SEVEN DAYS TO SAY FOREVER
Her toxic stepsister is marrying her ex-fiancé. To survive the week from hell, she claims her billionaire best friend is her new fiancé. What could possibly go wrong?
Hazel Sterling thought she had finally moved on from Dominic Reed—until her manipulative stepsister, Clara Westbrook, sends out her wedding invitations. Dominic is the exact same man who shattered Hazel's heart and walked away a year ago. Now, he belongs to her sister.
The venue? A lavish, week-long winter celebration at an exclusive mountain estate in Aspen. The house is packed with high-society guests, and Hazel is trapped playing the bitter maid of honor.
To protect her pride, Hazel recruits the perfect shield: Axel Blackwell. He is her drop-dead gorgeous, fiercely loyal childhood best friend who happens to rule the city's finance world. He owes her a massive favor, so acting like her devoted future husband should be a walk in the park.
But when fake touches begin to ignite real heat, the boundaries of their friendship completely melt away.
Now, Hazel is caught in a dangerous game—is she just putting on a show for revenge, or is she about to lose her heart to the one man who was always off-limits?
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Chapter: Chapter 6: The Dinner Table DeceptionI locked my screen, the text glowing in the dim firelight like a toxic warning sign. *Blackwell Capital’s internal corporate acquisition watchlist.*My throat tightened. I stared at Axel’s broad back as he smoothly hooked a silk tie around his neck, adjusting it in the mirror without a single care in the world. Had every favor he’d ever done for me been calculated? Had our entire third-grade-to-adulthood friendship just been another long-term investment strategy? *Stop. Not now,* I told myself, forcing a breath. I couldn't crack. Not when we were standing in the heart of enemy territory. "Hazel?" Axel turned, his gray eyes locking onto mine, instantly catching my stiff posture. "You look pale. Vertigo hitting again?""No," I lied, slipping the phone into my evening clutch before my fingers could tremble. "Just trying to mentally prepare for the family firing squad downstairs.""You don't have to face them alone," he said, stepping closer. He reached down, his large, warm hand cover
Last Updated: 2026-07-10
Chapter: Chapter 5: The Master Suite TrapThe private jet touched down on the snow-slicked tarmac of Aspen, the tires screeching against the ice before taxiing toward a line of waiting black luxury SUVs. The crisp, thin mountain air hit my face the moment the cabin doors opened, instantly snapping me out of the shock of that anonymous photograph. Axel didn't let go of my hand for a single second. As we slid into the heated leather interior of the vehicle, he took my phone, zooming in on the mysterious brunette pressed against Dominic in the picture. His jaw was clenched so tightly a small muscle pulsed near his ear."We play this incredibly smart, Hazel," Axel murmured, his gray eyes locking onto mine as the SUV began its steep climb up the winding mountain roads toward Chateau Reed. “That woman isn’t random. I’ve seen her before.”My breath caught. "Who is she?"Axel studies the picture. “Someone who shouldn’t be anywhere near Dominic Reed.”“Meaning?” Axel looks away. “I’ll explain later.”Twenty minutes later, the SUV pu
Last Updated: 2026-07-09
Chapter: Chapter 4: First Class Disruption"You cannot be serious."I stared at the boarding pass in my hand, my voice echoing off the polished marble of the private terminal lounge. "Oh, I am completely serious, sweetie," Clara’s voice cooed behind me. I spun around to find my stepsister standing there, looking like an absolute winter catalog ad in a cream-colored cashmere trench coat, pristine white designer luggage stacked behind her. Standing right beside her was Dominic. My stomach violently turned. Dominic looked exactly the same—tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing that same arrogant, expensive cologne that used to make my head swim. But looking at him now, standing hand-in-hand with my stepsister, all I felt was a hot, blinding surge of adrenaline.Dominic’s eyes instantly locked onto mine, tracking down to the massive emerald-cut diamond ring glittering on my left hand. His jaw visibly tightened."Hazel," Dominic said, his voice dropping into that familiar low register that used to comfort me. Now, it just made my s
Last Updated: 2026-07-07
Chapter: Chapter 3: The Billionaire's MarkThe Next Day...Mom:"I am counting down the seconds to meet your new fiancé, darling!!"Aunt Carol:"Oh my god!!! Clara mentioned he is an absolute KNOCKOUT."Clara:"Yaaaay! Words cannot express how thrilled I am for you, Hazel!"I scoffed at the last pair of notifications lighting up the family thread. Clara had absolutely no clue what Axel actually looked like in reality—aside from the fact that she was currently aggressively analyzing his digital footprint across the web.Exactly like her soon-to-be groom.The intense clattering of mechanical keys echoed through our design firm. Outside lines rang simultaneously across the floor. The heavy aroma of dark roast espresso and fresh blueprint toner hung thick in the air.I remained at my drafting desk, desperately mimicking productivity while my phone continuously pulsed against the mahogany surface. If this distraction didn't stop, my hyper-critical director, Victoria Vance, wouldn't think twice about pulling my contract.Yet anothe
Last Updated: 2026-07-07
Chapter: Chapter 2: Kiss Me?I didn't bother using the buzzer. I hammered my fists against Axel’s penthouse door until the metal rattled. When it swung open three seconds later, Axel was standing there drenched in sweat, wearing nothing but black athletic shorts and hand wraps. He had clearly been hitting his private gym. The sight of his cut torso and sharp jawline didn't phase me; I had seen him look a mess since we were toddlers. "Nice look. Very... angry underground fighter," I breathed, shoving past him into the marble foyer. Axel wiped his brow with a towel, tracking my frantic pacing. "Hazel, it’s past midnight. Did your design studio flood again?"I kicked off my sneakers, my hands shaking. "Worse. My entire reputation is about to be erased from existence."Axel shut the door, the heavy locks clicking into place. He didn't ask questions. He walked straight over to the smart-home panel, tapped a button to drop the blackout blinds across the entire penthouse, and turned to face me. He always went into lo
Last Updated: 2026-07-07
Chapter: Chapter 1: The RSVP of Doom"I'm getting married!"I blinked, my coffee mug freezing halfway to my mouth. "Huh? You guys were even talking again?""Of course we were silly. Real love always finds a way back." My stepsister, Clara, laughed over the phone. She sounded absolutely ecstatic. That was the first red flag. "Is it to that fitness influencer? The one who spent your entire savings on a crypto scam in Miami?" I asked, rubbing my temples."Ew, no. Marcus was a child," she snapped, her tone instantly dropping its sugary coating. "Umm, congrats, I guess... but who is the lucky guy?" Unlucky, if I was being completely honest. Clara changed partners faster than the seasons."Check your porch, Sav. I had a courier drop it off five minutes ago. Open it. Now."I sighed, walked over to my apartment door, and pulled open the heavy oak. Resting on the mat was a thick, textured black envelope sealed with a heavy wax stamp of a gold crest. Dread immediately coiled tightly in the back of my throat. I broke the wax
Last Updated: 2026-07-07
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