On my wedding day, my sister was drugged by my fiancé's best friend and viciously assaulted by a group of groomsmen.

When she came to, the shame and horror drove her to leap to her death, her broken body crumpling at my feet.

Herbert Brady shielded my eyes from the grisly sight, vowing to make things right. But when the truth came out that Lori Reilly was behind it, he smashed my phone to keep me from calling the police.

Lori shrugged with mock innocence. "The guys were just messing around. So what if they tore her clothes off? I've been half-naked around them plenty of times. Why was she so fragile?"

She slung her arm around Herbert's neck, whining, "I told you not to marry some broke nobody. Poor people have such brittle pride. Look at the mess Mona has made."

When I demanded justice, Herbert stayed cool, sliding a Centurion card across the table. "Ten million dollars. Enough to buy your silence? Lori is one of us, part of the city's elite inner circle. Push your luck, and you're making enemies of everyone who runs this town. Come on, it was just a wedding prank gone wrong."

I seized the car and snapped it like a twig. Ten million dollars? To buy the life of the Woodard family's cherished heiress?

The shattered credit card hit the marble floor with a sharp crack, silencing the crowded ballroom.

Every head turned, eyes wide with shock.

Lori Reilly's smug smirk vanished. She tore her black stockings with a dramatic flourish. "You girls are pure poison. What, you gonna set me up to get even? Go ahead, get a few guys to rough me up and see if I care."

Herbert Brady's face darkened like a storm rolling in. He ripped off his tailored jacket, draping it over her skirt, then whirled on me with a low growl. "Enough, Mona! Lori apologized. Are you so determined to ruin her reputation?"

He growled, "Enough, Mona! Lori apologized. You really gonna drag her name through the mud?"

I bit my lip, pointing at the crimson stains pooling on the floor. My laugh was bitter, jagged. "Now you care about a girl's honor? Lori obliterated Gail's chastity and drove her to death. Doesn't that demand retribution?"

He froze, his eyes dodging the fire in my glare. His sister, Chloe Brady, leapt up, her voice dripping venom. "Gail doesn't hold a candle to Lori. She's been our fearless queen since childhood, untouchable by any man. Gail was just a broke nobody who probably threw herself at those guys to climb the social ladder."

Lori latched onto Herbert's arm, pressing it against her chest and shaking it like a petulant child. "Guess I got played, huh? Herbert, you can't ditch me for her. You told me that she's just a schemer who got you drunk to trap you. Don't go soft now and forget her betrayal."

I bit my lip, the taste of blood flooding my mouth.

Years ago, I'd been drugged at a party and woke up on Herbert's bed. By morning, gossip about the city's most eligible bachelor's one-night stand had exploded online, forcing his parents to push for our engagement.

Everyone swore I'd set him up, but Herbert claimed he trusted me, no explanation needed. Now, that trust felt like a cruel mockery.

"So, that's what you think of me?" I asked, my voice a low tremor.

Herbert stayed silent, brushing a tear from my cheek. "If you want to be Mrs. Brady, you've gotta tough out the rumors. You and Gail both dreamed of marrying into wealth, but not every guy is like me. Gail brought her fate upon herself."

Herbert pressed on, his tone calm but firm. "Let's move past this. Don't ruin our wedding day over it."

I grabbed his tie in exasperation, my scream tearing through the room. "Move past this? Then bring Gail back! You saw the security footage. Chloe dragged her away, and Lori forced that spiked drink down her throat. When your friends pinned her down, she fought until they snapped her bones. Are you blind to that?"

Lori shoved between us, her sneer cutting like a knife. "That villa's cameras were hacked, and those clips are fake. Herbert had them scrubbed. Didn't he tell you?"

His blatant protection of her hit like a sledgehammer. I staggered, ripping the diamond ring off my finger and hurling it at his chest. "This wedding is over! Nobody is stopping me from calling the police!"

I bolted for the villa's grand doors, but Herbert's grip clamped onto my arm, yanking me back. My hip slammed into a table, pain lancing through me.

His eyes icy, he ordered the estate sealed and allowed no guests to leave. Ignoring my protests, he had Gail's body whisked away for cremation, erasing every shred of evidence to protect Lori.

He pried my fingers off Gail's cold hand, one by one. "When you cool off, I'll let you out, and we'll finish this wedding."

The door slammed shut, locking me in the bridal suite, my hope crumbling to dust. I collapsed on the floor, numb, until my hand reached for my phone. With its last breath, I sent a message to Gail's grandfather: [John, I failed to protect Gail.]

Hours bled into eternity as I lay on the bed, hollowed out. The door creaked open, and a pair of hands grazed my waist.

I spun, shoving Herbert off the bed. He started to snap but froze at my gaunt, tear-streaked face. His eyes flickered with pity and guilt. "We could've been married by now. Why do you keep making a scene instead of letting it go?"

My nails dug into my palms. For three years, I'd swallowed his mantra.

When Lori wore his shirts and sprawled across our bed, he called her friendly and told me to chill. When she shredded my wedding dress and stole my gifts, he called her curious and told me to be patient. When she hid under our bed, eavesdropping on our intimate moments, he called her naïve and told me to be more understanding.

Now she'd murdered my sister, and he expected me to choke it down.

"Nobody gets to call me dramatic, least of all you, Herbert," I hissed.

He frowned, his tone almost pleading. "I swear, this is the last time. I know you're hurting over Gail, so I'm postponing the wedding. We'll give her a proper funeral. If you want to say goodbye, stop fighting me."

"Where is she?" I demanded, my voice cracking.

He seized my hand, his smile smug when I didn't pull away. But as he led me out, he stopped dead.

In the hall, before Gail's memorial shrine, a crowd danced under flashing lights to a thumping beat. Her photo lay crushed under Lori's stiletto, warped beyond recognition.

I screamed, shoving Herbert aside to snatch the photo. My eyes blazed with the urge to tear Lori apart.

"This is your idea of a proper funeral?" I demanded.

Herbert stayed silent, stepping protectively in front of Lori. She peeked out, slinging her arms over his shoulder, her eyes glinting with mockery.

"You're losing it?" she taunted. "This is a graveside bash, adding some life to the farewell. Otherwise, it's all doom and gloom. I'm not letting you and your sister tank my best friend's big day."

Chloe nodded, her nose in the air. "Gail brought this on herself. You expect us to cry over her? This party is a blast. She'd be drooling over the shirtless guys, even as a ghost."

I ground my teeth, glaring at Herbert. I had been an idiot to believe his promises.

"Last chance, Herbert!" I warned. "Keep shielding Lori, and we're not just done. I'll burn your world to ashes!"

He pressed his lips into a thin line, saying nothing. Her expression darkening, Lori lunged forward and slapped herself. "Mona, I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd go nuts like this, but for Herbert's happiness, I'd take a bullet."

She dropped to her knees, smashing her forehead against Gail's photo frame until blood streamed down her face. Herbert's jaw tightened, and he yanked her into his arms.

"I choose Lori. Happy now?" he snapped at me. "She's just had my back. You can't stand that because she is my best friend?"

He ripped off his belt, bound my knees, and forced me to kneel before Gail's photo. "If you're so set on mourning your sister, stay there and cry!"

Pain seared as the belt bit into my skin.

He led her upstairs and fussed over her wounds, a flock of private doctors buzzing around. She chuckled, "Relax, I'm a tough chick, not some delicate princess."

Then she winced, burrowing into his chest like a wounded bird. His eyes held a warmth I'd never felt from him.

This man, who flinched at a kiss, pressed his lips gently near her wound. "Just like when we were kids, one kiss, and it's all better."

My heart twisted, but I forced the pain down. Then the housekeeper who'd helped me before appeared, her face tight with worry.

She leaned close, whispering, "Miss Woodard, I've got proof of what they did to Gail. Meet me in the garden tonight. Don't let anyone see you."

That night, Lori and Herbert were holed up watching some private movie. Herbert untied my belt, his tone casual. "Lori has always been one of the boys, loving this stuff. I'm just hanging with her. Don't read into it."

I bit my tongue as he locked me back in the room.

When the villa quieted, I pried open the window and leapt from the second story, twisting my ankle on impact. Ignoring the pain, I sprinted to the garden and grabbed the phone the housekeeper had hidden.

Floodlights suddenly blazed, pinning me in their glare. The housekeeper dropped to her knees, her voice shrill. "Miss Reilly didn't touch your sister. You'll ruin her if you do this!"