THE WRONG VOW MY PERFECT MATCH

Chapter 1: The Switch ​The air in the Vance estate was thick with the scent of lilies and old money. I stood at the top of the grand staircase, the lace of my Vera Wang gown itching against my skin. Today was the day I saved my father from bankruptcy. All I had to do was say "I do" to Julian Vance—the golden boy, the safe bet, the man I’d been groomed to marry since I was eighteen. ​"Catherine," my father whispered, his face pale. "Remember, this vow secures our legacy. Don’t look back." ​I nodded, numb. I walked down the aisle, my eyes fixed on the altar. But when I reached the front, the man standing there wasn't the smiling, soft-eyed Julian. ​It was Xavier Vance. The black sheep. The brother who had been exiled to London for five years. The man whose name was whispered in boardroom deals like a threat. He stood there with his hands folded, his dark hair swept back, and a scar cutting a thin line through his left eyebrow. ​"Where is Julian?" I hissed, my heart hammering against my ribs. ​Xavier didn’t flinch. He stepped closer, his shadow falling over me. "Julian got cold feet, Catherine. He’s halfway to Paris by now." ​"Then the wedding is off," I turned to leave, but his hand caught my wrist. His touch was like a jolt of electricity—hot, terrifying, and far too firm. ​"If you walk out that door, your father’s empire falls by midnight," Xavier murmured, his voice a rich, dark baritone. "The vow says you marry a Vance heir. It doesn't say which one. Take the vow, Catherine. Marry the 'wrong' brother and save your skin." ​I looked into his eyes—they were the color of a storm at midnight. I had a choice: ruin or him. ​"I, Catherine Thorne, take you..." my voice trembled, but I didn't back down. ​I took the wrong vow. And as Xavier slid the heavy diamond onto my finger, he leaned in and whispered, "Welcome to hell, Mrs. Vance