Chapter 1 The day Allison Winters received the notice that her husband was " critically ill , " she was surrounded by his so - called friends who were all there to pressure her into letting him marry another woman . " Allison , come on , " one of them said with a forced grin . " Alex just wants to give Sarah a proper wedding . He's dying - can't you let him have this one last wish ? Don't be selfish . " " Yeah , " another chimed in . " He's got maybe two months left at best . Don't forget - he broke four ribs and gave up a kidney saving you . Without him , the Winters Group would've gone under years ago . " won't even help him fulfill his dying wish ? " low you w " You've always said you loved him more than life itself . And now " It's just a fake ceremony , " someone else added . " He's not divorcing you . He's not taking anything from you . Honestly , you're coming off as the bad guy here . " They ganged up on her , each word sharper than the last , making it sound like Allison was some heartless villain for not letting her dying husband walk down the aisle - with another woman . Her fingers clenched as she turned to Alexander Rockwood , her voice tight with desperation . " Alex … what do you think ? " Alexander sat on the couch with his legs crossed , looking the picture of fragile beauty and quiet regret . " I gave up Sarah for you , " he said , his tone mournful . " Even if you agreed , she'd never say yes . I've hurt her too much . " His words were like ice water down her spine . Allison lowered her gaze , her heart twisting in pain . So that was it - this whole scene had been orchestrated . Of course he wasn't going to take her side . The truth was , Alexander had come up with a scheme to fake a terminal illness . That way , he could " die " and be free to leave with Sarah Mayfield without being branded a heartless bastard . She only found out by accident - scrolling through one of his group chats with his friends - where he casually joked about the plan . Until that moment , she had believed he was truly sick . She had stayed up all night researching treatments , begging experts for help , and paying whatever price necessary to track down miracle drugs . She had prayed in every church she could find - big or small , chapel or street - corner congregation - begging whatever god was listening to give him just a few more peaceful years . But in the end , it was all a lie . A cruel , pathetic lie . If he wanted so badly to marry Sarab , then fine - she'd let him . But that was the day Allison stopped loving him . For good . And not only would she stop loving him , she'd marry his sworn rival with his damn inheritance . " Pine . I agree . " Allison forced a smile , though her face had gone ghostly pale . The room erupted with barely restrained glee , especially from Alexander . She hadn't seen that glint in his eyes in a long time . " But I have a condition , " she added calmly , His eyes snapped to hers . His jaw tightened ever so slightly . " What is it ? " want your shares in Winters Group . " " We'll give them to you ! " one of his friends interrupted before he could respond . " Hell , take anything you want - we'll make it happen ! So long as Alex dies happy . " " But you've got to convince Sarah to say yes to the wedding , " another reminded her . " She needs to be all in . " Chapter 1 Ask Al Install Al Chat App powered by Grok to host s 5.00 Allison turned to Alexander . The decision had to come from him . " Say yes already , man ! " his friends urged . Alexander hesitated for a beat , then gave a slight nod . " Alright ! " I'll make sure she agrees , " Allison said with icy determination . Years ago , he had promised Sarah he'd fulfill her bucket list . But after choosing to marry Allison , many of those promises had been left undone . Now , it was Allison's job to finish them . The first was gifting Sarah ten limited - edition Hermes bags . The second - painting a hundred portraits of her . The third - spending hours inside St. Clair Cathedral , lighting every candle she could find , whispering the same prayer over and just to feel like she was doing something And the final one ? A public apology . Sarah was the daughter of the Winters family's longtime housekeeper . Even as a teenager , she had a gift for manipulation - first trying and failing to charm Allison's older brother , then setting her sights on something far more ambitious : Allison's fiancé , Alexander . When Allison's mother finally had enough , she threw Sarah out with no warning and no apology . Now , Sarah wanted revenge . She was demanding a public apology - expected Allison to humiliate herself for the so - called injustices the Winters family had inflicted on her . Allison hesitated for only a moment , then she dropped to the ground and knelt . She looked up and said clearly , " Sarah , I'm sorry . Everything that happened before - was the fault of the Winters family . Please forgive us . And please … stay by Alex's side in his final days . " Sarah looked down at her , unimpressed . " That's it ? No sincerity at all . " She raised her arms and shrugged . " Guess your love for him wasn't that deep after all " " What do you want from me ? " " You seriously don't remember the day I got thrown out ? " Sarah leaned in , sweet face hiding pure venom . " You looked down on me then , What - scared now ? " Allison's whole body trembled . She stared past Sarah - and caught a glimpse of Alexander behind her . His eyes … were warm . Burning with affection . But not for her . Allison's chest tightened , pain blooming in every corner of her heart . Just a little longer , she told herself . It'll all be over soon . She raised her hand - and slapped herself across the face . Hard , Then shouted , " I'm sorry ! I'm trash I'in a worthless bitch ! " Gasps rippled through the crowd as phones came out and flashlights flickered . Her vision blurred - but she refused to let herself cry . Sarah , of course , wasn't done . Cher 1 Ask Al Install Al Chat App powered by 5.00 % " If you hadn't guilt - tripped him into marrying you , Alex and I would've been together already . You ruined everything . You're the reason he spiraled into depression and got cancer in the first place ! It should've been you dying - not him ! " Allison bit back the scream in her throat . " I'm begging you just stay with him . " " You're begging me ? " Sarah's smile curled with victory . The crowd turned on her in an instant " What a heartless witch . " " She deserves worse than a slap . She should be graveling . " Η " Ican't stand bitches like her she should just drop dead . " A bottle came flying from the crowd , smacking her forehead and knocking her to the ground . More followed - bottles , stones , trash- slamming into her body until she was bleeding and bruised , covered in cuts and shame . Her body was on fire , her tears mixed with blood - bitter , metallic . She and Alexander had grown up together . He once shielded her with his life . She had mistaken that for love , and chased after him like a fool ever since . She'd broken off her engagement to the Vanderbilt heir just to be with him , driving her mother to the hospital in griet . She'd even handed over her shares of Winters Group so he could secure a foothold in the Rockwood family's succession race . Not once had Alexander said he didn't want to marry her . She had always believed Sarah was just a shameless homewrecker - never realizing the two of them had been in love all along But the truth was obvious . It was always written in his eyes - in the way he treated her with indifference , the constant overseas " business trips , " the locked study she was never allowed to enter … But she had been too blind to see it . By the time the attacks stopped , Allison couldn't feel a thing . Her whole body was numb . She tried to sit up - and saw Sarah clinging to Alexander's side , grinning smugly as she met her gaze . " You pathetic fool , " Sarah sneered . Alexander actually smiled . "that's right . " Let's go , Alex . I'm starving " Whatever you want , " he said softly , wrapping his arm around her , They walked away without a single glance back . Allison watched him disappear , his figure growing smaller . Strangely , her heart didn't ache as much as she thought it would . All she had to do now was wait - wait for him to " die " in a month . Then she'd claim everything he owed her … and fulfill her mother's dying wish to marry into the Vanderbilt family . She staggered to her feet , but darkness swam before her eyes . Then everything went black as she collapsed face - first onto the pavement .