She Took Her Sister's Place at the Altar. The Billionaire Groom Already Knew.

She cried for a whole night in Nana June's spare bedroom. In the morning, she went back to work at the hospital, because the kids on her ward didn't care about Page Six.

At noon, a little girl named Maya, seven years old, bald from chemo, tugged on her sleeve.

"Nurse Evie, why are you sad?"

"I'm not sad, sweetheart."

"You are. You're doing the smile that isn't a smile." Maya squinted at her. "My mommy does it when the doctors talk."

Evie sat down on the edge of the little girl's bed.

"Can I tell you a story, Maya? About a princess who wasn't the prettiest princess in the kingdom?"

Maya nodded.

So Evie told her. All of it. Not about Alexander, exactly. About a quiet princess who was always told to stand at the back. Who was finally loved by a prince. And who then wasn't sure if the prince loved her, or just loved being loved.

"What happened?" Maya asked.

"I don't know yet," Evie said honestly. "I haven't figured out the ending."

Maya thought about it very seriously.

"The princess has to fight the dragon," she said. "That's always how it goes. She can't just sit there being sad. She has to fight it."

Evie went to Nana June's that night and asked her one question.

"Nana. Who did my father owe money to? Before Alexander paid it off?"

Nana June looked at her for a long moment. Then she went to her desk and took out a thick folder.

"I've been waiting for you to ask," she said.

It took Evie three nights at the kitchen table with Nana June's reading glasses and a calculator.

Sinclair Textiles hadn't been ruined by a bad market. It had been bled dry. For five years, money had been flowing out of the company into a private account in the Cayman Islands.

The account belonged to a holding company called PC Ventures.

Pamela. Chloe.

Evie's mother and sister had been stealing from her father's company for five years. They'd spent it on Chloe's apartment, Chloe's travel, Pamela's jewelry. When the company collapsed, they'd let her father think it was his fault.

And they'd sold Evie to Alexander Stone to clean up the mess.

Evie went to Alexander's office the next morning with the folder.

His assistant tried to stop her. She walked past him.

Alexander was standing at the window. He turned around when the door opened, and when he saw her, his whole face changed. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week.

"Evie," he said. "Thank God. I've been calling. You haven't answered."

"I saw the photo," she said. "From Le Bernardin."

"I know. Evie, I need you to let me explain—"

"You don't have to." She put the folder on his desk. "I need to show you something first."

Before she could open it, the office door opened again.

Chloe walked in. Pamela was right behind her. And behind them, two men in suits Evie didn't recognize.

Pamela smiled.

"Oh, Evie, good, you're here. This saves everyone time." She nodded at one of the men. "This is our family lawyer. He has your annulment papers. And this gentleman," she nodded at the second man, "is from the hospital board. I'm afraid there's been a complaint about you, dear. Some missing medication from your ward. Quite serious."

Evie felt the floor go out from under her.

"I've never taken anything in my life."

"That's what they all say," said Chloe sweetly. She looked at Alexander. "Alex, I'm so sorry you had to find out what she really is like this."

Alexander didn't look at Chloe.

He looked at Evie. Then he reached into his desk drawer and took something out.

"Funny you should mention lunch at Le Bernardin," he said.