Chapter One
Hazel's POV
Every birthday meant another gem sewn onto a daughter’s wedding gown. That was the Morrow family tradition: her parents added one each year until she married.
The number of gems showed how much she mattered to the family and the hopes they had for her.
My father was the Don of the Morrow family, and he had always sewn the gems on himself. My two older sisters, Juliet and Sloane, got their gems every year. By the time my turn came, my father always seemed to have forgotten mine.
Whenever I reminded him, he gave me the same answer. “Good gems have been hard to find these past few years. Juliet and Sloane will get theirs first. You’ll get yours later, I promise.”
He never did. Instead, I was always being asked to give something else up.
He made me set my childhood sweetheart up with Juliet. Then he told me to stay away from the family adviser’s son, who had been pursuing me, because he couldn’t stand to see Sloane cry.
In the end, Juliet picked out a bodyguard named Declan for me. My father approved, and I swallowed my hurt and went along with it.
One day after we married, I caught Declan alone, staring at an old photo of Juliet on his phone. That was when I realized I had never been the woman he wanted. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I signed the divorce papers.
Looking back, I couldn’t claim even one of those gems as my own.
I opened my eyes to find myself back on the day of Declan’s proposal.
This time, I didn’t need a single one.
I opened my eyes to find Declan standing in front of me, an open velvet box in his hands.
“Hazel Morrow, marry me. As long as I live, I’ll look out for you.”
I turned to look out the window.
“I’m not marrying you. Please leave.”
His hand froze on the lid. The living room fell silent. A few seconds later, Juliet hurried over.
“I introduced you to him because he’s good at what he does. He’s the most reliable bodyguard we have. And you’re turning him down in front of everyone?”
My father lifted his chin toward Declan, signaling him to put the box away.
My childhood sweetheart, Preston, was the son of the Ward family’s Don. Now he stood beside Juliet. Sloane had her arm through Griffin’s. He was the family adviser’s son, and he had once pursued me, too.
“I can tell this bothers you, Hazel.”
“Your gown doesn’t have any gems because I haven’t found the right ones these past few years. Juliet and Preston are in love, and Sloane has her heart set on Griffin. Declan is our most reliable bodyguard. Juliet was trying to help when she introduced you.”
“You haven’t even tried to get to know him. You’re embarrassing him by turning him down like this. You’re embarrassing Juliet, too.”
I looked at him. “Do I have any other choice?”
“Marriage is for life. Of course it’s your decision,” he said. “But you’ve already stepped aside once for Juliet and once for Sloane. Keep putting this off, and you’ll regret it.”
“Go on a few dates with him. Don’t turn him down so quickly.”
No one in the room said a word. My father watched me closely. The moment I said anything, he’d start in on me again.
Juliet sighed and moved closer.
“I know you’re not over Preston. But I’m his wife now.”
She lowered her eyes, looking torn.
“If you still love him, I can leave him.”
Preston immediately grabbed her shoulders.
“Why would you leave me? I married you because I love you. Don’t you know that by now?”
His voice hardened when he addressed me.
“Hazel, you’ve always been like a little sister to me. Stop coming between us.”
“I never meant to lead you on. If I did, I’m sorry.”
He took Juliet’s hand. They stood close together, looking every bit the happy couple.
My eyes stung. Just two months earlier, he’d taken me by the wrist and asked what kind of wedding I wanted.
“Once your father agrees, I’ll talk to mine. We’ll have our families work out the wedding plans. How does that sound?”
“Yes,” I’d said, smiling so hard my eyes crinkled.
Once my father made me steer him toward Juliet, I stopped seeing Preston altogether. By the time I saw him again, he was already with her.
Sloane came over, still holding Griffin’s arm.
“Hazel, are you still mad at me? Because I cried and begged Dad to take Griffin away from you?”
My father looked around the room and finally snapped.
“That’s enough from all of you! No one was forced to give anything up. Everyone made their own choices. That’s the end of it.”
Then he spoke to me in a gentler tone.
“Hazel, I’m doing all this for your own good. You won’t have a hard life with Declan. You can count on him.”
“Juliet and Sloane will take over the family business someday. You’ll need to help them.”
I just looked at him.
Who had backed me into this corner in the first place? Now he was acting as though I’d chosen all of it.
When I didn’t answer, he decided for me. “It’s settled. Declan, why don’t the two of you go out to the garden for a walk? It’ll give you a chance to talk.”
Declan held out his hand. I took half a step back.
“No, thank you.” I said it as casually as I’d turn down a cup of tea.
“Everyone in our circle already knows Preston didn’t want me, and neither did Griffin. If I turn Declan down today, too, imagine what they’ll say about me.”
My father lowered his voice, making the threat clear. “Stop talking.”
“You’re not yourself today. We’ll discuss this another time.”
“But listen carefully. You won’t get another chance after this. Turn him down, and don’t expect anyone else to marry you.”
I gave a short laugh.
“Then take it back, Don. It means nothing to me.”
I turned and walked away.
“Hazel!” my father shouted after me. “I’ve let you get away with far too much. Where do you get the nerve?”
Juliet lifted her skirt and hurried after me.
“Slow down! You’re dragging your skirt through the mud.”
I looked back at her and remembered her wedding day. Twenty-two gems had sparkled in the sunlight on her white wedding gown.
Mine was still hanging in my room. Not a single gem had ever been sewn onto it.
I left her without a reply. With everyone in the room watching, I walked out the door, one step at a time.
