Chapter 1

On graduation day, Brenda, who disowned me five years ago, suddenly called me home.

I thought she regretted kicking me out, but the moment I walked in, I saw that 50-year-old bachelor from our old town.

"Ashley," Brenda said, her eyebrows knitting in impatience, "you're not getting any younger. I called you back for your wedding. I've found you a good husband."

The old man, Frank, his face a mass of wrinkles, grinned and reached for my hand.

I recoiled, backing away, staring at Brenda and my sister, Brittany, in disbelief.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Brenda's eyebrows shot up, her face instantly filled with annoyance.

"What's wrong? Mr. Frank is being very generous with the wedding money. Aren't you satisfied?"

It was all about money.

My last shred of hope shattered.

Looking at my family, eager to push me into this abyss, I swallowed my tears and forced a faint smile.

"Fine," I said. "I'll marry him."

The Mr. Frank my mom and sister kept talking about, was Frank Donovan.

He used to be married.

But his drinking, gambling, and domestic abuse literally drove his wife to her death.

After that, every family in town with a daughter avoided him like the plague.

Yet, my mother was practically begging to marry me off to him.

Frank flashed his yellow teeth at me. "So this is my little bride, huh! Look how soft her skin is! Come here, let me get a look at you."

I stood frozen, unable to process what was happening.

Seeing I didn't move, Frank got up and started walking toward me, intending to grab my hand.

I backed away repeatedly, staring at Brenda and Brittany in disbelief.

"Mom! Brittany! How can you do this to me!"

"I thought… I thought you regretted kicking me out of the house when I was just a kid and couldn't even survive on my own. I thought you called me back to make amends."

Brittany snickered, as if she'd heard the funniest joke. "Are you stupid from all that studying? Kicking you out was the smartest thing Mom ever did."

Brenda's face hardened at my words, her tone icy. "What did we do to you? Haven't we been good enough?"

"You're not getting any younger. We saw you couldn't find a husband, so we helped you find one. And here you are, picking and choosing!"

"You ungrateful brat, you haven't given us a single dime in five years. Now you marry Mr. Frank, give us the wedding money, and we'll be even."

Even?

But I never owed this family anything.

Looking at my family, eager to push me into this abyss, I swallowed my tears and forced a faint smile.

"Fine," I said. "I'll marry him."

Growing up, Brittany always got everything good. If I wanted a piece of cake, I'd get beaten with a stick. Brenda would say, "How dare you try to take from your sister?" When it was too cold in winter, I secretly took an old jacket Brittany didn't want, but Brenda made me kneel outside in the freezing cold as punishment. I was just the extra one, Brittany was the family's darling.

It was pathetic how I still harbored a shred of hope for this family.