Chapter 1: The Dare That Ruined Everything

It started with a stupid dare at a beach party—Ethan Carter’s college buddy challenged him to throw a wedding by the ocean, and he didn’t even blink.

It was one of those Savannah summer afternoons where the air stuck to your skin, thick with salt and the memory of hurricanes. The moment Ethan agreed, I slid off the engagement ring that had carved a pale groove into my finger for seven years, and with a defiant flick, sent it sailing into the wild Atlantic. The weight of seven years vanished with the ring, leaving my hand bare and my heart raw. For the first time, the Atlantic didn’t look endless—it looked like freedom. I turned away, not sparing a single glance back. In my mind, the ring’s splash was as loud as a slammed door.

Ethan’s friends, already half-lit from too much beer, started making bets right there in the sand. Their laughter rolled out over the surf, beer bottles clinking, the smell of sunscreen and fried shrimp thick in the air. “How long before she crawls back, hat in hand?” one of them joked, and the others hooted with glee.

Ethan just gave that cold, wolfish smile—the one that used to melt me, but now made me want to slap him. “I’ll bet everything I own. Let her storm off—she’ll come back in a week, crying and begging.”

But what he didn’t know was that the limo of the most eligible bachelor in Savannah had just pulled up. The kind you only see in movies—sleek black paint, chrome wheels shining in the Georgia sun. And inside sat Caleb Price, the man who never lost a bet.

When I rushed to the wedding, I found Ethan Carter and Aubrey Sinclair locked in a passionate kiss.

My mind went completely blank.

On that sweltering afternoon, it felt like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over my head. I stood there, clutching my purse, legs trembling, sweat trickling down my back, suddenly freezing cold in the sticky heat.

The crowd was already gossiping, Southern-style:

“Seven years waiting, and Aubrey gets a wedding just ‘cause she pulled a dare? That’s Savannah luck for you.”

“Ethan’s serious, y’all. He had a designer dress flown in from New York, overnight!”

My eyes burned. The sickly-sweet smell of crushed peonies mixed with the sharp bite of the ocean, and my chest squeezed tight, hot tears threatening.

My fingernails pressed deep into my palms, grounding me.

Ethan caught my eye and raised his brows, like I was just another guest at someone else’s party. Bored, even.

“At dinner last night, Aubrey drew a dare—she had to find a guy to marry in three days.”

“You know how our crowd is. I had to step up and protect her.”

“Don’t worry, we didn’t get a license. In seven days, our wedding is still on.”

We’d been childhood sweethearts—engaged at eighteen because our families wanted it.

Seven years I waited for this day.

And all I got was the chance for him to break me, one heartbreak at a time.

Each cut, fatal.

I forced a brittle smile, slipped the ring from my finger, and hurled it into the waves.

“Ethan Carter, as of today, our engagement is over.”

His face darkened, the air around him turning heavy. “Natalie, are you serious right now?”

I turned away. My heels sank into the sand with every step, each one harder than the last, my heart pounding like thunder.

Aubrey chased after me, grabbing my arm. “Natalie, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault for drawing the dare. I had to find someone—please don’t blame Ethan. I’m begging you.”

I opened my mouth, but for a split second, guilt pricked my conscience. Then I remembered the way Ethan kissed her.

“There are plenty of single guys here. Why not pick one of them? Or does being the other woman make you feel special?”

Aubrey’s mascara was already running, her hands twisting the hem of her dress. I almost pitied her—almost.

Aubrey’s mouth worked, but nothing came out. Tears slipped down her cheeks, streaking her blush.

Ethan stepped between us, shielding her, his voice low and angry. “Natalie, Aubrey is your half-sister. Must you embarrass her in front of everyone?”

Half-sister. The word hit like a slap. I bit the inside of my cheek, refusing to let him see me break.

“It’s just a game. Can’t you let it go? If you married someone else for a dare, I wouldn’t care.”

He knew I couldn’t walk away from him. That’s why he acted so shameless, his arrogance thick as the summer heat.

My nose stung. I forced a shaky smile.

“Fine. You two carry on. I’m going back to the hotel.” I said it as steady as I could, my voice barely above a whisper, but trembling with anger.