Chase Sterling always felt like furniture. The kind you don't notice, the kind that's easy to shove in a corner and forget. He was used to it: people looked right through him, brushed him off like lint. But it only takes one phone call to erase a lifetime of being overlooked. When his estranged family meets a tragic end, Chase suddenly finds himself in charge of the sprawling Sterling fortune. Turns out, riches aren't the only thing the family left him. There's a curse running through his blood, warping love into something hungry and dangerous, impossible to escape.

Vivian Ashford never set out to blow Chase's life to smithereens. Just one decision (a sharp, ruthless move at graduation) was all it took to set their worlds spinning out of control. While Vivian soaks up the Hollywood limelight and collects red-carpet headlines, Chase slips into his new role as Manhattan's most intimidating heir. But no matter how far they run, something keeps yanking them back together, like a stitch in an old wound that refuses to heal.

Vegas is Marcus's idea. Extravagant bachelorette weekend. Sponsored by the film's production company. Good publicity. Good optics. Good distraction from #SterlingBrothersWar trending for three days straight.


We're at a private club. Top floor. Overlooking the Strip. Champagne everywhere. Music pounding. My friends dancing. Sienna trying to make me have fun.


But I can't stop thinking about the video. Ethan punching Chase. Blood on marble. Brothers destroying each other over me.


"Stop checking your phone," Sienna says. Taking it from me. "This is your bachelorette party. You're supposed to be celebrating. Not doom-scrolling Twitter."


"I'm not doom-scrolling. I'm monitoring damage control."


"Marcus's job. Not yours. Your job is to drink champagne and pretend you're happy about marrying Ethan."


Chapter 66 - Bachelorette Party Disaster