Choosing The Forgotten, Finding My King

For five years, I was blindly devoted to my fiancé, Austen Griffin. My family's power was the only reason he was about to be named heir to the entire Griffin fortune.

But on the night of the announcement, he arrived late with my sister, Dennie, a fresh hickey on his neck. He cornered me, demanding a prenuptial agreement.

"No shared accounts. No shared bedroom. And no questions about my life," he whispered. "You get the name, I get my freedom."

In my past life, their public betrayal broke me. He used my love to secure his power, then cast me aside, leaving me to die alone while he and my sister enjoyed the fortune I handed them.

But when I opened my eyes, I was back at the gala, moments before the decision.

This time, when the family patriarch asked me to name my choice, I looked past Austen' s triumphant smirk and smiled.

"I choose Kolton Griffin," I announced, my voice clear and cold, selecting the crippled, forgotten cousin he despised most.

Chapter 1

Kallie POV

I walked out of the opulent ballroom, the echoes of Frederick Griffin's booming laugh still ringing in my ears. The air outside was crisp, a sharp contrast to the suffocating warmth within. I needed a moment, a breath, before plunging back into the gilded cage that was the Griffin family.

Then I saw him.

Austen Griffin, draped in expensive silk, was holding court by the fountain. His usual entourage of sycophants and distant relatives hung on his every word.

He hadn't seen me yet.

One of his cronies, a sniveling distant cousin named Marcus, caught sight of me first. He nudged Austen, a smirk already forming on his lips.

The group parted instantly, like water around a stone, leaving Austen front and center. My presence always had that effect.

Marcus, emboldened by Austen's attention, snickered. "Look who it is. Still clinging to the old man's coattails, Kallie?"

His words were a blunt instrument, designed to wound. "Trying to squeeze every last drop out of your father's 'sacrifice'?"

Austen finally turned, his eyes, usually so captivating, now held a chilling indifference. They were like chips of ice, reflecting nothing of the warmth I once desperately sought.

"What do you want, Kallie?" he asked, his voice laced with annoyance. "Haven't you caused enough trouble already?"

He accused me, his words dripping with disdain. "Still using Frederick's good nature to worm your way into things, are we? Still clinging to a past that' s long over?"

"It's just tiresome, Kallie. Always bringing up how your father saved the firm. It' s ancient history. Move on."

He scoffed, adjusting his perfectly tailored jacket. "Honestly, I'm starting to reconsider this whole arrangement. Any further interference from you, and I'll call the entire engagement off."

His eyes narrowed, brimming with pure contempt and disgust. "Any attempt to meddle, to manipulate, and I promise you, any talk of our union will be dead. My decision is final, and nothing you