Chapter 1

On my wedding day, my sister Marigold suddenly announced that she wanted our parents to go hiking with her.

I stood in the bridal suite doorway in my wedding dress. "It's my wedding day. Can't you go another time?"

Mom didn't answer. She pulled the old wooden cup from her purse.

"You know the rule. When we disagree, we draw lots."

That wooden cup had been with our family for twenty years. Whenever Marigold and I disagreed over something, our parents made us draw a red stick or a black one.

I'd never once pulled a red stick from the cup. I had nine hundred and ninety-nine black ones in my bedroom drawer.

The first draw had decided where we'd go that weekend. Marigold wanted the amusement park. I wanted to watch my school's robotics competition.

Mom said we wanted different things, and she couldn't favor either of us.

I drew black that day. Every time after that, I drew black again.

This time was no different. Marigold pulled out the red stick, leaving me with a black one.

Caspian and I had scheduled a luncheon before the vows so we could host our relatives who'd traveled from out of state. Outside, the emcee was telling both sets of parents to get ready to enter.

I caught my parents by the arms, my throat tight. "Can you at least stay until the ceremony's over this afternoon?"

Dad pried my hand away.

"We agreed to go by the draw. Marigold got red, so we're taking her hiking. That's fair."

Fair?

On the day of my high school graduation, Marigold wanted to see a movie. They took her to the theater.

The day I brought Caspian to meet them for the first time, Marigold decided she wanted to go to Paris. They got on a plane with her.

Now I was getting married, and because she wanted to hike, they were leaving again.

I finally understood. The cup had never been about fairness.

It was about which daughter they would always choose.

I let go. The last bit of hope I'd held on to went with it.

I'd wanted a family photo after the ceremony. The photographer had even set aside time for it.

If they didn't want to stand beside me today, I didn't have to wait for them anymore.

...

"Then cancel the wedding." Mom tore the corsage from her chest and threw it in the trash. "What kind of wedding goes on without the bride's parents?"

I'd changed the date ten times to accommodate Marigold's latest whims. Caspian's relatives had traveled from other states to be here.

I gripped my skirt and, for the first time, refused to give in. "Even if you leave, the ceremony is still happening."

Dad glared at me. "Lavinia Ashby, do you have to accuse us of favoring your sister in front of the whole family? Do you want to embarrass us all?"

When I wouldn't budge, Mom softened her voice. "If you want us to stay, fine. Give Marigold the client proposal you just finished."

"You refuse to honor the draw. You owe her something."

She jabbed a finger into my forehead as she spoke.

"All you know how to do is bury yourself in work. She knows how to deal with people. Give her another strong proposal, and she'll get promoted by the end of the year."

"You wrote it anyway. What do you lose by putting Marigold's name on it?"

I stepped back. At last I understood why she'd chosen today to pull this stunt.

I'd gotten Marigold into the same advertising agency where I worked.

After that, the campaigns I stayed up all night creating often went out under her name. Clients I'd won were handed to her, too.

Now my parents were using my wedding to threaten me into helping her get promoted.

"What are you waiting for?" Mom took my laptop from her purse and set it on the vanity.

"Send her the proposal. While you're at it, finish the work she's fallen behind on these past two days."

"She made time to come to your wedding. You're just sitting here waiting to go in, so you've got time."

I looked in the mirror. The veil the stylist had just secured still hung over my shoulders, and I hadn't even touched up my lipstick.

Mom had already opened my laptop and clicked straight into my work folder.

She turned to Caspian's parents.

"I honestly don't know what you see in Lavinia. She's slow, and she doesn't know how to make people like her."

"Let her handle the housework after the wedding. She's used to doing it at home."

Then she took Marigold's hand. "Don't you ever let anyone treat you like that. If somebody tries to push all the chores onto you, your father and I will be the first to object."

Marigold smiled. Caspian's parents looked uncomfortable. When their eyes met mine, all I saw was pity.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ashby—" Caspian stepped forward.

I caught his arm and shook my head.

I'd been humiliated enough today. I didn't want to drag him into it, too.

I finished the proposal and Marigold's backlog, then uploaded everything to the company project folder.

Marigold downloaded the files at once, put her own name on them, and sent them to her supervisor.

Mom smiled at Dad. "Marigold's promotion is practically guaranteed now. Of our two girls, she's the one who's really going places."

I stared at the screen, my eyes burning.

They didn't know that a major advertising group in London had offered me the Director of Strategy role the previous month. Caspian was willing to move with me.

I hadn't accepted because I couldn't bear to leave my parents.

Now I didn't want to wait any longer.