So, Whose Ring Is It?

The richest man in the country, Sebastian Vance, has a ring custom-made to my exact measurements, worth billions of dollars, for the woman who will be his bride.

In the first life, my stepsister, Mia Lowe, slips on the ring and marries him. Sebastian claws her face, shouting, "She's not the one!"

In the second life, my other stepsister, Lorraine Lowe, loses 30 pounds before marrying him. He shoves her down the stairs anyway and says, "She's not the one either."

In the third life, my stepmother, Vivian Cole, grits her teeth and slices off a piece of her own flesh just to force the ring onto her finger. Sebastian sneers and pushes her under the bathwater, holding her down until her body goes limp.

By the fourth life, out of options and terrified, they finally send me. I slide the ring on, and it fits perfectly.

My entire family lets out a sigh of relief.

But the second Sebastian lays his eyes on me, he draws a knife and stabs me to death. "Why is it still not her? Where is she?"

In the last life, he has his assistant, Owen Hayes, deliver a ring to us. All four of us insist that it won't fit.

Owen shoots us a strange look. "Mr. Vance said the rightful owner of this ring is among you."

The four of us stared at the ring with its massive diamond, completely dumbfounded by what we'd just heard.

Everyone in the family who could have married Sebastian Vance had already done so. So who was this man actually planning to marry?

My stepmother, Vivian Cole, kept pressing Sebastian's assistant, Owen Hayes, her voice tight with anxiety. "Are you sure there isn't a mistake? There shouldn't be anyone in the Lowe family he's interested in, right?"

Otherwise, we wouldn't have cycled through four potential brides like we were completing some sick checklist.

Owen frowned, his expression serious. "At Mr. Vance's banquet, the four of you occupied an entire table. He glanced over once and said the owner of the ring is among the four women of the Lowe family. There's no mistake."

Wearing a slightly smug expression, he passed the ring over and suggested, "Why don't you try it on, one by one?"

My stepsister, Mia Lowe, who was always obsessed with appearances, recoiled. "I'm allergic to diamonds. I'd probably break out and die on the spot."

My other stepsister, Lorraine Lowe, obsessed with money, waved her hands frantically. "I'm too fat. I'd snap the ring."

Vivian, who had long been itching to move on from my deceased father, forced a bitter smile. "My heart's still with my late husband. There's no way Mr. Vance would ever look at me twice."

Finally, all eyes turned to me. Owen's face creased into a knowing smile. "Ms. Alexia, haven't you already crossed paths with Mr. Vance? One glance, and he was completely smitten. This ring must belong to you."

My stomach just dropped, and I could barely