Shattered Vows The Billionaire's Lost DaughterChapter 1
After feeding Grandma Nora's body into the cremation furnace with her own hands, Hilda Summers declined Jasper Fairmont's ninety-ninth call and blocked his number.
She found her supervisor and withdrew her resignation, but asked to be transferred to a branch in another city.
Most people steered clear of the funeral industry, and Hilda was sharp and capable. When she'd first handed in her notice to get married, her supervisor had been genuinely sorry to see her go. Now, he agreed without hesitation.
When Hilda stood there in silence for a long moment, the supervisor spoke gently.
"Jasper's a good young man. Once you two are married and settled, your grandmother can rest easy. If I remember right, the wedding's supposed to be any day now. Are you pushing it back?"
Hilda opened her mouth. Her voice came out raw. "There's not going to be a wedding."
"A man like that, born into money and privilege, was never going to end up with a woman who works in a funeral home."
The supervisor froze, staring at the ashen pallor of her face. He didn't dare ask more.
Hilda swallowed the blood she'd bitten from the inside of her cheek and offered no further explanation. She tucked Grandma Nora's death certificate into her bag and walked out on unsteady legs.
Grandma had been getting on in years. Her one wish before she died was to see Hilda settled somewhere safe.
But on the eve of the wedding, Hilda had stumbled onto a conversation between Jasper and a friend.
"You two have been together seven years. What are you doing getting engaged to another woman?"
Hilda held her breath. Jasper's voice carried through the door, every word razor-sharp and clear.
"How am I supposed to marry her? You know the gap between our families. You have to marry within your class. And on top of that, she works at a funeral home. Can you imagine how embarrassing that is for the Fairmonts? I can't exactly offend my parents just to make her grandmother happy."
Even his friend sounded uneasy. "So you're engaged now. What about Hilda? Your wedding with her is in a few days."
Hilda's knees buckled. She nearly crashed into the vase by the study door.
Jasper heard the noise. His eyes went cold, and he started toward the door.
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