My half-sister was dying of cancer, and she had one final wish: to steal my life.

She demanded my wedding, my fiancé, everything. So I watched as she walked down the aisle in the dress I designed myself, on the arm of the man I loved, into the wedding that should have been mine. For a dying woman, I could bear it.

But when she came for the heirloom bracelet my late mother left me, something inside me snapped. At the auction, I watched my ex-fiancé, Jasper, shield her as they drove the price up to a staggering 200 million. Bled dry by my own parasitic family, I was helpless, forced to see my last connection to my mother fall into their hands—

Until a calm, commanding voice cut through the room: “300 million.” The entire hall fell silent. Mack Ben, the notoriously private and influential head of the Ben family, had made the bid. “A gift,” he declared, his gaze finding mine, “for Miss Colby.”

After I retrieved the bracelet, I promised to repay him. “Mr. Ben, I’ll find a way to pay back the 300 million.” He simply studied my face, a slight frown creasing his brow. “Freya Colby,” he asked softly, “have you forgotten me?” Me: ?

The nurse looked confused. "Sleeping pills? What kind?"


"The strong kind." I pulled the empty bottle from my purse, showing her the label. "I took them earlier tonight. Still feeling pretty drowsy, actually."


The nurse's expression shifted from confusion to alarm. She grabbed the bottle, reading the dosage information. "Miss Colby, this is a high-dose prescription sedative. You absolutely cannot donate blood for at least the next day. It could cause serious complications."


The silence that followed was deafening.


"I'm sorry," the nurse continued, "but any recent medication, especially sedatives, makes blood donation unsafe for both the donor and recipient. We'll need to find another compatible donor immediately."


Waylon's face turned an alarming shade of red. "You took sleeping pills on purpose!"


Chapter 10 - Chapter 10 An Unlikely Ride