Chapter 1

Shawn Cole, that unhinged golden boy from Oakridge, had a luxury crystal coffin delivered straight into the Law family's main hall.

He said he dreamed Snow White had returned last night. And whoever fit inside the coffin perfectly would become the future lady of the Cole family.

In the first life, my older sister Melanie Law couldn't resist the spotlight. She slipped inside wearing a custom, skin-tight red gown that hugged every curve.

Shawn ran his fingers gently across the lid, almost tenderly. Then he turned and told someone to seal every seam shut with an industrial welder.

"A princess doesn't need to breathe when she sleeps," he said softly. "Struggling isn't pretty. Don't be difficult."

In the second life, my cousin Angela Law went for quiet elegance. She removed all her makeup and lay inside without moving a muscle.

Shawn watched her like she was something precious. Then he calmly ordered his team to pump half a ton of high-concentration formaldehyde into the coffin.

"Beauty should last forever," he said. "Decay is an insult to a princess. I'll preserve you perfectly."

In the third life, my stepmother Chloe Law tried to stand out. As she lay down, she even gave him a flirtatious wink.

Shawn let out a short, cold laugh. He wiped his hands like he'd touched something dirty, then had the coffin pushed off a cliff with her still inside.

"My princess is pure," he said. "Trash like you doesn't belong in her bed."

By the fourth life, they were all terrified out of their minds. They knocked me out while I was still in school, dressed me in white, and threw me into the coffin.

I curled up inside, shaking uncontrollably.

But Shawn's eyes grew misty. He carried me out and held the wedding of the century.

And then, on our wedding night, he held a hunting knife and gently opened my chest.

"In fairy tales, the hunter brings back the princess's heart," he whispered. "Let's see if yours is the one I've been looking for."

Now, in the fifth life, that blinding crystal coffin sat in our living room again. His assistant Alf smiled as he opened a gilded list.

"Ladies," he said, smooth as ever. "Mr. Cole is waiting. Who's up first?"

*****

The Law family's high-ceilinged hall felt wrong. The air itself seemed heavy.

The coffin stood in the center of the carpet.

It was stunning. Carved from a single flawless block of white crystal. Not a single imperfection.

The lid was rimmed with three thousand pink diamonds, scattering light from the chandelier into dazzling shards.

It wasn't a coffin. It was bait.

Alf Potter wore gold-rimmed glasses and a tailored black suit. In his hands was an embossed registry.

His gaze swept across the four of us.

"Mr. Cole had this made to match the exact proportions of the woman from his dreams," he said. "He's searched for years. Last night, he learned Snow White is here, in the Law family."

He adjusted his glasses. "This is an honor. Whoever fits perfectly will inherit the position of future Mrs. Cole."

We were all paler than ghosts.

Melanie, who normally treated every room like her personal runway, was clutching her neckline shut and curled into the corner of the couch.

Angela, who used to blush at everything, was shaking so badly her teeth chattered.

Chloe, who had always dreamed of climbing the social ladder through us, could barely stand. Without the wall behind her, she would have collapsed.

Finally, Alf looked at me.

"Ms. Thea Law," he said, stepping closer. "Petite. Fair skin. You fit the description best."

His smile sharpened. "Why don't you start?"

My blood went cold.

The memory came rushing back. The knife. The warmth of blood. His eyes lit with excitement under the lights.

"I'm not doing it!" I grabbed the ashtray and threw it at him. "Get out! Take that thing and get out!"

It shattered at his feet.

Silence swallowed the room.

Alf's smile faded.

He removed his glasses and wiped them slowly, his expression turning icy.

"Miss Law," he said quietly, "are you refusing Mr. Cole's proposal?"

"Proposal?" Melanie snapped, her voice breaking. "That's a death sentence! It's a coffin. If I lie down in there, they'll weld it shut. I won't even have air left!"

She clawed at her throat hard enough to draw blood. "It was so hot… the air kept running out… he was outside watching… smiling… clapping…"

Alf frowned slightly. "It seems the Law family doesn't appreciate generosity."

He walked over and tapped the coffin lid. "Mr. Cole's patience is limited.

"Tonight is only a notice. Tomorrow morning at eight, he will arrive personally with his engagement gifts. If the coffin is still empty…"

His gaze hardened. "He'll take all four of you back to the estate, cut you apart, and assemble the perfect princess himself."

Then he left with the bodyguards.

The moment the door slammed shut, Chloe's eyes rolled back and she passed out cold from terror.