Claire is the unloved eldest daughter of the Carter family, orphaned at a young age, and ostracized by Margaret and her stepsister Vivian. Three years prior, she was saved by a mysterious figure in a fire and has since fallen deeply in love with Lucas. However, on the eve of her wedding, she discovers she is merely a shield used by Lucas to protect his true love, Vivian. Heartbroken, she devises a scheme to switch places with Vivian, marrying Rowan, the Harrington heir who has temporarily lost his sight in an accident.
