He Got Blissfully Married While I Sank Beneath the Waves

Gemma Kirk has loved Murphy Townsend in secret for years, but he is her uncle, and he makes clear that her feelings disgust him. When he becomes engaged to Evangeline Morris and gives her the ring Gemma designed, Gemma learns the wedding is set for December 12th—her own birthday. Terminally ill with late-stage lymphoma, she quietly agrees to join an untested cryogenic experiment, knowing she may not survive the freezing.

As Evangeline moves into the house as its new lady, Gemma hides her plans, passing off cryo-casket designs as a school project. Murphy's coldness and Evangeline's poised takeover leave her with nothing but memories of the uncle who once promised to protect her. With her star hidden behind clouds, Gemma counts down to a farewell no one suspects.