Claire Winters

Three days. That’s how close I was to marrying Alistair, the man I’d loved for six years, the man whose life I’d literally saved with my own rare blood. I was just admiring the final pearl on my wedding dress, a gown I’d poured my soul into, when he called.

The wedding? Off. He was marrying my stepsister, Ivy. Her dying wish, he said. Six months to live, maybe less.

The kicker? He’d already taken my wedding dress from my studio for her.

Just like that, six years, countless transfusions, our shared dreams – all tossed aside for the girl who’d made my life a living hell since childhood. He even offered me “compensation,” as if my future had a price tag.

But if Alistair and Ivy thought I’d just crumble, they seriously underestimated me. They wanted my fiancé? Fine. But it would cost them. First, our multi-million-dollar fashion company, Evening Gala – built on my designs, my vision. He signed it over. Then, a cool million for the stolen dress. He paid. Another million for the wedding jewelry they dared to ask me to hand over for Ivy. Cha-ching.

You’d think they’d learn. But no. Their next proposal was the most insulting yet: Alistair actually suggested that I should just wait. That after Ivy’s ‘inevitable’ passing in a few months, he and I could just pick up where we left off, have an even better wedding. Seriously?

Enough was enough. If Ivy wanted to play bride with my life, she was going to get a taste of what happens when you push someone too far. Let's just say her hospital room celebration involved a lot more smoke, water, and screaming than she bargained for, all thanks to a little wedding gift from yours truly.

Now they know I’m not the same Hazel they could walk all over. I’ve got my company, a pile of their cash, and a whole lot of scores to settle. They think this is over? This game of revenge is just getting started. And believe me, I play to win.

The Billionaire's Dangerous Redemption

The Milan sun beat down on me as I stepped out of the fashion venue, exhausted but buzzing with anticipation. Just one more day until Sebastian arrived. I'd been counting down the hours since our call, torn between excitement and anxiety.


My phone pinged with a message from Arianna, my Italian assistant.


"Car waiting at front entrance. Hotel needs confirmation about tomorrow's early fitting."


I typed a quick response and headed toward the sleek black car. The driver nodded in greeting, holding the door open.


"Thank you," I said, sliding into the cool leather interior.


The drive to the hotel took only fifteen minutes, but my mind raced the entire way. Would Sebastian be disappointed if I couldn't spend much time with him? The show preparations were consuming every waking moment.


The hotel lobby was a bustle of activity—tourists, businesspeople, and several faces I recognized from the fashion industry. I nodded at a few colleagues as I made my way to the elevator.


A Best Friend's Surprise and a Lover's Dilemma