Chapter 1 THE PROPOSAL

I froze.

"Will you marry me?"

What was he doing?

"My lovely Michelle, will you marry me?"

This man was going crazy.

Kord knelt in the garden, holding out a soft pink box, grinning like an idiot.

"Kord? What are you doing?" I asked, walking toward him, still drying my hands from dishwashing.

Kord gasped and clutched his chest. "Jesus, Eva! Don't scare me like that. Stop sneaking around like a shadow."

I smiled and reached for the gardening gloves. "No one wants to see my face. It's better I blend in with the shadows."

He tried to hide the pink box behind him.

"What's that?"

"What?" he replied too quickly. "Nothing."

"I saw the box. Who's the lucky girl or guy?" I teased.

"It's not mine."

"Kord... remember, no secrets. Spill..."

He groaned. "Fine. It's Vince's."

My voice was weak as my heart sank. "What? Vince Sterling?"

"The one and only. He's proposing to his girlfriend. Today."

I sat down heavily on the bench, breath catching in my throat.

Kord's voice dropped to a low, "I know he's been your one true love since you were...?"

"Since I was fifteen." My heart was shaking. "He's the only man I ever-"

"I know, Eva. That's why I didn't want to tell you," Kord whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Oh God."

"It's so sad he never noticed the quiet, sweet girl in the shadows." Kord tried to comfort me. "I know you'd be upset and heartbroken."

"I am!" I rushed. "Who is it?" I forced the words out.

"Michelle Kennedy."

The name hit like a slap.

I had lost Vince.

Blonde. Rich. Governor's daughter.

Everything I wasn't.

Vince was the rich, handsome, nice, and down-to-earth best friend of my older stepbrother, Kingsley.

And I was just... me. The odd adopted child of the family.

"Don't be sad," Kord's hand rested on my shoulder, and I blinked my tears away.

"But I am sad. How can't I be?" I said in a soft, weak voice, and Kord engulfed me in a hug.

"I'll take you on a date then," he said.

"Where?" I tried to imagine the feeling of going on a date with Kord, but I could think of nothing but my current sadness.

"West Green. But Vince will be there," he added, and I turned to him sharply.

"That's where he's proposing?"

"Yes..."

"I don't want to go." I shook my head and crumpled into sadness again.

"You will." Kord took my hand and I shook my head again. "You'll get closure. I'll get wine, we'll drink, we'll watch the spectacle. I'm sure it'll be romantic!" Kord was a hopeless romantic; he sighed dreamily as he talked.

"Besides, I'm delivering the ring." He beamed.

"But I'll just see Michelle and start crying." I paused for a second. "Does Kingsley know?" I asked.

My older stepbrother had worshipped Michelle Kennedy from afar.

Kord rolled his eyes. "He's in his room. Sulking. Drinking. Kaitlyn's also a mess. She was into Vince too. I'm sure she'll spend the day whoring around to forget him."

Our entire twisted family, tangled in unrequited obsession.

I hesitated. "Can I see it?"

He handed me the velvet box. Inside, a 24-carat pink diamond sparkled like it belonged in a fairytale. I imagined it on my hand. Just for a moment.

"But Michelle doesn't know, right? Is she aware of Kingsley's attraction to her?" My voice dropped to a whisper as I stared at the ring.

Kord scoffed, his tone laced with mockery.

"Kingsley, who's unfortunately my brother, is a big coward, just in case you don't know. He's loved her since he and Vince were in college. He secretly hates Michelle's relationship with Vince. Kingsley hates Vince," he said, and I gasped in disbelief.

"But Vince is his best friend!" I protested.

Kingsley Van Cleve was a nasty human, and Kord hated him as much as I feared him.

"Hmm, Kingsley is a very good pretender," he said. "I hate him."

"How can that be? Vince is like family."

"Kingsley hates Vince, and it's not just because of Michelle," he added with a sly grin like he knew more. "I just wish Vince knew."

I sighed, glanced at the ring again, and finally accepted defeat.

"Cheer up, baby. You'll meet your Prince Charming soon," he said and held my hand while we walked outside the house.

"Will I?" I muttered sadly.

"Hell, you might even meet him today. Come on, I'll get us a bottle of wine before Vince arrives," he said, and smiled proudly. "Get ready, I'll get the keys."

Kord disappeared to pick up the car keys.

Knowing I was losing Vince to a prettier and richer woman didn't make me feel better.

I was jealous, so I opened the box again.

The pink diamond was heavenly beautiful.

It welcomed me with its shining allure.

I wished it was mine and that the lucky girl was me.

"Are Kingsley and Kaitlyn coming?" I asked Kord during our drive to West Green, and his smile dropped.

Kord talked about our siblings like he had bile in his throat. "Heck no! Why would you want them there?!" he snapped and sped even faster.

***********

West Green was stunning-romantic lighting, a live band, candles on every table. We sipped wine, trying to blend in. When Kord got a message, he stood.

"Behold, my lover just texted," he announced.

"I need to meet Eric downstairs quickly. It'll take a while before Vince comes. Give the ring to the waitress if you want to leave. Everything needs to go perfectly."

"Right," I nodded when he gave me the ring box.

"Protect this with your life," Kord warned, and I smiled. "I will."

"I won't be long, baby," he kissed my cheek and hurried away.

I opened the box once again and dared to touch the ring. My fingers grazed the fine treasure. I was hooked, and in less than a second, I took it out of the box.

Eva? Don't do it!

I refused to listen to the other voice in my head when I slipped the ring on my finger.

I sighed softly and imagined myself being the woman Vince Sterling was in love with.

The door opened and someone entered. I could see them from where I was sitting upstairs.

He was here. My heart skipped a beat the way it did every time I saw him.

A sweet little smile on his face as he walked by and accepted greetings warmly-Vince was almost too... perfect.

I didn't want to see him get on one knee and confess his love for another woman.

And besides, I needed to pee. I'd been drinking wine for a while now, so I hurriedly stood up, passed the ring box to a waitress, and gave her the instructions for Vince's engagement.

Once I was inside the bathroom, I buried my head in my hands and let myself cry.

My little moment of calm was ruined when the doors burst open some minutes later, two girls engaged in hot gossip.

"Michelle invited the press."

"I wonder what the big news is about."

"Did you see her boyfriend?"

"The hot one?"

"Yes, he's here."

"Oh my God, what's the surprise? An engagement?"

"Maybe."

"Do I look okay? I need to look pretty-the cameras might pan to me."

"You look good."

"Alright, let's go."

"Michelle is here. Oh my goodness! My favorite band, Cupid's Favorite, is performing," one squealed.

"Oh my gosh! I have to see!"

They hurried out while I waited inside the toilet in shame and sadness, my head in my hands.

"If it's an engagement, I wonder what the ring will look like?"

Oh, God! No!

"Me too," I heard, before the door slammed shut.

My hands dropped from my head slowly, and dread filled my veins.

I instantly cursed the day I was born.

Vince's ring was still on my finger!