

When my appendix bursts, my parents, my brother, and even my fiancé are all too busy celebrating my sister's birthday. I'm outside the operating room, frantically calling every family member I can think of to sign the consent form, but every call is either ignored or hung up on. After hanging up on me, my fiancé, Joel Graham, texts back."Sophie, stop being dramatic. It's Yvette's 18th birthday today. Whatever it is can wait until after the party." I quietly set my phone down and sign the consent form myself. It's the ninety-ninth time they've chosen Yvette Norton, my sister, over me. This time, I choose not to care. I'll stop letting their favoritism hurt me. Instead, I'll do everything they ask of me without complaint. They'll all think I've finally learned to be obedient, and they'll never realize that I'm preparing to leave them for good.

Ten years ago, I was harassed by thugs and saved by a stranger. I always believed that man was Travis. I fell in love with him, and we were together for a decade, yet he never proposed, always entangled with his first love instead. So I let go and married my childhood sweetheart, Jason, who adored me beyond measure. When Travis learned of my marriage, he went mad with regret. And then I discovered the truth, the man who saved me that night was never Travis. It was Jason.