The Miller Curse: A Broken Vow

o.

ed in the middle of the Miller

throw pillows on the sofa. Her hand fro

he pages loud in the sudden silence. "Don' t be difficult,

oice a little stronger this tim

ng nervously. "But the invitations... the venue... everything i

within our family, it was as real as the floorboards beneath our feet. For generations, the women in

They were cold. "Chloe, thi

rk was vibrant, full of life. But she never married. On her thirtieth birthday, she was celebrated as a rising s

air. Her canvases were all blank, just white squares staring at the walls. Her eyes, once so bright, wer

rstition, Mom. I

ur great-aunt Susan, who lost her business. Do you want to be next? A talen

wo months away. The pressure was a physic

sper. "We' re not doing this because we' re cruel, Chloe. We' re doing this because we love

of guilt. I knew they loved me. Bu

t know ab

in his backyard, his easy laugh, the way he' d always save the last cookie for me. He was everyone' s golden boy, and he had chosen me. For years, that f

was the only one who understood him, the only one he could im

omises

are launches." Then it was, "After the merger, I promise." The excuse

e Sarah

same ambition. I mentored her, taught her everything I could, and when a position o

Ethan had asked, looking over her re

ker, Ethan. Give he

ming smile and agreed.

ing for advice. "You and Mr. Black are the perfect couple," she' d say, he

s all

ue mentioning they saw Ethan and Sarah having a late dinner, looking a

, people are talking. Maybe you should k

are you implying, Chloe? That I' d be inter

just as things were winding down. I saw Sarah in a corner, crying. A few of her fr

ings about me and Mr. Black. They' re saying I' m trying to break you

Ethan stormed over. His

o her?" he demanded. "I can' t believe you. Harassing my empl

silence. He was humiliatin

ed a comforting arm around her shoulders. "It' s okay, Sa

g alone in the middle of the room. The whispers were no longer whispers. Th

I had loved my whole life had just

intern. The gir

at was the moment I knew. It wasn't just a rumor. It was rea