Chapter 1
It is the night of my engagement party to Edward Rivers, the heir to the Rivers family.
But when the time comes for the ring, he bypasses my outstretched hand entirely. Instead, he drops to one knee in front of Olivia Lynn, the charity case scholarship girl he's been championing.
His voice cuts through the stunned silence, dripping with contempt. "Isabelle Shaw, stop hiding behind this merger you call an engagement to bully people!"
He adds, "Without the Rivers family, you're nothing."
I, however, hold his gaze, wearing a sly smile. And I give him exactly what he wants. I let him go.
By that afternoon, my eldest brother quits from Rivers Group, and their stock price hit rock bottom.
My second brother, the top surgeon in the state, suddenly takes a leave from the hospital. Then Edward's grandfather is barely hanging on.
My third brother shows up with his billionaire arch-rival in tow. "I found you someone way better," he says, nudging the ridiculously handsome man forward.
Within a few months, Edward stands outside my door, weeping and blubbering.
My new boyfriend glances down at him from the doorway, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "What is all this noise? Enough with the waterworks. You're an eyesore. Scram."
*****
My engagement to Edward Rivers was one of those old-fashioned arrangements, cooked up by our grandfathers before we could even walk.
For as long as I can remember, from kindergarten to university, I was made to be his classmate.
It was the worst-kept secret on campus: I would marry Edward.
All we had to do was wait until I turned twenty for the engagement, then the wedding after graduation.
A few days before the party, my roommates cornered me after class, eager to see my engagement ring.
"Isabelle, we can't even lock down a boyfriend, and you're about to marry the Edward Rivers!" one of them gushed.
"Forget the guy. Show us the ring!" another chimed in. "We are dying to see what a high-society engagement looks like!"
I pulled up the photo on my phone and passed it around. A chorus of hushed gasps filled the air.
"Whoa. I think I just went blind. That thing is a spotlight!"
"I recognize that cut! An A-lister wore one just like it on the red carpet. I heard it's worth, like, two million dollars!"
"Well, he is the sole heir to the Rivers family. Guess he can afford to go all out."
I gave a smile. "Actually, my parents bought this for me. It's part of my wedding gift."
I added, "But Mrs. Rivers promised she's having a full custom jewelry suite designed for me for the wedding day."
Just then, Edward stormed into the classroom.
He looked annoyed.
His eyes scanned the room, skipping over everyone until they landed on me.
He sneered. "Isabelle Shaw, it's just a damn ring. Do you have to show it off to everyone?
"It's an arranged marriage. Anyone who doesn't know better might actually think I'm in love with you."
The happy bubble popped. My friends exchanged awkward glances, the excitement draining from the room.
Someone whispered, "He's rich, sure, but God, he's cold."
"Hey, it's a merger, not a romance. That ring is worth more than you'll make in a lifetime, so who are you to judge?"
"Exactly. Love is for the rest of us. The rich have balance sheets."
Everyone knew how the game worked.
I couldn't help but smile.
I followed his lovesick gaze across the room, and my eyes landed on Olivia Lynn, who was tucked away in a corner.
Living off grants, she stood there in a faded white dress, looking down to hide her humiliation.
She clutched the pen so fiercely that the blood drained from her fingertips.
I calmly looked away.
Edward was right. Our marriage was just a deal.
Who he was obsessed with meant nothing to me.
All I cared about was the business between our families.
On the day of the engagement, I made my entrance onto the flower-strewn lawn, wearing a custom-tailored gown that hugged my curves in all the right ways.
That's when I spotted an uninvited guest: Olivia.
She was working as a part-timer for the event staff.
Her head was bowed as she meticulously arranged cakes on the dessert table.
The moment Edward saw her, his breath caught. His posture straightened. I watched his hands clench into fists at his sides.
The emcee's voice boomed through the speakers, reading our marriage contract with theatrical flair.
With every line he read, the color drained from Olivia's face.
And with every ounce of color she lost, Edward's expression grew darker.
I smiled. This was going to be fun.
When it was time to exchange rings, we stood side-by-side on the stage.
Olivia approached, holding the velvet ring box like it was a bomb. Her expression was utterly shattered.
Then, it happened. She tripped on the hem of her dress, lurching forward and crashing directly into the towering pyramid of champagne flutes.
With a loud crash, glass and champagne exploded across the stage.
The ring flew from her hands, skittering across the floor.
I frowned, letting out an annoyed sigh. "Honestly, how clumsy can she be?"
Edward's face turned to thunder.
He ripped his arm from my grasp, stormed off the stage, and rushed to Olivia's side, helping her to her feet.
She cowered behind him, letting out a trembling whisper.
"I'm so, so sorry, Isabelle. I didn't mean to.
"I can pay for it! My pay for today is seventy dollars. You can have all of it. I promise..."
It was then that I noticed she was wearing moon-white, the official color of our wedding theme.
Standing next to Edward in his bespoke suit, they looked like the real couple.
I shot her an icy glance.
But before I could say a word, Edward snapped.
"Isabelle, stop using this engagement to throw your weight around!" he yelled, his voice cracking with rage. "The only reason I agreed to this was for my grandfather!
"And let's be honest, do you really think your family is even in the same league as my family anymore?"