Chapter 1 - The Proposal That Wasn’t Hers
The night before had been a blur of heat, confusion, and something dangerously close to tenderness.
Valerie did not remember much of it clearly. Just fragments. A man’s voice, low and strained. The scent of expensive cologne. The firm weight of hands that had held her as though she were something fragile, something worth protecting. It had not felt like a mistake in that moment. It had felt real.
But by morning, reality had returned, cold and merciless.
Valerie Patterson stood in the hallway outside her bedroom, her fingers trembling slightly as they hovered over the faint outline where her birthmark used to be. For as long as she could remember, it had defined her. A jagged, uneven stain across her face that made people look twice, then look away.
It had been her curse. Her identity.
And now, it was gone.
Her reflection in the mirror was unfamiliar. Smooth skin. Clear. Almost… beautiful.
She should have been happy.
Instead, dread settled deep in her chest.
Because nothing good had ever happened to her without a cost.
“Valerie.”
Her mother’s voice sliced through her thoughts like a blade.
Valerie flinched instinctively and lowered her hand. “Yes, Mom?”
Margaret Patterson stood at the end of the hall, her expression tight with irritation. “Get back to your room. Don’t wander around. You’ll scare our guests.”
Guests.
Valerie swallowed. “What guests?”
Her mother’s lips curled slightly, as though the answer was too obvious to bother explaining. “Andrew Hills. He’ll be here any minute.”
The name struck Valerie like a sudden jolt of electricity.
Andrew Hills.
Even she, someone who had spent most of her life hidden away, knew that name. The heir of the Hills Corporation. Wealthy, powerful, untouchable. A man far beyond the reach of people like her.
“Why is he coming here?” she asked softly.
Margaret’s gaze sharpened. “To propose to your sister, of course. Who else would he be here for?”
Valerie’s heart sank, though she wasn’t sure why.
“Certainly not you,” her mother added coldly, her voice dripping with disdain. “Don’t get any ideas.”
Valerie lowered her eyes. “I understand.”
Of course she did.
She had always understood her place in this family.
The unwanted daughter. The mistake. The one they wished had never been born.
Her father, Richard Patterson, appeared behind her mother, adjusting his suit with visible excitement. “Everything ready?” he asked.
Margaret nodded. “Daphne is preparing.”
At the mention of her sister, Valerie felt a familiar ache.
Daphne was everything Valerie was not. Beautiful. Confident. Loved.
The daughter worth showing to the world.
“Good,” Richard said, glancing toward Valerie with mild annoyance. “Keep her out of sight.”
As though she were something shameful.
Valerie turned quietly and retreated to her room without another word.
The door closed behind her with a soft click, sealing her in silence.
She leaned against it, her breath shallow.
Andrew Hills.
A strange unease twisted in her chest.
Because something about that name… felt familiar.
She pressed her fingers lightly against her lips, her thoughts drifting back to the fragments of last night.
The man.
His voice.
The way he had whispered apologies, as though he had wronged her.
“I’ll take responsibility.”
Her heart skipped.
No.
That was impossible.
Someone like Andrew Hills would never—
A knock at her door interrupted her thoughts.
Valerie straightened immediately.
“Stay inside,” came her father’s voice from the other side. “And don’t come out unless I say so.”
“Yes, Father,” she replied quietly.
Footsteps receded.
Silence returned.
Valerie moved slowly toward the window, her curiosity getting the better of her.
From her position, she could see the driveway below.
A sleek black car pulled in, its polished surface gleaming under the afternoon sun.
The air shifted.
Even from a distance, she could feel it.
Power.
Presence.
The car door opened.
A tall figure stepped out, dressed in a tailored suit that fit him like it had been made for no one else. His movements were controlled, precise, carrying an effortless authority that commanded attention without trying.
Andrew Hills.
Valerie’s breath caught.
Her heart began to race.
Something inside her stirred violently, like a memory trying to break free.
The way he stood. The way he carried himself.
It was him.
The man from last night.
Her fingers tightened against the windowsill.
No.
That couldn’t be right.
It had to be a coincidence.
It had to be.
Downstairs, the front door opened.
Her father’s voice rang out, overly warm and welcoming. “Mr. Hills, what a pleasure. Please, come in.”
Valerie strained to listen.
“I’m here to meet Ms. Patterson,” Andrew said.
His voice.
There was no mistaking it.
Low. Calm. Unmistakably the same voice that had murmured against her skin in the dark.
Valerie’s pulse pounded in her ears.
Her knees felt weak.
He had come… for her.
But—
“No need to look any further,” her father replied quickly. “Here she is. Our one and only daughter.”
Valerie froze.
One and only?
Her stomach dropped.
“No,” she whispered under her breath.
From her vantage point, she could just see Daphne stepping forward, dressed elegantly, her face glowing with excitement.
Daphne.
Not her.
Valerie’s chest tightened painfully.
A misunderstanding.
A terrible, irreversible misunderstanding.
“I’m really sorry about last night,” Andrew continued, his tone sincere, almost heavy with guilt. “I was drugged. I wasn’t in my right mind. But I will take full responsibility.”
Valerie’s heart stopped.
He remembered.
He remembered everything.
“I want to offer ten million dollars as a bridal gift,” he said. “Will you marry me?”
Silence followed.
Then—
“Of course,” Daphne replied, her voice trembling with barely contained excitement. “It would be an honor.”
Valerie staggered back from the window as though she had been struck.
No.
This wasn’t right.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.
He was talking to the wrong person.
Her mind raced.
Should she go downstairs? Should she tell him the truth?
But the moment the thought surfaced, it was crushed by years of fear and conditioning.
Her father’s warning echoed in her mind.
Stay inside.
Don’t come out.
Valerie pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady her breathing.
If she revealed herself…
What would happen?
Her family would turn on her.
Andrew might not believe her.
And even if he did… what then?
Would someone like him really choose her over Daphne?
The ugly daughter. The unwanted one.
Her throat tightened.
No.
She couldn’t.
She wouldn’t.
Downstairs, laughter and conversation continued as though nothing was wrong.
As though a life-altering mistake wasn’t being made.
Valerie sank slowly onto the edge of her bed, her hands trembling in her lap.
Ten million dollars.
A proposal.
A future that had never been meant for her… now slipping further away with every passing second.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back.
She had learned long ago that crying changed nothing.
The decision had already been made.
Not by her.
Never by her.
A faint sound reached her ears.
Footsteps.
Someone approaching her door.
Valerie stiffened.
The door opened abruptly, and her mother stepped inside, her expression sharp.
“What are you doing out of bed?” Margaret snapped.
Valerie quickly stood. “I was just—”
“I don’t care,” her mother cut her off. “Stay here. Don’t make a sound.”
Valerie hesitated, her heart pounding. “Mom… I think there’s been a mistake.”
Margaret’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What did you say?”
Valerie swallowed hard. “Mr. Hills… he might be looking for—”
A sharp slap cut her off.
The force sent her stumbling backward, her cheek burning.
“Don’t you dare,” Margaret hissed. “Don’t you dare ruin this for your sister.”
Valerie’s vision blurred with tears.
“I’m not trying to—”
“You think anyone would choose you?” her mother continued coldly. “Look at yourself. Be grateful you’re even allowed to live in this house.”
Each word struck like a dagger.
Valerie lowered her head, her voice barely audible. “I understand.”
Margaret watched her for a moment, then turned toward the door. “Good. Then stay here. And don’t come out.”
The door slammed shut.
Valerie stood there, frozen.
Her cheek throbbed.
Her chest ached.
Downstairs, her future was being decided without her.
A life that should have been hers… handed to someone else.
And she could do nothing but watch.
Outside, the engagement continued.
Inside, Valerie’s world quietly fell apart.
End of Chapter 1
