When I heard my parents put me down without a second thought, I felt a sour twist in my heart.

Ever since I was little, everything that was supposed to be mine went to Ruby. My parents only had eyes for her.

When I stumbled upon Ruby's secret, they just figured I was out to hex her.

Any chance at a decent match, and they would be tripping over themselves to set Ruby up, never me.

They never really saw me as their daughter, so why should I bother thinking of them as my parents?

I bit my lip and called the number I had saved in my notes.

[I'll marry you, but you must agree to one condition.]

Maybe Sean was worried about losing his chance if he waited too long, so he and his parents met with Ruby today.

By nightfall, the whole city was buzzing with the news that Ruby was set to become the matriarch of the Gilbert family.

They were head over heels and had planned to tie the knot next week.

As fate would have it, that was the same week I was set to marry another guy, Keith Gilbert.

Keith, determined to give me the wedding of my dreams, kept me busy trying on a parade of bridal gowns.

I yawned, bored, as he gently kissed my hand.

"Sloane, I want to marry you. It's not just because you saved my life. It's because I love you. I want to give you the most spectacular wedding.

"Once we get through this busy time, I'll take you on a round-the-world tour. Just hang in there a bit longer, okay?"

Looking into Keith's loving eyes made my heart miss a beat.

In my previous life, he had asked me to marry him too, but back then, I was already promised to Sean.

The news of his tragic leap from a building filled me with sorrow.

However, there was no time to grieve. I had to save Ruby and shield my family from the Gilberts' fury.

'This time around, I won't get caught up in my parents' and Ruby's fate,' I thought, reminding myself.

With the wedding just three days away, he embraced me deeply and said he had to fly overseas to an auction to secure that one-of-a-kind diamond ring.

"Sloane, I've commissioned a top designer to create a wedding dress just for you. You're going to love it.

"I have to travel abroad to win that ring. A unique dress for a unique ring, and you'll be the most stunning bride."

Keith kissed my forehead. His departure for the plane was filled with reluctance.

The following day, driven by curiosity about the dress, I visited the upscale boutique. The staff had me try it on to ensure a perfect fit.

Dressed in a gown tailored just for me, I felt like a fairy.

"Sean, that dress she's wearing is gorgeous. I want one," a voice said, intruding on my fitting.

I spun around and found myself looking straight into Sean's eyes.

"Did you seriously think you could cause drama just because Ruby's here trying on wedding dresses?"

Ruby's eyes brimmed with tears as she clung to her mother, looking utterly heartbroken. "Mom, I bet she's just upset because she's not included in the wedding dress hunt. She's probably throwing a fit again."

Our parents exchanged a look of exasperation. "Sloane, you think you're too grown-up now, huh? You haven't been home in days, and now you're picking fights with your sister?

"Hand that wedding dress to Ruby right now, or we're disowning you!"

I was not about to let those guys spoil my mood, so I shot back. "If you're so eager to disown me, go ahead.

"The dress is mine, and there's no way I'm handing it to Ruby."

My mom was livid with my icy response, and without another word, she started hitting me. "Would it kill you to let your sister have what she wanted?"

I tried to fight back, but Sean pinned me down with an iron grip.

In no time, my mother's nails had scratched my face, and they stripped me of my wedding dress to drape it over Ruby.

"See? Only this dress is truly fit for my elegance," Ruby said, gloating.

I tried to call out to the store clerk, but my mom's hand struck my face once more. "Sloane, you don't deserve to even think about having Ruby's things."

My dad just stared at me with icy detachment. "Apologize to Ruby and get yourself home, or I swear I'll make you regret it."

Before I could even put up a fight, Sean's bodyguard hoisted me up and out of there.

Sean sneered from above, looking down on me. "Sloane, drop the act. You're just trying to get my attention.

"You're so hung up on me, huh? In two days, I'm marrying Ruby. I'll spend the first half of the night with her, and if you're so desperate, the second half with you."

After that, Sean tossed me a room key.

I did not even hesitate; I spat right in his face.

"Sean, you're the worst."

Instead of getting mad, he just cracked a twisted smile, yanked my hair, and hissed at me.

"Sloane, it looks like you're asking for trouble instead of playing nice."

Then, he kicked me to the side and walked off like he owned the place.

I was shaking with rage, just dying to watch payback come for Sean and knock him down a peg.

If he made a fool of himself before the wedding was over, the Gilberts would never let my family off the hook, especially not my parents and little sister.

Before I knew it, the big day had arrived.

Stepping into the spotlight in a drop-dead gorgeous wedding gown, I watched as my family's jaws hit the floor.

Sean was floored by my look, but he could not hide his nasty streak.

"Sloane, today's supposed to be Ruby's day. Why do you have to steal her spotlight?"

I had not seen it coming. My wedding was not only on the same day as Ruby's, but in the exact same hotel.

"Don't kid yourself, it's my wedding day. Step aside."

Ruby's eyes blazed with envy at the sight of me in my designer dress, like she wanted to burn me up.

"Why do you always have to take what I want, ever since we were kids?

"You've already snatched the dress. Don't you dare go after Sean, too."

Ruby's accusation made the crowd gasp.

"Seriously? The Larson family's eldest daughter is that brazen?"

Then, my parents showed up and laid into me without missing a beat.

"Sloane, have you lost your mind? Just because we won't hand Mr. Gilbert's prestige to you, you decide to humiliate Ruby at her own wedding?"

My father, seeing my silence, delivered a sharp slap to my cheek.

"Sloane, how could you be so shameless?"

"What an embarrassment."

"Today, I'm here to get married, too. My ceremony is upstairs. I don't want to ruin my big day, so get out of my way."

The guests snickered at my words.

"Has the Larson family's eldest daughter lost her marbles? The second floor is for top VIPs only. Who does she think she is?"

My parents felt ridiculed, and so they vented their fury on me.

"Sloane, you've let us down big time. Get out of the Larson family, now!"

I let out an icy laugh.

"Nothing would please me more. I'd rather not be held back by the Larson family anyway."

Before anyone else could chime in, Ruby burst into tears.

"Sloane, we're both curse-breakers, capable of ending the Gilbert family's curse. Why are you doing this to me?"

Sean wrapped his arms around Ruby, pointing at me with a look of disgust.

"Sloane, are you saying all this just to get me to marry you? You don't even realize you're not in my league."

Just then, a deep voice echoed from the entrance.

"Sean, my woman is not someone you can even dream of touching."

The instant that man appeared, everyone in the room was shocked.

It was Sean's uncle, Keith.

Realizing that my groom was his uncle, Sean's composure shattered.

"Sloane, you're a wretched woman! You're done with me, and now you've moved on to my uncle? That's low."

I rolled my eyes at Sean and latched onto Keith's arm.

I could not wait to see Sean clucking around like a hen tonight.

Ruby could not handle my smugness and even bet that if she could fix Sean, I would have to hit the road and leave the city for good.

I shrugged Ruby's challenge off and headed upstairs.

Keith and I got all wrapped up in each other, lost in the moment.

Right after we had caught our breath, Ruby's text popped up.

[Sloane, the Larson fortune is mine now, and once your man turns into a hen, the Gilbert stash will be mine too. Ha!]

Ruby's taunt had barely buzzed my phone when a knock thundered on our door.

There was Sean, at the threshold, wailing like his world was ending.

"Sloane, you have to help me!"