Chapter 1

Tyrra’s POV

I’ve spent seven years dreaming of this moment. At twenty-two, it’s finally here, the gown, the vows, the promise of forever with the man I love. Tomorrow, I’ll marry Flavier, and nothing feels more perfect.

Little by little, everything seems to be falling into place. Just a week after graduation, here I am, standing in my white gown for the final fitting before the wedding tomorrow.

Flavier fills my mind. I’ve loved him since the moment we met three years ago. Tomorrow, I’ll walk down the aisle, and my heart races just thinking about it. Excitement and nerves twist inside me, like restless wings fluttering in my chest.

“You’re going to be the most beautiful bride, Tyrra!” Grace calls, pulling me from my thoughts.

I smile, my eyes shining. “I already feel like the most beautiful bride. It’s like a fairytale… though sometimes I wonder if I’m dreaming too big.”

“Perfectly fairytale and perfectly nervous,” Grace grins. “That’s normal.”

I glance at the designer adjusting the hem of my gown. “It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

“I’m sure Flavier won’t be able to take his eyes off you,” Grace says softly, in awe.

I spun slowly, letting the fabric swirl around me. The gown whispered against the floor, silk flowing like water over stone. “Thank you, Grace. What would I do without you?”

I lost my mother at birth. Grace, the daughter of my father’s second marriage, grew up almost like a twin sister to me. We had different bloodlines, but our hearts were inseparable.

“Let’s hope Flavier never finds out just how nervous you are,” Grace teased, checking her watch.

I laughed, though it came out thinner than I wanted. Tomorrow would change everything, and I couldn’t wait… but under the excitement, a strange feeling tugged at me.

“Shoot! I need to go to the florist. I hope the flowers are exactly how we ordered. Can you stay here for a bit?”

I rolled my eyes and laughed. “I’m not a kid. Of course, I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, try to rest. Get some sleep if you can. Tonight’s your last night as a bachelorette. We have to celebrate!” Grace teased, hurrying toward the door.

I laughed again as I watched my sister leave. The room grew quieter, the faint ticking of the clock filling the silence. For the first time all day, I was alone, just me, the mirror, and my reflection in the gown.

And for a moment, my smile faded.

Half an hour later, after the designer had left, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Thoughts of Flavier filled my mind. Tomorrow, I’d walk down the aisle to him, but my heart already missed him.

I grabbed my car keys, unable to stop myself. Just one quick look before Grace returned, I told myself. I called him as I drove, my heart racing with each ring.

“Hey, soon-to-be-wife,” his warm, teasing voice finally answered.

My cheeks flushed. “Hello, soon-to-be-husband.”

“Miss me?”

“Of course. Where are you? Is Rek with you?”

“No, not yet. I’m just at home… getting ready for when my wife moves in.”

I smiled, savoring every word. “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow, in my dress. I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” he said, then lowered his voice. “Now go rest, baby.”

I laughed softly, feeling giddy. “Okay. I’ll call you later.”

By the time I reached his building, excitement had me nearly trembling. I stepped into the elevator, my reflection in the metal doors flushed and glowing. Tomorrow would change everything. But tonight, I only wanted him.

Still, a whisper tugged at my thoughts: What if tomorrow isn’t perfect?

At his door, I typed in the passcode and eased it open.

My breath caught.

By the entrance sat a pair of white stilettos.

My stomach dropped. I froze, shoes in hand, as panic clawed up my chest.

My eyes swept the living room. Women’s clothes lay scattered across the couch, a short white cotton dress and a red blazer. I froze again. I knew that dress. Grace had been wearing it only hours ago.

My gaze dropped back to the stilettos. The limited-edition pair I had given Grace for her birthday.

Why is Grace here? Why didn’t Flavier say anything?

My chest tightened, panic pressing against my ribs. Maybe she came about the flowers. Maybe she spilled something and needed a change. Maybe… maybe it’s nothing.

But as I stepped closer, those excuses fell apart.

From behind a half-open door, I heard a laugh I knew too well. Grace’s laugh.

“You should have heard her earlier,” Grace said, her voice playful and calm.

My stomach turned to stone.

Then Flavier’s voice, smooth and amused, just like he used to speak to me.

“I already feel like the most beautiful bride, Sandy. Like I’m about to begin my fairytale.”

Grace laughed again, echoing my own words from earlier, and something inside me cracked.

Before I could move, Flavier spoke again, his voice colder, sharper, like a knife sliding in.

“She’s so childish. Silly. The only reason I keep her around… is her inheritance.”

My knees buckled. The world I had built on love and trust collapsed in a single breath.