Chapter 1
Ray Sanford and I were both rich kids, set up by our families for a marriage alliance.
But he fell for Louisa Morrow, the company's young secretary, and insisted on calling off our engagement.
I tried to reason with him. "The economy's tanking, and your father isn't in great shape. Why don't we just get engaged for now?
"It'll steady the stock price and help the Sanford family weather this financial storm."
That day, Louisa decided to end her pregnancy and left town for good, vanishing from our lives.
The wedding went smoothly, but Ray's hatred for me lasted a lifetime.
When I opened my eyes, I was back to the year Ray and I were supposed to get engaged.
I couldn't help but laugh, tears rolling down my cheeks.
No more playing the savior. I would let everyone choose their own fate.
This time, I would step aside and let them get their happy ending.
I would let Ray walk away from his rich-kid life for love and play the hero in his own romance story.
*****
Right after I graduated from college, my family threw a party for me.
It looked like a graduation celebration, but really, it was all about finding me a match.
My dad was a big shot in the pharmaceutical industry. The company he started back in the day had always been the biggest player in Beriook.
These days, with most industries struggling, only healthcare and food were still going strong.
He had me when he was older, and I was his one and only daughter, the apple of his eye. So, of course, everyone wanted to cozy up to me.
Tonight, all the big-shot heirs and playboys from the industry showed up.
But the one my dad really had his eye on was Ray.
The Sanford family was in real estate, and my dad and Ray's father, Patrick Sanford, were old family friends.
My dad had a soft spot for Ray, who was the total package.
Ray was three years older than me, and he totally inherited his mom's good looks.
He was tall, handsome, and super easygoing.
We went to the same school. He was in the high school division, and I was still in junior high.
He was the trust fund kid, the campus heartthrob, and a straight-A student all rolled into one.
In his senior year, he got accepted into Stavin University's business school, and his picture had been up on the honor wall ever since.
Basically, he was nothing like the rest of us hard-partying, luxury-loving heirs.
He was the crush of every junior girl in school.
And that included me.
We never really talked, but back in middle school, just catching a glimpse of him from across the playground would make my heart race.
He was the ultimate fantasy: top student and prince charming.
He'd been studying abroad all those years, so this party was the first time we truly met face-to-face.
With drinks going around, Ray got the VIP treatment and ended up at my dad's table.
All my aunts and relatives started grinning, doing their best to nudge Ray and me together.
"Norah, you and Ray are the perfect pair, talented guy, beautiful girl, totally a match made in heaven!"
"Seriously! I heard your families basically had you two betrothed when you were just babies."
Even my dad was beaming, giving me that proud, loving smile and letting me make the call.
Watching this scene unfold again, I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.
How did I answer back then?
Last time, Ray sat right across from me.
He smiled gently at me over the roses on the table.
I fell even harder for him, blushing as I mumbled, "Whatever the family decides about marriage is fine by me."
That was as good as saying yes.
As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone was all smiles, celebrating like it was already a done deal.
With both families backing us, our engagement and wedding plans took off at lightning speed.
Too bad I didn't realize back then that Ray was born with those naturally flirtatious eyes. He could look at anything, even a lamppost, and make it seem like he was in love.
What I really didn't know was that when our families set us up, Ray already had someone by his side, a soft-spoken, delicate girl.
Ray and I were supposed to be a respectful, loving couple, but because of that girl, our marriage turned into a resentful mess. He never stopped hating me, not even at the end.
I remembered how Ray told me just how much he regretted it all back then.
He wished he'd never met me, never let our families set us up, and never gone through with the marriage.
This time, I'd step aside and let them be together. Not a chance I'd repeat my old mistakes.
With all my relatives watching, I just joked, "An arranged marriage? That's so outdated. My family's all about pharmaceuticals. Selling houses isn't my vibe."
That was me putting it out there: I had zero interest in the Sanford family.
Everyone was stunned.
The Sanford family was a major player in Beriook. Half the high-end properties in town had their name on them.
And I really said no, just like that.
Even my dad was stunned.
But since he kept quiet, all my aunts and relatives switched gears, showering me with compliments about being young and ambitious, saying it was totally fine for a girl to build her career first, and marriage could wait.
After that, nobody tried to set me up again.
Ray just sat there, staring at me, looking lost and conflicted.
He nursed his drink in silence, brooding alone at the table.
After a while, he found an excuse to leave and quietly walked out.