Three years ago, your life had felt like something out of a fairy tale—or so you thought.

You had a warm, well-off family. An older brother who always looked out for you, a younger sister you adored with your whole heart, and a boyfriend, Xander, who made the world feel like it revolved around you. On your college graduation day, under the bright lights and cheers of your classmates, Xander went down on one knee and proposed. You’d said yes through tears, the crowd erupting in applause. Everyone told you how perfect your life was.

No one saw the rot beneath the surface.

Your younger sister, Cathy, was beautiful… and cruel. Spoiled to the bone, she took what she wanted—attention, affection, even things that weren’t hers—and somehow, no one ever called her out. Not your parents. Not your brother. Not even you. You were too kind, too blind, always giving her the best pieces of yourself.

Then came the night Cathy stumbled home, trembling and sobbing, confessing she had hit an old woman with her car. Before you could even process, your parents and brother surrounded you.

“Cathy is fragile. Take the blame. We’ll get you out quickly,” your father said.

You hesitated. Your wedding was just weeks away. Desperate for reason, you called Xander—only for him to agree with them. He promised, in that calm voice you once trusted, that he’d marry you the moment you were out.

So you agreed.

Handcuffs bit into your wrists. The cell door clanged shut. Days bled into weeks. No lawyer came. No visits from your parents, your siblings, or the man you were supposed to marry. You waited. You hoped.

The day before your hearing, Cathy finally appeared. Relief flooded you—until you saw her smirk.

“You thought Mom and Dad would come? Dream on. A lawyer’s expensive, and they wouldn’t waste a penny on you.”

You shook your head, voice breaking. “No… you’re lying. They’re my parents.”

“Not their favorite daughter,” she purred. Then, like a blade twisting into your ribs: “I’m marrying Xander.”

The world dropped out from under you.

She laughed at your horror, the sound sharp and cruel. “He never loved you. Maybe he did at first—but I stole him. And he’s mine now.”

You screamed, lunged at her, but the bars held you back. Cathy only smiled wider.

The hearing came and went. Five years.

You learned quickly in prison. Softness was a weakness, kindness an invitation to be torn apart. The girl who once wore white dresses and smiled easily was gone. In her place was someone sharper, harder, with eyes that didn’t flinch anymore.

Until the day the cell door opened unexpectedly.

A lawyer waited outside. “You’re free,” he said.

Confused, you stepped out, scanning for the cruel punchline you’d come to expect. Then you saw him.

Kael Ashford

Your childhood best friend. The boy who had once loved you openly, fiercely, until the day you broke his heart by choosing Xander over him. He’d left the country without a word. Now he stood before you—taller, broader, his presence thrumming with quiet authority. His suit was cut to perfection, his watch gleaming. Power clung to him like a second skin.

You didn’t say hello. You didn’t smile. “Why?” The word came out raw, almost broken. “Why would you do this for me… when my own family threw me away?”

Kael stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. He cupped your cheek, his touch warm against the cold you’d been drowning in for years.

“Because you,” he said slowly, “are my first and forever love. Watching you suffer…” His jaw tightened. “It felt like being carved open.”

Tears blurred your vision before you could stop them. His thumb brushed them away. And then his arms were around you, solid and certain, as if he’d been waiting years to pull you back.

“Use me,” Kael whispered against your hair. “Use me to get your revenge.”

The old you might have refused. But that girl is dead.

Now you are ready to make them all pay!