arms.

"Vanessa, go change in the guest room. Relatives from both families are here today. We'll just have a simple family welcome dinner, and from now on you'll be Mrs. Campbell, fair and proper."

I stood in the entryway, cold all over.

"Didn't you say this was just Ivy's birthday?"

"We're celebrating her birthday, and we're taking care of your wedding while we're at it."

My mother pushed at my shoulder.

"You're twenty-nine already, and you're only going to be your own sister's replacement wife. There's no need for all that fuss. Today you'll give the wedding toast, and first thing tomorrow you two will go get the marriage license."

Aunt Linda chimed in with a laugh.

"Everybody knows you turned him down the other day because the toy ring looked cheap. You were just raising your price. Well, here you go. The elders have set the stage for you. Everyone's here, so stop putting on airs and embarrassing Martin."

I looked around at the glaring wedding decor filling the room. The whole thing was beyond absurd.

In my last life, I hadn't worn a wedding gown when I married into the Campbell family either.

Back then, my mother had said it was only one week after my sister's funeral and we couldn't make a show of it. One family dinner, one comforter. Plus a prenup that meant I would walk away with nothing. And with that, I handed over the next twenty years of my life.

This time I had clearly said no, and they didn't even need my yes anymore.

I threw the dress in my hands onto the floor.

"Whoever agreed to this can marry him." With that, I turned to leave.

Trevor took one stride over and threw his arm across the door, blocking it.

"Vanessa! There are over a dozen elders watching you right now. Don't make a scene!”

"We brought a private chef in from a five-star hotel, and all the relatives have been told. How is Mom supposed to face anyone in her circle after this?”

"On top of that, Martin promised that as long as you give the toast today, he'll wire $700,000 into my company tomorrow to keep it afloat. You think you can ruin this for me?"

I reached for the door handle. Suddenly a small figure rushed at me from behind.

Ivy wrapped herself tightly around my legs.

"Auntie, don't go!"

"Grandma said starting today you're my mommy! You can't leave!"

I bent down and tried to pry her fingers loose.

"Ivy, I came here for your birthday, not to get married."

"I don't want a birthday! Mommy, I want you to make me dinner!"

"Are you still mad because I said you were after our money? I'll listen to you from now on, I promise! I'll never call you a gold digger feeding off your own sister again!"

The moment those words left her mouth, the faces of several relatives around us changed.

Ivy was crying so hard she could barely breathe. Her arms locked around my waist, and she let her whole weight drag me down.

"You have to marry Daddy! If you don't say yes, I'm not letting go!"

The force knocked me back against the doorframe, and my back slammed into it, sending pain shooting through my bones.

My mother stood off to the side. Instead of pulling Ivy away, she started dabbing at her eyes.

"Look at the poor child. She's crying her heart out just to keep you here."

"Then why don't you tell her this whole wedding today was a lie you all set up to trick her?!"