Chapter 1

That night, Maya Reed slogged through the pounding rain to the club where Cole Hale liked to hang out.

She paused outside his private room, wrung out her hair, and decided she'd wait until he wrapped up and then surprise him.

A teasing voice drifted through the cracked door. "Cole, your wedding to Maya is in a week. Got your big surprise ready?"

"Yeah," Cole said in a cool voice warmed by liquor. "I'm going to give her something she'll remember for the rest of her life."

Maya's hand stilled in her hair. She couldn't help but smile.

For three years, Cole had cherished her like she was the most precious thing in his life.

Just then, another man laughed. "If Maya finds out I've been pretending to be you this whole time, she'll lose her mind."

"Please." Someone else snorted. "As if she'd ever guess Cole has a twin!"

"She always acts so high and mighty. Just wait until she finds out she's been sleeping with Cole's brother for three years. I want a front row seat for that reaction!"

Hearing the cruel laughter, Maya froze as her blood ran cold.

She couldn't believe what she'd heard. She edged closer and peered through the crack.

Cole sat on one end of the couch. Beside him lounged his mirror image, down to the haircut and the tiny mole at the corner of his eye.

Carter Hale let out a derisive laugh and lounged lazily against the couch. "She crossed Valerie, and Valerie is the one Cole loves most. This is what she gets! Watching her fall from cloud nine right into hell will make it all worth it!"

The same guys who used to butter Maya up whenever she showed up were now sneering at her.

"Carter, you did the heavy lifting!"

"If I looked like you two, I'd volunteer for that too!"

"Right? She's gorgeous. If she goes crazy after the wedding, why not let us have a taste?"

"Cole plotted this whole thing for Valerie and never once touched Maya in these three years. What a faithful man!"

Cole Hale, Carter Hale, and Valerie Cross...

The names whirled in her head until Maya could barely breathe.

Her body shook uncontrollably, tears spilling from widened and bloodshot eyes.

The love she'd staked her future on was a con—a trap laid to please Valerie, the woman who used to bully her.

On those nights she woke up shaking from nightmares of Valerie tormenting her, it was Cole who held her and told her she was safe.

When she finally told him what she had been through, he soothed her and arranged for her to see a therapist.

She couldn't believe it, nor did she want to believe it.

The moments when she felt loved were so vivid. How could they be fake?

The conversation inside the suite carried on.

"Valerie's flying back next week. Cole, you can stop living on planes every weekend."

"I've been acting for three years. Now, I can finally drop the act," Carter said with a smirk. "Every time Cole went abroad, I had to keep Maya company."

"You two sound different. Didn't she ever notice?"

Carter laughed. "She isn't bright. I lowered my voice and told her I had chronic laryngitis. She bought it and even got up at dawn to make me honey tea."

The suite erupted into laughter.

"Enough," Cole cut in. "After the wedding, I'll write her a check. She'll be set for life."

"Are you going soft?" Someone needled him.

Maya's chest tightened. She held her breath and stared at Cole.

He gave a scornful laugh. "Not a chance!"

"What about you, Carter? After sleeping with her for three years, don't you feel anything?"

Carter quickly shook his head. "I'm over it. If you want a go, be my guest."

Cole sneered. "Hard pass. She's dirty.

"She begged for this wedding. The money is just to keep her from clinging to me. We're on a tight timeline, so get it set.

"A week from now, I'll propose to Valerie right after I drop the truth bomb on Maya!"

Chapter 2

Maya had no idea how she got out of the club.

The rain came down in sheets and hammered at her skin, yet she felt none of it. Only the conversation from that room kept looping in her head.

Just hearing Valerie's name made her whole body tremble. She couldn't understand why Valerie still refused to let her go when she had moved overseas. She seemed bent on grinding her into the dirt.

It had started with something as petty as a campus beauty contest. Someone posted a candid shot of Maya without makeup, and it ended up outshining Valerie's retouched entry.

When Valerie got wind of it, she and her friends cornered Maya in the restroom, ganged up on her, and shoved her head into a toilet.

When Maya wouldn't kneel and apologize, the next three years became a living hell.

They hit her, jabbed her with needles, and hid tacks in her shoes. They turned the entire class against her, tanked her part-time gigs, and spread filthy rumors.

Valerie even sent rich guys to pursue Maya, plotting to bait her with money and then toss her aside.

However, Valerie's scheme failed. By the time junior year came and Valerie left to study overseas, Maya was still unbroken.

But by then, she was drowning in depression and had started hurting herself.

That was when Cole appeared.

He was nothing like the other rich guys who sized her up like a trophy and tried to buy her off with credit cards.

His gaze was warm and sincere, and he actually listened to her.

When he learned that her grandmother, Belinda Malone, needed long-term medication, he didn't look down on her. Instead, he helped in quiet, thoughtful ways that she could accept.

He found her internships and part-time jobs. He always sat with her at a convenience store after her shift, splitting a quick dinner and giving her a light tap on the head. "Maya, that was tough. You did great."

When Belinda fell ill while Maya was out of town, Cole rushed her to the hospital and stayed by her bedside for a whole day and night.

By the time Maya hurried back, Cole was dead on his feet, yet he still smiled. "Belinda's stable. Don't run yourself into the ground."

Her heart kept saying, "He's the one. Try to trust him. No matter how it ends, cherish the time you have with him now."

For a long while, Cole treated Maya with care, even standing up to his family to be with her.

Just then, Carter's scornful voice echoed in her mind. "How dumb could she be? Did she really think the Hales would let a nobody marry in? We just hired a couple of actors, staged a little fight, and she fell for it."

"She's so dumb. She missed every tell for three years."

"She's so dumb. She still thinks Cole is devoted to her."

"She's so dumb. So dumb. So dumb..."

Maya stumbled and crashed to the ground, her tears mixing with the cold rain.

"Maya, you really are too dumb," she said to herself.

She suddenly tipped her head back and laughed like a madwoman, letting the rain smack her face mercilessly.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Belinda's caregiver.

"Maya, come quick! Your grandma's not going to hold on!"

A sharp ringing filled Maya's ears, and her mind went completely blank. Her knees buckled, but muscle memory kicked in, carrying her to the curb where she threw up a hand to flag down a ride.

Cars blasted past with their hazards strobing and horns blaring.

Just as she braced to run to the hospital, a Range Rover braked beside her.

The composed and clean-cut driver leaned over and asked where she was going.

Maya didn't waste a second and climbed in.

By the time she reached the hospital, the doctor had already delivered the news. "She's in respiratory failure. There's nothing more we can do. Stay with her for whatever time she has left."

Maya dropped to her knees and clutched Belinda's hand.

Belinda forced a weak smile. "Maya, don't cry... I'm sorry... I couldn't hold on for your wedding..."

Maya shook her head hard. She couldn't get a word out and broke down in sobs.

Belinda's eyes searched the room. "Where's Cole? I want to see him..."

"Okay," Maya rasped, her voice barely above a whisper.

She pulled out her phone and called Cole over and over.

He declined every call, so she texted instead.

"Cole, Grandma's in respiratory failure. She's at the end. Please come to the hospital. She wants to see you one last time."

"Cole, Grandma's waiting for you. Just a minute is enough. Can you come?"

"Cole, I'm begging you..."

Her fingers trembled as she typed, tears spilling down her cheeks and splattering onto the screen.

At this moment, none of the lies mattered. If Cole would just come so Belinda could go in peace, nothing else mattered.

However, Cole never showed.

Maya forced a smile and squeezed Belinda's hand. "Grandma, Cole must be tied up. Don't worry. We're solid, and we're getting married next week.

"Grandma, I'm going to be happy... You can rest easy..."

Belinda suddenly gripped her hand tighter and locked eyes with her. "Maya... Live your life... Be happy..."

Her grip loosened, and her last look was filled with worry.

Maya stared blankly at her hand. Then, she crumpled to the floor, sobbing until no tears were left.

That night, she numbly went through every form and signature to arrange the funeral, yet there was still no word from Cole.

During a lull, she unblocked Valerie and opened her feed.

"I planned to fly home early and surprise him, but it turned out I was the one who got surprised!"

The photo showed Cole at the airport in a mascot suit, bouquet in hand, and sweat plastering his hair as he smiled.

Another shot captured Valerie's sweet smile while Cole's eyes lingered on her, full of devotion.

Maya let out a bitter laugh and locked her screen.

By noon the next day, she came back to the hospital with Belinda's urn and handed in her application to Doctors Without Borders.

Quinn White, the head of the department, looked at Maya in shock. "Weren't you about to get married?"

Maya paused for a moment, then answered, "Not anymore. I have to leave this city right away!"

Seeing her reddened eyes and hearing the urgency in her tone, Quinn didn't press further. "You're just in time for the deadline. Take the next few days to prepare. We'll leave in a week."

"Okay."

A week later was supposed to be her wedding day. Instead, she would be wheels up.

Before she left, she planned to send Cole and Valerie a parting gift they would never forget.

Chapter 3

Since she would soon be heading somewhere dangerous, Maya decided to lay her grandmother to rest first.

She bought a small cremation pendant, tucked a lock of Belinda's hair inside with a pinch of ash, and buried the rest in a cemetery plot.

Kneeling at the headstone, she curled her fingers around the pendant at her chest. "Grandma, don't worry," she whispered. "I'm finally going to do what I've always wanted. I'll take care of myself."

By the time Maya got back to the villa, dusk had settled. Laughter spilled from the living room the moment she stepped inside.

She froze, and in that instant, Cole spotted her.

He crossed the room, took her by the elbow, and steered her in. "Come on and meet a couple of friends."

A man and a woman stood from the couch and turned toward her, amusement flickering in their eyes. It was Valerie and Carter.

Maya's body trembled before she could stop it. It was a reflex she could never control around Valerie.

Cole's tone stayed easy. "Valerie grew up with me, and Carter is my twin. They just got back from overseas and will be attending our wedding."

Valerie raised a hand and gave Maya a sweet smile. "We know each other. We were roommates in university."

She slipped forward, hooked an arm through Maya's, and leaned in to murmur in her ear, "Right, Maya?"

A reel of old scenes snapped to life behind Maya's eyes. Every time the bullying ended, Valerie would breathe the same line against her ear. "It's just a joke between roommates, right, Maya?"

Maya flinched hard and shoved her away on instinct.

Valerie landed on the rug and looked up with wounded eyes. "You still don't like me? I'm only trying to get along."

Both men's expressions darkened. Cole rushed to pull Valerie up, his eyes turning cold.

Carter's brows pinched. "Cole, your fiancee's got quite the temper. She's not even married to you yet, and she's already throwing her weight around?"

Cole stepped in front of Valerie and didn't bother to soften his tone. "Maya, apologize!"

Maya stared at the three of them, her hands curling at her sides. The words she'd heard the night before ripped through her chest like a jagged tear. She turned without a word and headed for the door.

She barely made it two steps before a hand clamped around her wrist and yanked. She stumbled and looked up into Cole's furious eyes. "Who told you to leave?"

Carter said with an edge to his voice, "Our family has always cared about manners. Cole, maybe you should teach her some."

"You're right," Cole replied with an icy gaze. "Maya, you're about to marry into this family. Watch your mouth and your behavior. Take the rest of the night to think about what you did."

He dragged her to the basement, shoved her into a room, and slammed the door before she could catch her breath.

No light seeped through the seams. Only then did Maya realize it was a windowless room.

The suffocating dark sent her breathing into a panic. She pounded both fists against the door and called out until her throat burned, but the hallway stayed silent.

Terror swallowed her whole.

Back in university, Valerie had locked her in a dark utility room for three days. Everything was silent and dark, time dragging on until it seemed to break apart.

She'd been shattered after that, and darkness had terrified her ever since. The claustrophobia never left.

For years, she slept with every lamp on.

At first, Cole struggled with it, turning and staying awake all night, but when he learned what she'd been through, he pulled her close and murmured, "It's okay. We'll sleep with the lights on from now on. You don't have to be afraid."

Whenever she offered to try turning them off, he would refuse. "Maya, you don't have to force yourself. I can adjust."

He knew. Both of them knew.

Yet, they chose to lock her in a dark room because she had pushed Valerie.

A dull ache throbbed in her chest. She slid to the corner, wrapped her arms around herself, and held on as the shaking took over.

The affection they showered her with had only been an act. They had staged every moment. Even this little dark room felt like it had been designed just for her.

Chapter 4

Two days later, Cole opened the basement door with a pleased smile. "Valerie isn't upset about you shoving her that day anymore. Grab your things. We're going to try on dresses and look at rings."

They drove to a bridal shop. The moment Maya stepped out of the car, she spotted Valerie and Carter already waiting inside.

Valerie hurried over, looking joyful. "Maya, there you are. I didn't get to congratulate you last time. Cole and I grew up together, so let me help you pick the perfect dress!"

She looked at Maya, clearly hoping for a crack in her composure. Instead, Maya smiled and said, "Thanks. I appreciate it."

A flicker of irritation crossed Valerie's face before she turned it into another bright grin.

Looping an arm through Cole's and another through Carter's, she said pointedly, "Then, I'll try some on with you. I'm going to be a bride soon, too."

"Congratulations," Maya answered calmly.

The light in Valerie's eyes cooled.

From then on, whenever Maya paused over a gown, Valerie would snap her fingers for a staff member and claim it first.

Each time she stepped out of the fitting room, she caught Cole's hand and asked, "Cole, what do you think? Am I pretty?"

Cole stared at her as if spellbound, showering her with praise, while Carter stayed close by Valerie's side. The two of them acted like Maya wasn't even there.

A staff member sighed under her breath. "Some brides have all the luck."

Valerie blinked in surprise, then turned to Maya, who stood off to the side like a bystander. "Sorry, Maya. You're the bride. You should go first."

She gave Cole a playful smack on the chest. "Cole, what's with you? How could you leave your fiancee standing off to the side?"

Awkward silence spread among the staff.

Carter's mouth curled into a mocking smile.

Only then did Cole glance at Maya. "See anything you like?"

Maya picked a dress at random and went to change.

When she came out, the three of them were gone.

A staff member offered her an apologetic look. "Ms. Cross wanted to pick out rings, and they went with her. Do you want to..."

"I'm fine," Maya said. She changed back, returned the dress, and walked out.

Not long after, Valerie uploaded a shot of a diamond ring encrusted with gems. The caption said, "Cole bought it for me at a sky-high price."

Maya only glanced at it before locking her phone and going back to packing.

She set aside only clothes and essentials to take with her. Then, she cleared out her things, even the gifts she'd once given Cole, and stuffed them into a trash bag.

She didn't touch anything he had ever given her.

Just as she slid her suitcase into the closet, Cole walked in carrying a blue velvet box. "I picked this up at the auction. It's your ring."

Maya instantly recognized it as the same freebie from Valerie's post.

She took the box, set it on the dresser, and said nothing.

Her cold reaction made Cole's brows crease. His gaze drifted to the trash can and found the couple's mugs she used to treasure.

Unease flickered across his face. "Why'd you throw those out? Are you mad?"

"No," Maya said, pressing her lips together.

"Is this because of what happened at the bridal shop?" Cole pressed on, sounding certain. "Valerie is just my friend. We haven't seen each other in years, so I paid her a little extra attention. That's all."

He slid an arm around her. "You don't need to be jealous. If there were anything between us, it would have happened long ago. You're my bride. You know where my heart is, right?"

The words yanked something sharp inside her chest. Her eyes felt hot.

Cole softened, ruffling her hair. "I'm sorry, Maya. I shouldn't have let you feel sidelined."

Her fingers trembled, then curled into fists until her nails dug into her palms.

For a heartbeat, she wanted to ask him about everything. She wanted to drag the truth into the light and force an answer about the last three years.

The questions rose to her tongue, and she swallowed them back down.

Just then, his phone rang. He quickly answered, "Valerie, I'm on my way."

When he hung up, he smoothed a hand over Maya's hair. "I've got something to deal with. Get some rest. You'll be the most beautiful bride in a few days."

He was out the door before the echo of his steps faded.

Maya sat on the edge of the bed and blinked hard, forcing the tears down.

Two hours later, she washed up and lay down, willing herself to sleep.

She was drifting when the doorknob turned.

Cole was supposed to be at a party with Valerie, but someone came in smelling of liquor.

Buttons snapped as he tore at his shirt, then he flipped back her covers and climbed in.

The instant his skin brushed hers, Maya snapped awake with the terrifying certainty that it was Carter above her.

Chapter 5

Maya went rigid, color draining from her face. She shoved Carter off with everything she had and scrambled to the headboard with her knees tucked tight.

Carter frowned at her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you still mad?"

He rubbed his forehead. His voice was so similar to Cole's, only roughened by alcohol. If Maya hadn't overheard their scheme for Valerie, she wouldn't have known the difference.

Carter leaned in again, palms braced behind her, and their noses almost touching.

"I told you already. If I wanted her, I wouldn't be marrying you."

Carter dipped in to kiss her.

Maya jerked aside, gagged hard, and turned away as her eyes stung red. She shoved past him and rushed for the bathroom.

He watched her head for the bathroom, a crease pinching his brow. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

Inside the bathroom, Maya slid down the tiled wall until she was a tight ball on the floor.

Suddenly, she heard Carter's voice outside. "You hear that? She's dry heaving. Is she sick?"

A burst of chatter came through the open line. One of the guys said, "Be careful, Carter. When the truth gets out, she'll cling to you."

The words sent a chill down her spine, and a cold numbness crept into her fingers and toes.

Carter had left the call connected.

Valerie's voice followed. "Cole, Carter, you two need to stop..."

"Stop?" Cole's tone grew cold. "She's gone after you for long enough. This is the least she deserves."

"What if something's actually wrong with her?" Valerie asked.

There was a beat of silence before both men said at once, "No way!"

Cole's voice turned icier. "If she's faking it, we'll handle it. Right, Carter?"

Carter's throat tightened. "Yeah. Sure."

For a second, he felt his heart clench with pain.

Just then, Maya opened the door, her face white as paper.

Carter quickly ended the call and stepped toward her. "What's wrong, Maya? You look awful. Are you sick?"

She held his gaze and forced a thin smile. "Nothing. My stomach's acting up."

...

At noon the next day, Maya got a call from Cole. Moments later, he pulled up at the curb.

He got out of the car, opened the passenger door, and ushered her inside. "Come on. Let's get lunch."

They drove in silence while he kept an easy smile on his face. The playlist was Valerie's favorite back in university, which also happened to be the music Maya hated the most.

Valerie and Carter were already waiting at the restaurant.

Valerie gestured at a cake on the table. "Maya, I crossed a line yesterday. I queued for this bakery's viral cake to make it up to you. You have to try it."

Throughout the meal, Valerie kept bringing up their childhood memories.

"Cole and Carter have always spoiled me. When we played house, they fought over who got to be my groom!

"Once, I climbed a tree and couldn't get back down. Cole dropped to his hands and knees so I could jump onto him.

"I remember getting cornered by a few guys in middle school. Both of them got hurt standing up for me and ended up in the hospital for days."

The brothers laughed along. The three of them chattered warmly while Maya stayed silent.

Valerie suddenly turned to her. "Maya, why are you so quiet? Do you still have a problem with me? I know we had misunderstandings in university, but you're marrying Cole now. I hope we can be friends."

She raised her glass and smiled over the rim at Maya.

Maya didn't reach for hers. She didn't even look up. Instead, she clutched at her blouse and drew a strained, ragged breath.

Angry hives had flared across her forearm in a vicious red bloom. She fumbled for her bag.

"You're having a reaction?" Cole shot to his feet and reached for her bag.

Maya's peanut allergy was severe. Even though she was always careful with her food, she carried an adrenaline autoinjector at all times in case she needed seconds shaved off an emergency.

Maya had already closed her fingers around the adrenaline autoinjector.

Right then, Valerie's fragile voice rang out. "Cole... I don't feel well..."

Her slim hand twisted in the fabric over her heart, and her face went chalk white, tipping backward in a swoon.