Chapter 1

The Saunders family had a rule. If one walked alone at her coming-of-age party, the family would choose her spouse.

I, Emily Saunders, was the family's adopted daughter no one wanted.

To escape an arranged marriage, I gathered every ounce of courage and begged Charles Peyton, the boy I secretly loved for years, to be my date.

He smiled, ruffled my hair, and said, "Sure."

But that night, Charles walked in with Anna Saunders.

I had begged him.

But at the time, Charles just thought I was a nuisance.

Charles said, "Don't make a scene. Fine, I'll marry you tomorrow, happy?

"Relax. You're the adopted one. No one else is ever going to want you."

Mocking laughter burst out around me.

I let go of his sleeve and just resigned myself to it.

The next day, Charles actually showed up at our place, ready to propose. But my dad, Richard Saunders, just looked conflicted.

Richard said, "Emily was sent off to the Ford family before sunrise. She's there to...

"Get married."

*****

"Charles, you promised you'd go with me," I said, my voice trembling.

I clung to his sleeve before the party started, my voice shaking.

Charles stopped and smiled at me like it was nothing.

Charles said, "Sorry, Anna asked me yesterday, too.

"I couldn't say no to her."

My throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and I couldn't help but confront him.

"You had to? But you promised me a long time ago. What am I supposed to do now? Do you even care what happens to me? If I end up alone at this party, you know I'll—" I said, my voice trembling.

"Get shipped off for an arranged marriage?" Anna said.

Anna cut me off before I could finish.

She finally showed up, and right in front of me, linked her arm with Charles's.

It was like she was making a point, almost showing off.

Anna said, her voice light and playful, "Emily, why do you always use that to scare people?

"Seriously, it's not like we're stuck in the old days. People get married for love now. You're the Saunders family's heiress, even if..." Anna paused, a sly smile curling at her lips.

She continued saying, "Even if you're not really their daughter.

"They've taken care of you all these years. Do you really think Mom and Dad would force you to marry someone you don't even like?"

Charles nodded in agreement, giving me a helpless smile as he tried to calm me down.

Charles said, "Emily, Anna's got a point.

"Don't blow things out of proportion. It's just a dance tonight; how did this even turn into a talk about arranged marriages?"

He reached out, like he always did, as if he was about to ruffle my hair.

But I quickly pulled away, turning my head before he could reach me.

Charles's face darkened for a moment, and with a brief flicker of disappointment, he withdrew his hand.

I didn't even look at him; all I could think about was that arranged marriage.

I turned to leave.

"There's still some time before the party starts. I'll go find someone else to help me," I said.

The coming-of-age party was basically about making things official; if one paired up with someone, odds were that one's families would start matchmaking right away.

I knew everyone in our circle looked down on me.

But for old times' sake, I figured someone would help me out.

Charles heard every word I said.

To him, it was as if I was about to ditch him for someone else.

He yanked his arm away from Anna and moved right in front of me, blocking my way.

"Emily, what are you trying to say?" Charles asked.

"It's nothing. I just don't want to end up alone. Since you're with Anna now, I'll just find someone else. The party's about to start; can you let me go? I don't want to miss my chance," I said.

But hearing that only made Charles even more pissed.

Charles said, "Who are you planning to ask? Who'd even have the guts?

"You're not going anywhere."

I whipped around, shooting him a glare, not getting why Charles was suddenly acting crazy.

I said, "Charles, what do you even want from me?

"You chose her, and now you're stopping me? Seriously, make up your mind."

It felt like Charles was keeping something from me.

His face flushed with frustration, but he couldn't come up with a real explanation. He just looked away and doubled down.

He said, "I've already made arrangements.

"Emily, tonight, you won't find another date besides me."

I wasn't about to waste any more time on Charles.

I pulled my hand free and headed straight to the terrace to make a call.

Even the friends I used to be close with all gave me pretty much the same answer, and honestly, it caught me off guard.

"Sorry, Emily, I've already got a date tonight."

"Not really a good time, something's come up at home."

"Emily, it's not that I don't want to help, but... sigh, Mr. Peyton said so. Please don't make things awkward for me."

They all declined me.

Even after my dad sent people over and over to fetch me, I still returned to the ballroom alone.

The coming-of-age party was already underway.

Charles and Anna were dancing together in the center of the floor, looking every bit the perfect couple.

It wasn't until their dance ended that Charles finally noticed me standing at the edge of the dance floor.

It was as if he had expected all along that I would be left out and disappointed.

Charles raised an eyebrow, still holding Anna's arm as they walked over to me. His voice was softer now, clearly trying to win me over.

Charles asked, "Emily, are you done sulking?

"Anna and I had something important to deal with, that's why we showed up together. I promise, I'll make it up to you with something way better."

I frowned, really didn't want to hear any more promises from Charles.

It was official. I was alone tonight.

All I could do now was plead with my dad, hoping he would go easy on me because of all our years together.

"Mm," I answered coolly, planning to slip past them and head upstairs.

But Charles was clearly getting worked up by how I kept shutting him out.

He couldn't hold it in anymore and blurted out what he had been dying to say.

Charles asked, frustration in his voice, "Emily, what are you so upset about?

"Don't make such a big deal out of it. If it means that much to you, I'll marry you tomorrow, how about that?"

Charles himself seemed stunned for a moment after blurting that out.

All the guests around us turned to stare, their eyes locked on us.

It wasn't until Anna gave his arm a gentle shake that Charles snapped out of it and tried to smooth things over.

Charles said, "Relax. You're the adopted one. No one else is ever going to want you."

For a split second, it felt like time stood still.

Then, someone couldn't help but laugh.

All around, people started whispering.

"Wow, that was savage," someone muttered.

"Harsh words, but they're not wrong. Didn't her mom work as a maid? I even heard she was the other woman. She's definitely not the real Saunders heiress," someone snickered.

"Let's be real, she's just an adopted kid they picked up. There's no way she could ever be good enough for the Peyton family..." another person said.

Honestly, after years of outsiders throwing shade and making snide remarks, I should've been used to it by now.

But it was Charles, the guy I liked for ten years, who said it.

In that moment, it felt like something inside me just broke, and the guy in front of me suddenly seemed like a complete stranger.

Charles instantly regretted saying it.

He gave everyone a hard look, and the whole room went quiet.

He frowned, stepped forward, and rushed to explain.

"Emily, that's not what I meant..." Charles said.

"Ms. Emily," someone called out.

The butler's aged voice echoed from upstairs, and he nodded at me politely.

"Mr. Saunders wants you in his study," he said.