Chapter 1

Gianna stopped on the third step of the grand staircase.

The thick carpet absorbed the sound of her boots, but the voices drifting from the living room were sharp enough to cut through the heavy silence of the Conrad mansion.

"Yes, of course. The Vaughn family's proposal is exactly what we need."

Kayden's voice was sickeningly sweet. She was pacing near the massive leather sofa, her phone pressed to her ear.

Gianna gripped the wooden banister. The wood was cold against her palm.

Kayden ended the call and turned around. Her eyes locked onto Gianna standing in the shadows of the staircase. A slow, mocking smile spread across Kayden's face.

Before Gianna could move, the heavy oak door of the study clicked open.

Desi Conrad walked out. His face was a hard mask of lines and authority. He did not look at Kayden. His eyes went straight to Gianna.

"Come down here," Desi ordered. His voice left no room for argument.

Gianna forced her legs to move. She walked down the remaining steps, her stomach tightening with every inch she closed between them.

"The Vaughn family has extended an offer of marriage," Desi said. He stood in the center of the room, his hands clasped behind his back. "You will accept it."

Gianna stopped breathing for a full second. The air in the room suddenly felt too thin.

"Me?" Gianna asked. Her voice shook, just slightly. "Why not Kayden? She is the one dating Asa Hogan. She is the one who wants to play the high society wife."

Kayden let out a short, cruel laugh. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are you crazy?" Kayden said. "The Vaughn family is cursed. I've heard their heirs don't live long. You will just be a young widow. I am not going to waste my life planning a funeral."

The words hit Gianna like a physical blow to the chest.

"You are selfish," Gianna said, her voice dropping low. "You are selfish and vicious."

Desi slammed his hand down on the glass coffee table. The loud crack made Gianna flinch.

"That is enough," Desi snapped. He took a step toward Gianna, towering over her. "You will marry into the Vaughn family. If you refuse, I will take your mother's ashes from the mausoleum and throw them into the city dump."

All the blood drained from Gianna's face.

Her hands dropped to her sides. She curled her fingers inward, digging her nails so hard into her palms that the skin broke. The sharp sting of pain was the only thing keeping her standing.

"You would not," Gianna whispered. Her throat felt like it was lined with sandpaper.

"Try me," Desi said. His eyes were dead, completely devoid of any fatherly warmth. "You are a third-tier actress struggling in Hollywood. You have no money. You have no power. You have no choice."

Kayden stepped closer, standing right behind her father's shoulder.

"You are not even fit to carry my shoes, Gianna," Kayden sneered. "Just do what you are told."

Gianna shifted her weight. Her feet planted firmly on the floor. She lunged forward, closing the distance between her and Kayden in a fraction of a second.

Kayden gasped and stumbled backward, her eyes wide with sudden fear.

"Shut your mouth," Gianna said. Her voice was a low growl.

Kayden swallowed hard, pressing her back against the wall, but her arrogant smirk quickly returned as she looked at her father for backup.

"You will accept this arrangement," Desi said, ignoring the near-physical altercation. "Or you can walk out that door and never call yourself a Conrad again."

Gianna took a deep breath. Her lungs burned. She turned her back on them and walked toward the stairs.

"If you walk out that door, do not ever come back!" Desi shouted at her back.

Gianna stopped on the first step. She turned her head slowly. She looked at the man who was supposed to be her father. There was nothing but a hollow ache in her chest.

"She will come crawling back," Kayden said loudly. "She always needs our money."

Gianna paused on the step, a flicker of cold pity flashing in her eyes. They still thought money was the only chain that could hold her. How little they knew. She did not say a single word to justify her independence. She turned around and walked up the stairs, her spine perfectly straight.

She reached her bedroom and pushed the door closed. She twisted the lock until it clicked.

Her knees gave out. She slid down the solid wood of the door until she hit the floor. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over her eyelashes, hot and fast down her cheeks.

She reached under her bed and pulled out a small, worn wooden box. Inside was a faded photograph of her mother.

Gianna traced the edges of the photo with a trembling finger.

"I will not let him win," Gianna whispered to the empty room. "I promise you."

She wiped her face with the back of her hand. The tears stopped. A cold, hard knot formed in her stomach.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and opened her messages. She typed a quick text to Brenna.

"I need everything you know about the Vaughn family. Now."

Brenna replied almost instantly.

"The Vaughns? Stay away from them. I heard a rumor the heir is sick, really sick. They're trying to arrange a marriage to find a... solution. Super secretive. Military background. Why?"

Gianna stared at the screen. She needed to flip this situation. She could not just be a pawn in Desi's sick game.

She remembered what Kayden said. The Vaughn heir does not live long.

Gianna opened her browser and typed Algot Vaughn IV into the search bar. The results were sparse. No clear photos. Just articles about corporate takeovers and massive wealth.

She locked her phone screen. She needed to see Brenna in person.

Gianna stood up and walked to her bed. She lay down on top of the covers and stared at the white ceiling. Her heart beat a slow, steady rhythm against her ribs.

She was going to fight back.