Chapter reveal time!
Hey there!
With the start of a new publishing era, that called for a new website for both Ember Michaels and Tori Sullivan! To celebrate the launch of my website, I’m posting the first chapter of my current WIP (and book TWO of the Last Bride Standing series), The Dead Violet! I don’t have a release day yet and won’t be announcing one until I’m either very close to finishing or the first draft is complete, but please know I’m working on it as quickly as I can with everything going on with my health. I hope you enjoy it! I can’t wait for you guys to see the madness of the second season!
Chapter 1 - Sienna
I sat at the vanity in the dressing room, my phone balanced in my hand, scrolling through my best friend Giselle’s Instagram feed. Each swipe felt like a knife, her curated perfection slicing at the edges of my patience.
Tanned legs on beaches I’d never visited. Champagne glasses sparkling in the golden glow of luxury vacations. Scroll.
The ring. That massive, obnoxiously perfect rock on her finger. Her “shocked” engagement face so contrived it made my stomach turn. Scroll.
Five-star dinners, couture dresses, and a wedding I couldn’t stomach to attend. Scroll.
Her life was a kaleidoscope of everything I wanted. Everything I deserved. She had the fairy tale—while I was stuck in this purgatory.
It didn’t matter that Giselle was my best friend. Watching her live the life I’d once planned for myself was unbearable. I should have been happy for her, proud even, but every photo, every story, every little update felt like a taunt.
She was living the life that was supposed to be mine.
When Giselle and I started at Club Violet, I’d come with only one objective. The club was supposed to be the stepping stone to the life I’d always envisioned—marrying rich, becoming the kind of wife who never worked another day, and living a life of leisure and glamor. Giselle only came to have fun and make money, a relationship the furthest thing on her mind because she claimed she didn’t want to be tied down.
And then Tom walked into the club.
He was unassuming at first—quiet, awkward with women, practically invisible in his khakis and polos. “Accountant Tom” was how I thought of him. Wanting to remain available for the bigger fish that came into the club, I passed him off to Giselle without a second thought.
I didn’t think much of it when she became his sugar baby after a few months of servicing him at the club. But then she became his fiancée and soon after she was upgraded to Mrs. Finch. When I finally realized that “Accountant Tom” was actually Tom Finch, billionaire CEO of Finch Tech, I’d wanted to throw myself into the Atlantic Ocean to my death.
I’d literally given Giselle my golden ticket.
It was like the universe had played a cruel joke on me, and the punchline was the sound of their wedding bells. Giselle wasn’t just married—she was married to the life I should have had. The wealth, the status, the security—all of it should’ve belonged to me.
I slammed my phone onto the vanity, the loud thud echoing in the empty room. My reflection stared back at me: polished dark hair, carefully applied makeup, the red lipstick that screamed “put together” even when my insides were anything but, and sparkling brown eyes that couldn’t hide my simmering frustration.
I was stuck here. Still working the floor and searching for my prince while Giselle flitted from yacht to private jet as the wife of a billionaire.
The notification ping from my phone brought me back to my bleak reality. Against my better judgment, I unlocked it to see another Instagram notification informing me about a new post from Giselle.
gisellefinchofficial: Back where it all began for a little visit!
The caption was paired with a photo of her standing in front of Club Violet, her million-watt smile practically mocking me.
My chest tightened. Giselle was at the club—the same club I’d told her I no longer worked at.
“Shit,” I hissed, standing so abruptly that the chair scraped loudly against the tiled floor. For months, I’d lied to her, spinning stories about my non-existent glamorous new ventures and projects because I knew I wouldn’t have been able to be around her without being consumed with resentment and jealousy.
It was hard to tell her the truth when she was babbling about all the adventures she and Tom went on and what she’d bought during her many shopping sprees. Anytime she tried to hang out when she was in town, I always made up an excuse for why I couldn’t make it. When she asked me to be her maid of honor, I declined and lied to her about having a television pilot that I was scheduled to start shooting. That probably made me a shitty friend, but it was the best decision I could make to not ruin her day. I knew there was no way I would’ve been able to stand next to her with a smile on my face as a bridesmaid in a wedding that I always saw for myself. To witness someone else live a life that I wanted for myself. But the thought of her finding out I was lying would be just as humiliating as her knowing that I’d been at the club the entire time had I just told her the truth.
I looked around the empty dressing room, contemplating if I should just hide out in here or try to find somewhere else to go. Knowing Giselle, she’d probably sweet talk Chelsea into letting her in the dressing room in case she thought one of her old friends were back here, so she was more likely to come to the dressing room. My heart leapt into my throat when the dressing room door opened, three other dancers entering half naked much to my relief. Macy looked at me and thumbed over her shoulder toward the door.
“I think Chelsea is looking for you,” she said. “And when you find her, tread carefully. She doesn’t look happy.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. There was never a time Chelsea was happy whenever she was looking for me. I could admit that I hadn’t been doing my job to the best of my ability lately. Ever since Giselle and Tom got married, my jealousy of her life damn near consumed me. All I could do was hyperfocus on the fact that her life was originally meant for me. That it wasn’t fair that she got everything she knew I wanted, that I practically gave away my own meal ticket. How could I have been so dumb? I was stuck here as a stripper while she gallivanted around the world as Mrs. Finch, existing in a life that wasn’t meant for her. In a world that wasn’t meant for her. The intense emotions of my resentful obsession definitely caused me to bump heads with Chelsea more often than not when I either didn’t want to work with the clients she set up for me or I moved on my own time with her, but I couldn’t be fucked to care.
“Thanks,” I said, giving her a small smile as I moved toward the exit. If I could just make it to the opposite end of the hall and possibly slip into an empty VIP room until I thought Giselle was gone, then I’d be fine and safe in my little bubble of lies—for now anyway.
Opening the heavy door of the dressing room, I popped my head out into the hallway and looked both ways. Music from the main room filtered down the hall along with light chatter, my heart racing when I heard Giselle’s familiar laugh. Shit. She was closer to the dressing room than I thought. I still had a chance to make it to the other end of the hall and get into a VIP room if I moved fast enough.
I made quick strides to the first room, frowning then I encountered the red “occupied” sign lit up on the door. I moved on to the next one. Occupied. Anxiety tightened my lungs as I moved from door to door, only to find them all occupied, nowhere to hide except to go back to the dressing room.
“Of course when I actually want to hide in one, none of them are available,” I muttered under my breath. I turned around to head back to the dressing room, opting to hide in a bathroom stall instead only to freeze when a familiar voice hit my ears.
“Sienna?”
My shoulders sagged as my eyes slid shut. I sucked in a deep breath and tried to brace myself to face the very woman I’d been avoiding for months. After a split second, I forced a smile and turned around, looking into my confused best friend’s face as well as my annoyed club manager.
“Giselle! I’m surprised to see you here!” I exclaimed, my voice higher than usual.
Her previous confusion melted into a welcoming smile as she extended her arms and came toward me, hugging me tight. An inkling of guilt slithered into my chest, as I’d had all this one-sided hostility toward her while she was still so happy to see me. She didn’t even deserve it, really; it wasn’t her fault that I was stupid and didn’t give Tom a chance but it didn’t dampen the resentment I had in my heart for her.
“I know!” She let go of me and gave me a once over. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in person in forever.” She let out a whistle and gave me a cheeky grin. “And you’re still hot as ever.”
“Thanks,” I said with a small smile.
I tried to ignore the cash register sounds that went off in my head the longer I stared at her but it was becoming so loud that it was nearly deafening. The expensive designer perfume she wore that I didn’t have. The large diamond wedding ring and diamond bracelet that sparkled when the overhead lights hit it. The rare Birkin bag that she carried on her arm. And the simple diamond studs she wore that became visible when she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Why are you still back here?” Chelsea asked with her arms folded over her chest as she frowned at me. “I told you almost twenty minutes ago that your client has been waiting for you.”
I cringed inwardly. Leave it to Chelsea expose my lies with her nagging.
“I was in the bathroom,” I replied.
“For twenty minutes?” she drawled, rolling her eyes.
Giselle looked between us before she frowned slightly at me. “Wait, you still work here?” she asked, her earlier confusion returning. “I thought you had to leave because of the show you were filming.”
Everything in me wanted to run, already knowing where this conversation was going. “Yeah, um, I just—”
“Filming? Filming what?” Chelsea scoffed. “Unless it’s been filming for her social media, she’s been here at the club.” She frowned in disdain as she looked me up and down. “And hardly working at that.”
Hurt flashed in Giselle’s eyes as she looked at me, awkward tension swelling between us. Giselle gave Chelsea a small smile.
“Could you give us a moment?” she asked.
Chelsea gave her a smile that I’d never seen her use before, one that actually made her look friendly instead of the raging bitch she actually was when you worked for her. “Of course. And it was so great to see you again! Thanks for stopping by to visit and congrats again on your recent marriage! You’re a lucky girl!”
“Thank you,” Giselle gushed.
Chelsea narrowed her hard gaze on me as she pointed a stiletto nail in my direction. “When you’re done talking to her, come straight to my office,” she said and strutted away before I could utter a word.
Heavy bass vibrated between Giselle and I as we stood there in tense silence. Giselle finally cleared her throat and folded her arms across her chest, her eyes nearly boring a hole into me.
“Have you really been here the entire time?” she finally asked, hurt and disappointment laced throughout her voice. “The movie and television stuff was just a lie?”
I scoffed softly and shook my head. “Not everyone has someone taking care of them. The rest of us still have to work.”
“But you told me you couldn’t come to my wedding because of some filming thing you had to do when I really wanted you to be there. To know that you were lying basically tells me that you just didn’t want to support me—”
“My life doesn’t revolve around you and Tom, Giselle!” I snapped, my voice louder than I thought in the somewhat empty hallway.
Guilt slithered its way into my chest when she physically recoiled from my statement, her frown deepening on her pretty face. “I never said it did, Sienna. I just wanted to share the biggest moment of my life with my best friend and you weren’t there. In fact, ever since Tom and I got engaged, you haven’t been there.”
“I practically gave you your husband. How’s that for support?” I fired back, unable to keep my bitterness out of my tone.
Giselle’s eyes widened in bewilderment as she regarded me for a few moments. “Excuse me?”
“If it weren’t for me pushing Tom on you, you wouldn’t be prancing around in your designer clothes, your personal driver and chef, and going on all these amazing trips. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be with him.”
It actually felt good to say that out loud. I wanted her to acknowledge that the only reason she had the life she did was because I tossed her my scraps. That was always how our dynamic was when it came to men. I’d usually use a guy for as much as I could get out of him and sometimes I’d toss her the scraps if she was just looking for a boy toy to have fun with. I was always used to having the upper hand in our dynamic because I was the prettier friend that tended to be picked first when we were together. So to see the scales so uneven with her now on top and me so low to the bottom, it was more than I could bear. And every fucked up thought I’d had over the last few months were now bubbling to the surface and out of my mouth before I could stop myself.
“Last time I checked, it was my relationship with him as his sugar baby that led to my engagement and then my marriage,” Giselle stated firmly once she gathered her composure. “I don’t remember you being on any of our dates or being with us outside of the club to influence him to want to be with me.”
I scoffed and waved a dismissive hand at her. “When he came here, he didn’t even look your way,” I reminded her. “If I remember correctly, I literally had to bribe him to give you a chance.”
Hurt and anger colored her features but she only tightened her jaw and blew out a short breath. “You know what? If that’s how you feel, then that’s your business,” she said. “Landing a high quality man isn’t just about being the prettiest. You also have to not be a shit human being. You should work on that hideous personality of yours. Jealousy never looked good on you.”
“Excuse me?” I scoffed in disbelief. “You’re nothing to be jealous of. You have a rich husband, so what?”
“You know, Tom tried to tell me that you were just jealous and you were lying to me and avoiding me on purpose, not because you were busy,” she said with a light chuckle, ignoring my previous statement. “And now I see that he was right when he told me I should just write you off and forget about you.”
Anger heated my skin. “Well, you already seemed to have replaced me with other women of rich men, so that shouldn’t be such a problem for you,” I stated bitterly.
She opened her mouth to say something but then shut it just as fast before she shook her head. “You know what? This conversation isn’t worth my time or energy. Good bye, Sienna,” she said with a sigh. “And good luck to you and your future.”
She turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the hallway as the weight of her words pressed down on me. A flurry of different emotions crashed around in my mind as I processed what’d just happened. I sighed softly and pressed the heels of my hands to my eyes and groaned inwardly. What the fuck was I thinking? Instead of owning up to my lies and apologizing for being a shitty friend to her during her biggest moments, I made things worse and had potentially lost my best friend.
Something told me that not even an apology would probably fix the mess I’d just made.
I made a mental note to try to call Giselle later as I turned and headed to Chelsea’s office. After the blowout I’d just had with Giselle, I didn’t have the mental energy to go back and forth with Chelsea about my work ethic or lack thereof. It was almost pointless to have this talk at this point, as the same thing happened over and over.
She’d would whine about my work ethic and the customer’s dissatisfaction with me, I’d bat my doe eyes and claim that I was going through things that were distracting me and knocking me off my game, she’d tell me how she needed to see more from me or else she’d have to let me go, and I’d promise to start putting my head back into the game and prove to her that she made the right choice in giving me another chance. But nothing ever changed. I always went back to doing what I wanted to do, spending way too much time obsessing over Giselle’s Instagram and living in regret of what could’ve been of my life had I given Tom the time of day.
I knocked on Chelsea’s closed door, listening for her voice before I opened it. She was clicking around on her computer when I entered, only looking up long enough to point to the empty chair across from her desk before focusing on her computer screen again. I sat awkwardly as she continued working on her computer as if I wasn’t there. She finally pulled her eyes from the screen and leveled them on me, her stiletto nails clicking against the top of her shiny wooden desk.
“You know, when you actually do work around here, you’re really, really good,” she started and then shook her head. “But lately, that isn’t good enough to be able to ignore the fact that you’re hardly doing anything other than hiding out in the dressing room and bathroom.”
I immediately morphed into my innocent role as I had many times before when we had this conversation. “I know and I’m sorry,” I said softly and ran a hand through my hair. “I’ve been—”
“Let me guess, going through things again,” Chelsea interrupted, rolling her eyes. “That’s gotten pretty old, don’t you think?”
I sighed inwardly. “It won’t happen again,” I said in response.
Chelsea nodded. “I know it won’t, because there won’t be a next time for it to happen. You’re fired.”
Her words rendered me silent as I blinked rapidly, trying to process what she’d said.
“Fired?” I repeated in disbelief.
She folded her hands on top of her desk and nodded, her face blank of any kind of emotions while she held my bewildered gaze. “Yes, fired,” she stated matter-of-factly. “I’m sure you know that we have a waiting list to work here. There’s no need to keep someone here when it’s clear that they don’t want to work here.”
“But I need this job!” I exclaimed, panic slowly creeping its way into me.
Sure, I didn’t want to stay here forever, but it wasn’t like I had another job lined up to cover my bills. Not to mention, this was the best club to potentially meet the kind of guy I was looking for other than Club Tulip. If I got fired from here, the chances of meeting the man that would whisk me away to the life of my dreams would be slim to none.
“Your mouth says that but your actions don’t.” She sighed and leaned back in her chair. “I shouldn’t have to chase you out of the dressing room to get you to go out onto the floor and dance. I shouldn’t have to constantly ask dancers where you are because you’re missing in action when it’s your turn to be on stage or when I book a VIP client for you. Those aren’t the actions of someone who wants to be here.”
I couldn’t even argue with her because she was right and I knew it. She knew it too judging by the smirk that hinted on her lips as she waited for me to speak.
“I just need one more chance to—”
“I think you’ve had enough chances, Sienna. More chances than you actually deserved.” A thoughtful expression crossed her face as she tapped a finger along my chin. “But I actually have something else for you, though.”
“Anything,” I rushed out. “Cleaning, bartending, whatever. I just need to keep my job.”
She waved a dismissive hand at me and shook her head. “Your job at Club Violet is gone. I can tell you that much,” she said. She studied me for a few moments. “I overheard some of your conversation with Giselle. You told her that you were filming a show instead of telling her you still worked here?”
I rolled my eyes as irritation ebbed and flowed within me. “That’s none of your business,” I muttered. “What does that have to do with anything?”
She gave me a nonchalant shrug. “I was just going to say that I actually some news about that audition tape I had you submit a few weeks ago.”
Hope bloomed in my chest at her words. I’d forgotten all about that video. After not hearing anything, I’d assumed they’d passed on me. The fact that she was bringing it up now made me wonder if I’d made it to the next round or if I’d be on the show.
“What about it?” I asked, keeping my tone even.
When she’d first brought it to my attention, I’d auditioned because it was the perfect opportunity to find my rich bachelor. Not only would I have been on television for Giselle to possibly see, but I’d at least have some kind of fame from being on the show. I could already see me and the bachelor rivaling Silas and his wife with the public constantly talking about which one of us is the most popular couple of Palmetto Beach. Hopefully Chelsea was preparing to tell me something good because after the day I’d had, I couldn’t take anymore bad news.
“You were chosen as a contestant,” she said with a small smile. “Apparently you belong on television instead of the club.”
“Really?” I asked, unable to stop the smile that rooted itself onto my lips. “That’s perfect then! Is that why you really fired me? Since I wouldn’t be able to be here?”
Chelsea laughed and shook her head. “Oh no, you were already on thin ice with me and today solidified my decision. But at least you have something else that could turn into a better opportunity for you.”
I frowned at her response but excitement still coursed through my veins at the thought of being on television. At the thought of being in close proximity to a man that I could possibly win over. I might have lost my access to high caliber men by getting fired from Club Violet but maybe this show was what I needed to get what I truly wanted.
“So what do I have to do?” I asked after a beat.
Chelsea rummaged through some papers and pushed a stack over to me. “You’ll just have to sign this NDA and release form,” she explained. “The NDA prevents you from talking about the show until after the shows airs and the release form will give the production company permission to film you.” She smiled at me. “So? Can I tell them that you accept their invitation?”
I picked up the forms from the desk, quickly scanning over them. It was all legal jargon that I didn’t understand, the words going in one eye and out the other. I paused when I saw a death clause in the release form, reading over it.
By signing this release, participant understands that Callahan & Friends Productions will not be responsible for any injuries or death that happen on the show, nor will they (or family members/friends) be eligible for financial compensation in the event of injuries or wrongful death.
“What the hell is up with this wrongful death thing?” I asked, pointing to the section on the page. Chelsea waved me off.
“It’s just a precaution all shows throw in there,” she explained. “You know how on some dating shows when they go on dates, they may go rock climbing or skiing. Accidents can happen, so they just like to protect themselves. It’s not a huge deal; that’s just standard procedure stuff.”
I stared at her for a long moment before I slowly nodded. Warning bells went off in my mind but I couldn’t think of anything dangerous about a dating show. I’d assume the show made sure everything was safe because they wouldn’t want anything happening to the bachelor or the contestants if they wanted a show to air.
“So? What do you think?” Chelsea asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
I bit the inside of my cheek as I continued scanning the papers in front of me. “How long is this show?”
“Thirty days, I believe,” she said.
After a few more moments of thought, I finally nodded. “Okay,” I said and smiled. “I accept the invitation.”
“Perfect!” she exclaimed with a bit more enthusiasm than I expected. Now that I was unemployed, it wasn’t like I had much to lose. Hopefully the screen time would get me closer to my goal of finding a rich husband. This might not have been the way I envisioned it, but it was better than suffering through the trash that came through this club.
I signed the papers, an odd feeling coming over me as I pushed them across the desk toward Chelsea. I wasn’t sure if the death thing in the release form was still bugging me or the fact that Chelsea’s grin damn near looked sinister as she took the papers from me, but it almost felt as if I’d signed my life away. I pushed the uncomfortable feeling away and forced a smile.
“What’s next?” I asked.
“The people from the show will be in touch with you about the next steps,” she said. “But as far as what’s next for you here, you can clean your locker out and clock out. Your final check will be issued via whatever payment option you chose, whether by check in the mail or direct deposit.”
And just like that, a cold wave of reality washed over me. She dismissed me without saying a word, simply turning back to her computer and ignoring me again. When it was clear that she was done talking to me, I sighed softly into the quiet room and pushed out of the chair to make my exit.
The dressing room was empty again by the time I returned, which I was thankful for since I didn’t want an audience for my walk of shame. I quickly changed out of the sparkly two piece lingerie set I wore and into a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt. When I came to work today, losing my best friend and my job in the span of an hour wasn’t on my bingo card for how my shift would’ve ended. Despite all the fuckery, I at least had the show to look forward to.
I was a firm believer that everything happened for a reason, and maybe it was fate that today ended the way it did. Maybe I needed to drop Giselle as a friend and get fired from this job to reach my full potential with this bachelor. Maybe it was opening me up for all I was about to receive. The thought brought a smile to my face and a bit more peace over my spirit as I put all my belongings into my duffle bag.
I opened Instagram out of habit, which had opened back on Giselle’s profile, only this time, none of her photos loaded. I frowned and refreshed, the page disappearing completely.
“Looks like I’m blocked,” I mumbled before I blacked out my phone screen and stuffed my phone into my pocket. “Good fucking riddance then.”
And with that, I clocked out and slipped out the back door, leaving Club Violet behind and heading toward the future that would hopefully change my life.
***
The sleek black limo purred quietly as it made its way up the long, smooth driveway. I leaned against the window, my chest tight with anticipation. Beyond the glass, the mansion finally came into view, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.
Soft purple lights illuminated its façade, highlighting the intricate details of the stonework and casting long, elegant shadows. In the circular driveway ahead, a massive fountain sparkled under the lights, its water cascading in a way that screamed wealth and opulence. Purple violets lined the driveway and surrounded the water fountain, a stone violet at the top of the fountain that looked so pretty in the purple lighting. Even more flowers came into view, so much so that it would’ve been hard to deny that I was at the right place. It was such a fitting landscaping choice for Club Violet.
My heart raced as the car slowed to a stop in front of a set of stone stairs that led up to the front doors. Each one was carved with designs so intricate they looked like they belonged in a museum. This wasn’t just a house—it was a statement.
When the driver opened my door, I released a nervous breath and stepped out, the sound of my heels clicking against the concrete snapping me back into focus. The cool evening air brushed against my skin, and I ran my hands down the front of my dress—a sexy see-through number that I’d picked to say, I’m not just here to compete. I’m here to win. I wanted to show him that while I may be young, I could be every seductive fantasy he could ever want. I’d given him a taste of what he could expect in my video and apparently he liked it enough to pick me as a contestant.
Now I wanted to show him everything he could look forward to when he chose me as his bride.
I walked up the stairs, my stomach doing little flips with every click of my heels. When the massive double doors swung open, I had to stop myself from gasping. The foyer was straight out of a dream. A crystal chandelier hung above me, glittering like a starburst. Twin staircases curved gracefully up to a balcony that overlooked the entryway, and every inch of the space gleamed. The floors shone like polished gold, and even the air smelled expensive—a mix of fresh flowers and something woody, maybe cedar.
The buzz of laughter and conversation drew my attention to a group of women milling about in the entryway. They were all stunning, their dresses just as carefully chosen as mine. I recognized the look in their eyes—the subtle but unmistakable calculation as they sized up the competition. I straightened my posture, refusing to let myself be intimidated. I hadn’t come this far to let anyone overshadow me.
Grabbing a champagne flute from a passing tray, I decided to head upstairs to check out the bedrooms, wanting to claim a bed for myself while I still could.
When I reached the bedroom that still had available beds, I stepped inside and took it all in. There were multiple full-size beds covered in soft satin that caught the light. A chandelier, smaller than the one in the foyer but no less extravagant, hung from the ceiling. Across the room were large windows that overlooked the backyard.
I walked over to the window and peered out, taking in the crystal clear pool below and a small garden of bright flowers not far from it. A large barn-like structure sat off in the distance, a group of people milling about around it. After a few moments, I turned away from the window and explored the rest of the upstairs, taking in the large bathrooms with the biggest shower and the deepest tub I’d ever been in. Excitement vibrated along my nerve endings as I took it all in.
This was what I deserved. This was the life I was meant to have.
The thought sent a jolt of determination through me. I wasn’t here to appreciate the scenery or make friends. I was here to win. Tonight was the first step toward rewriting my story to the version I was meant to have. I’d wasted too much time letting jealousy and regret hold me back, but not anymore.
As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my lips curved into a smile.
“Time to win over the bachelor,” I whispered.
I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Things are going to get pretty wild this season, as the competition is now longer and Caesar will have more control this time around. Get ready for the mayhem coming soon!