Chapter 1

"Meredith, do you have any idea what you're saying?"

My knuckles had gone white around the phone. My voice was shaking. "We're getting married today! The invitations have gone out. Our families and friends are all out there, and you want another man to put on a groom's suit and marry you at my wedding?"

"Hayden, calm down. Stop making a scene, okay?"

On the other end of the line, Meredith Soames' tone carried a thread of impatience, as though all of this were perfectly reasonable.

"I already registered the marriage with you. Legally, I'm Mrs. Rourke. Royce is just a kid from nowhere who never had anything. He struggled through years of hardship with me, and all I want is to give him one day as a groom.

"You're an educated man from a wealthy family. Are you really telling me you can't be generous enough to allow that?"

The line went dead. She hung up on me.

I stood frozen in place. All the blood drained from my body. My hands and feet went cold.

"Oh, all done with your little phone call?"

Royce Trafford swiveled around from the styling chair. His hair had already been done, and the face beneath it was pure smug triumph. He picked up my limited-edition watch from the table, held it against his wrist, and curled his lip in distaste.

"What brand even is this? Looks like something my grandpa would wear. You're Hayden Rourke, right? Let me give you some advice. Face reality. Meredith told me ages ago that the only reason she's marrying you is that you leveraged some investment deal to force her hand. She's been faking it this whole time."

"That's right!" The handful of thugs Royce had brought along as his groomsmen chimed in, voices dripping with mockery.

"You think having a little money makes you somebody? Tearing two people apart so you can buy yourself a wife. Shameless."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jace Drummond, my best man and closest friend, finally lost it. He charged forward and snatched the watch out of Royce's hand. "Hayden booked this room! Who do you people think you are, coming in here and running your mouths? Get out!"

"You think you can yell at me?" Royce shot to his feet like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

The door to the dressing room swung open. Meredith walked in, moving quickly. Her figure was striking in a couture hand-sewn wedding gown. I had flown to Emaly last month and picked that gown out for her myself.