Chapter 1

The car doors locked with a sharp click.

I reached for the handle, but it wouldn't budge. Grady Cabrera had locked me in the car like I was nothing but a problem.

My phone buzzed.

It was a photo from Mallory Pierce.

The coffee set I'd spent two weeks picking out was already on the dining table. Linda Cabrera, Grady's mother, was holding the neck and shoulder massager I'd searched everywhere for, smiling from ear to ear.

A message followed.

[Linda absolutely loves it. Don't worry, Brenda. I'll make a good impression on your behalf.]

I stared at the screen as my fingertips slowly turned cold.

I'd gone to three different stores before I finally found that coffee set.

As for the massager, I'd saved two months' worth of paychecks to buy it. Linda had chronic neck and shoulder pain, and I'd even kept notes on all the little things she liked.

Now all of it had become Mallory's thoughtfulness.

I called Grady. It rang for a long time before he finally answered. Laughter filled the background.

"Brenda, don't make a scene."

"Unlock the car." I commanded.

"Didn't I tell you? I'll bring you in later."

My voice turned cold. "Grady, today is supposed to be my first time meeting your parents. Not Mallory's. And I bought those gifts."

He spoke to me the way someone humors a child, "Does it really matter who gives them? Mally is just helping make my mom happy. When you marry into the family later, my mom will remember it as your thoughtfulness anyway."

I let out a humorless laugh. "So I pay for the gifts, I spend weeks picking them out, and in the end I'm supposed to thank her?"

Grady lowered his voice. "Brenda, my grandma's here today. Do you really have to ruin everyone's mood over something this small?"

I was about to answer when I heard Mallory's voice through the phone.

"Grady, come on! Linda wants us for a family photo."

"I'm coming."

The call ended.

The curtains over the living room windows hadn't been fully closed. From the car, I looked inside through the gap.

Mallory naturally stepped to Grady's side and, at Mrs. Cabrera's invitation, posed with the entire Cabrera family. She happily claimed the spot that should've been mine.

A moment later, a new message popped up in the Cabrera family group chat.

Linda had posted the photo.

[Our family is so lucky to have such a thoughtful girl in our lives.]

The replies came almost instantly.

[Is that Grady's girlfriend?]

[They really look perfect together.]

Grady neither denied it nor explained that the woman in the photo wasn't me.

I called Grady again.

This time, he declined the call. A text appeared a second later.

[Once Mally cheers Grandma up, I'll come get you.]

I looked at the nickname "Mally" and suddenly realized how pointless all of this was.

I wasn't going to wait anymore.

I leaned over and hit the car's emergency unlock button.

The moment the door swung open, a blast of cold air rushed in.

I grabbed the rest of the gifts and headed straight for the front door of the Cabrera Estate.

The housekeeper, Teresa O'Hara, froze when she saw me. "Miss Allen, Mr. Cabrera said you..."

I held up the invitation message Linda had sent me the day before. "I'm the one she invited."

I looked up at the closed front door. "Who says I can't come in?"

Teresa hesitated, unable to stop me.

When I pushed the door open, the lively chatter in the living room died instantly.

Grady turned around, his face darkening the moment he saw me. "Brenda, what are you doing here?"

I ignored him.

At a glance, I spotted the pair of pink house slippers on Mallory's feet. Grady and I had picked them out together just last week. He'd even said it was my first time coming home with him, and he wanted everything to be perfect.

Following my gaze, Mallory spoke in a serious tone, "Brenda, why did you come in anyway?"

Linda walked out of the living room, her expression less than pleased. "Brenda, Mallory was only trying to help. She said today wasn't a good day for you to come into the house, so we thought it would be better if you stayed away for now."

I looked at the neck and shoulder massager around Linda's neck, the one Mallory had adjusted for her.

I didn't even feel like arguing anymore.

Grady stepped over and lowered his voice, "Now that you're here, don't start anything. When Grandma comes out, just keep quiet and stay by my side."

I looked at him. "What about Mallory?"

He hesitated. "She's taking your place for today's introductions."

"Taking my place... how?"

He didn't answer.