My parents made Dana and me settle it with rock-paper-scissors. Loser had to marry the Baillieu heirthe so-called freak.

I won. Then flipped the script.

Cool. I'll take Blake. Dana can have the empire.

Last time? I was dumb in love with MichaelDad's adopted golden boy. Chose the company, stayed behind, and handed Dana off to Blake Baillieu.

Big mistake.

Six months in, Dana was gonewrecked by that marriage.

Right before she croaked, she texted Michael blaming me. Said I lost the game and ditched the deal, dumping Blake on her.

Michael? Snapped. Dude went full psycho.

Turns out, he and Dana had been sneaking around for years.

He dragged me behind the Baillieu estate and forced a dozen intellectually disabled men to assault me.

"If it weren't for your cruelty, Dana would still be alive! You'll pay for everything she suffered!"

I was over eight months pregnantalmost due.

Begged him to stop. Begged for my baby's life.

He didn't care. Kept ordering them to take turns. Even when my water broke, he just watched.

Both my baby and I died that night.

Now? I'm back.

And this time, I rewrote the story.

Step one: marry Blake.
Chapter 1
When I said I'd marry Blake Baillieu in Dana's place, my parents swapped one of those quiet, relieved looks.
"You sure? No take-backs," Dad said.
The memory of suffocating still burned around my mouth. I nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure."
They didn't argue. Just nodded, all silent approval.
I let out a bitter laugh. 'Knew it.'
Last time, same setup. They called rock-paper-scissors the "fairest" way to decide.
Please. Like they didn't notice I always lost to Dana.
They never stopped to think I was losing on purpose.
But for Michael? I played for real.
When I finally beat her, they freaked. Tried to make it a best-of-three.
Didn't matterI won ten rounds straight. They had no choice but to suck it up.
And now? Even though I won, I'm choosing Blake.
My parents were all in. Probably scared I'd flip again.
Dad locked it down fast. "Then it's settled. Claire marries Blake Baillieu. Dana gets the family business."
Just then, someone blew into the room like a freaking hurricane and yanked Dana into a full-on soap opera hug.
"Dana, this time, no one can tear us apart."
I froze. 'This time?'
WaitMichael came back too?
His eyes lit up like some long-lost Romeo. Then he turned to my parents, all fake sincerity.
"Dad, Mom, Claire's just trying to weasel out of marrying into the Baillieu family. Dana and I are in love. Please let us be together."
Then came the glare. Straight at me. Pure venom.
"Give it up, Claire. No matter what tricks you pull, I'm not marrying you."
Watching the two of them cling, I could barely hold in a laugh.
If you two were so in love, why'd you marry me last time?
Oh rightmoney. Power. The usual.
Dad cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.
"Michael, Claire's already agreed to marry into the Baillieu family. If you love Dana, we can start planning your wedding too."
Michael paused, then caught on fast. His eyes lit up. He scooped Dana up and spun her.

Chapter 2
"Dana, we can finally be together!"
Michael grabbed her hand and bolted, probably off to broadcast their love story.
I watched them go, eyes ice cold, then turned to my parents.
Funny. Last time I told them about Michael and me, they acted like I'd committed a crime.
We were "siblings," remember? So it was suddenly some twisted, incest scandal.
They called me shameless. Disgusting. Immoral.
But now that it was Dana? Suddenly, it was a love story worth celebrating.
Realizing how loud their bias was, Dad cleared his throat.
"Claire, don't worry. We'll prepare a generous wedding gift. We won't let anyone look down on you."
I let out a soft laugh. "Alright."
I didn't expect anything from them anymore.
Might as well take whatever scraps they offered.
***
I went to a bridal fashion show to pick out a dressand guess who was sitting in the same row?
Michael and Dana. All smiles, pointing at models and whispering about wedding styles.
In my past life, I'd wanted the same. A real wedding.
Michael shut it down.
"We're siblings on paper," he said. "If we go big, people will talk. Let's just do a small family dinner."
Now? Watching him fuss over every detail with Dana? Yeah, that stung.
I turned to leave. Dana stopped me.
"Well, well. What a coincidence, Claire. Dress shopping too? Where's my future brother-in-law?"
She gasped dramatically. "Oh rightI forgot. He's special needs, isn't he? Probably can't even leave the house."
Michael chuckled. "Since you're marrying a special-needs guy, why bother with a dress? You're just there to pop out an heir. Might as well skip the fabric and save him the effort."
I froze.
Never thought I'd hear something that vilefrom him.
I slowly turned, ignoring Dana's smug little smirk and locked eyes with him.
"So that's what you really think?"
For a split second, guilt flashed across Michael's face. Then he looked away.
Didn't need a confessionhis silence said it all.
Dana jumped in, voice dripping with fake concern.
"Michael's right. Your fianc's a special-needs guy. Why bother with a dress? You're just playing dress-up for someone who won't even notice."
My face darkened. "I chose to marry into the Baillieu family to give YOU what you wanted. Don't forgetI WON that game."
Before I could go on, Dana's eyes filled with tears. "I know you like Michael too, but you're the one who wanted to marry into the Baillieus for their money. And now you're blaming me?"
Cue the waterworks. Tears rolling under the spotlight.
Michael panicked, rushing to wipe her tears.
"Apologize to Dana."
His voice? Ice-cold.
In that instant, I saw him for who he really wasthe same monster who'd pinned me down, ordering those men to ruin me.
A cold shiver shot through me. I turned to leavethen crack. A slap sent me sprawling to the floor.
"That's for forgetting your place," he snarled. "Dana's your sister. Don't ever make her cry again."
Heat stung my cheek. I kept my head low, refusing to look at himuntil he grabbed my chin and slapped me again.
"This one's to remind youyou don't get to have feelings for me."