1. ~Klaire~

“Let's get divorced.”

The grocery bag dropped from my hand as my entire body froze. Oranges rolled across the apartment hallway while a carton of eggs burst open beside my feet, but I could only stare at the text glowing on my screen.

My husband wanted a divorce.

My husband.

The man I had legally married less than twenty-four hours ago.

The same man who didn't even have the basic decency to show up at the registrar's office. I had never even seen his face. 

A short laugh of disbelief escaped my lips. 

Was this some kind of joke?

My grip tightened around my phone as heat crawled up my neck.

His grandmother had practically sworn on her life that her grandson was kind. Respectful. Gentle. That he would save me from my turmoil. 

“You’ll like him once you give him a chance,” she had promised me on the freaking hospital bed. 

Chance?

The man hadn't even given me a proper introduction before asking for a divorce.

And then, as if the universe wanted to mock me further, loud moaning echoed from inside my apartment. 

Elise, my new roommate, was at it again for the umpteenth time today. I didn't know whether to get angry or just break down and cry. For God's sake, I just moved in!

These past few hours have been hell for me. My life seemed to be going downhill steadily and now, I wasn't even sure if leaving home was the right decision after all. 

Maybe my father was right. I should have just quietly married the bastard my sister stole from me. 

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS EARLIER 

“I don't understand what you mean father! How can you even suggest I go on with this marriage? I just caught my fiance's pants down with my sister and this is all you have to say?” I was on the verge of tears at this point. 

Today was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life. It was my bridal shower. A night to my freaking wedding. 

I only slipped out to surprise my fiancé for a few minutes, only to find him pounding my sister against the wall.

“Klaire, about that…”

“Shut it, Andrew. I am not talking to you,” I snapped angrily at him and he just scoffed, looking away like this entire thing was a waste of time. 

“Can you stop making a fuss, Klaire! If he slept with your sister, what is the big deal in that? Would you have preferred a stranger?” My father lashed out and my lips parted in disbelief. “Listen, this marriage is very important to our family. As the first daughter of the Kingston family, you should understand that this alliance will broaden our network and influence in the state. Don't let your emotions get in the way of our progress!”

My already broken heart shattered all over again. I couldn't believe my own father was saying this to me. Choosing business over his own daughter's happiness. 

“Listen, Klaire, it was just a one time thing okay? I was drunk and Elowen just happened to be available,” Andrew began speaking again. “Things like this happen all the time during bachelorette parties. You don't have to take it to heart. Once we get married, I'll give you all the commitment you desire.” 

He tried to touch me but I moved away from him, glaring daggers at both of them. At least, Elowen was decent enough not to show her face after what she had done but this man… this man was disgusting. 

“I am not going to marry you, Andrew,” I stated. “It is already clear that you and I have different perceptions of marriage. I refuse to be with a man who cannot even respect me! I'm done!”

I turned to leave but my father's voice stopped me. 

“If you take one more step out of this room, Klaire, you can seize to consider yourself a Kingston.” 

The words hit me like a slap.

Slowly, I turned back around.

“What?”

My father’s expression remained cold. Unmoved. Like he hadn’t just threatened to disown me over a cheating man.

“You heard me,” he said calmly. “If you walk away from this marriage, you walk away from this family as well.”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Family?

Was that what this was supposed to be?

Because from where I stood, I looked less like a daughter and more like a business deal.

“You can't be serious…” My voice cracked despite my efforts to stay composed. “You are choosing him over me?”

“I am choosing what is best for this family.”

“And what about me?”

My father’s jaw tightened impatiently, like my feelings were becoming inconvenient.

“You know what, I don't even care. If this alliance means that much to you, then you can have Elowen marry him. I'm sure it won't be much trouble for her. You can disinherit and disown me if you want. I'll survive on my own.”

“I forbid you!” My father barked. “He is your betrothed! As far as marriage is concerned, you can only marry him, no one else! I will not allow it!”

“You should listen to him, Klaire. No reputable man would want to marry a discarded heiress,” Andrew smiled, despite the underlying threat in his words. “You don't want to mess with me, trust me. You will regret it.” 

“Oh,” I laughed bitterly. “So I just need to get a reputable man to marry me then? Fine.” 

I walked out of the room without looking back. 

“Guards!” My father yelled after me. “Bring her back here! Don't let her get away!” 

I managed to leave the hotel before they could get me and withdrew as much money as I could before my father froze all my cards. 

I couldn't go to any of my houses or use any cars to keep him from tracking me. I didn't know what I was doing or where I was headed. So many things were just happening to me at once. 

At some point, I even had to discard my phone because of the number of calls coming in. 

By midnight, my feet were killing me.

The heels I had worn for my bridal shower were never meant for running across half the city like a fugitive. My makeup had long since smudged from crying, and the cold night breeze bit against my bare arms.

I must have looked insane.

A runaway bride wandering the streets alone with a designer purse and no destination. How pathetic.

I tightened my grip around the envelope of cash hidden inside my coat and glanced over my shoulder again to make sure there were no guards following me. 

The streets had become quieter the farther I moved from the hotel district. Most of the luxury boutiques and restaurants were already closing for the night.

That was when I saw her.

An elderly woman stepped out of an upscale boutique across the street, dressed elegantly in a cream-colored coat with silver hair neatly pinned back beneath a scarf.

She looked… exhausted.

One hand pressed tightly against her chest while the other gripped the doorframe for support.

At first, I hesitated. Maybe she was simply tired. But then her knees buckled and my eyes widened.

“Ma’am!”

The woman collapsed onto the pavement. I dropped my bag and sprinted across the street.

“Ma’am? Can you hear me?” My voice shook as I knelt beside her.

Her breathing was shallow. Painfully shallow. The old woman weakly clutched at my sleeve.

Her lips trembled.

“Hurts…” she whispered faintly.

My chest tightened.

“It’s okay,” I said quickly, even though panic was rising in my throat. “You’re going to be okay.”

The ambulance arrived within minutes, though it felt like hours.I climbed in with her without even thinking about it.

At the hospital, everything became chaos.

Doctors. Forms. Questions.

“Are you family?”

“No.”

“Do you know her medical history?”

“No.”

“Then someone needs to authorize treatment immediately.”

I froze.

“What?”

The nurse looked stressed. “The patient is showing signs of a heart attack. We need to begin treatment now.”

My stomach dropped.

Heart attack?

The woman looked so fragile lying there connected to wires and machines.

And somehow… Completely alone.

“Her emergency contact isn’t answering,” another nurse muttered nearby.

I looked through the glass window again. Then down at the envelope of cash in my bag. The money I had managed to save before my father froze my accounts.

Money meant for hotels. Food. Survival. My freedom.

My fingers tightened around the envelope. Then slowly, I handed it over.

“I’ll pay.”

The nurse blinked in surprise.

“It may not cover everything immediately…”

“I said I’ll pay,” I interrupted shakily.

Because I couldn't just leave her there to die. Not when she had looked at me with so much fear in her eyes.

The next several hours passed in a blur.

I sat outside the intensive care unit alone while exhausted nurses moved in and out of the hallways. At some point, someone handed me coffee out of pity.

I didn't even realize I was still wearing the white satin sash from my bridal shower until a little girl pointed at it and asked her mother: “Mommy, why is the bride crying?”

Humiliation burned through me.

I ripped the sash off immediately and shoved it deep into the trash can beside me.

Around three in the morning, the doctor finally approached me.

“She’s stable now.”

Relief nearly made my knees give out.

“Can I see her?”

The doctor studied me strangely. “You’re her granddaughter?”

I hesitated briefly.

“Yes.”