Danielle Alexander gave up everything-her family's love, her status, her pride-to marry Jared Hughes. She believed that with time, her love could thaw the ice in his heart. But three years into a cold, loveless marriage, reality shattered her illusions. When Danielle was forced to kneel and take the blame for a tragedy she didn't cause-humiliated in front of the very people who never accepted her-she finally saw Jared for who he truly was. Cold. Merciless. And in love with another woman. That was the moment Danielle broke. "Let's divorce. I'll pretend the past three years were nothing but a nightmare. Not even an animal deserves to be treated the way I was." Danielle is done being a pawn. She's done begging for love. She's going back to the life she left behind-a life of wealth, power, and an inheritance worth hundreds of billions. The woman who returns isn't the same broken wife.
Danielle Alexander stood in the garden, drenched and shivering as the cold seeped into her bones. Water dripped from her hair, pooling at her feet, but no one noticed her. The servants bustled past, their eyes averted, as if she were invisible. Their focus was entirely on the doctor they escorted into the house, their hurried whispers carrying a sense of urgency that Danielle knew wasn't meant for her.
She glanced down at her soaked dress clinging to her skin, the fabric heavy and uncomfortable. Her fingers trembled as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. The chill in the air was nothing compared to the coldness she felt from the people around her- the Hughes family. Her family.
Moments ago, Chloe Lindsey, the woman who held Jared's heart captive, had fallen into the pool alongside her. It had been an accident, of that, Danielle was certain, but no one cared to hear her side. Jared had dove in without hesitation, plucking Chloe from the water as if she were a precious treasure. He'd carried her inside, his voice laced with concern, leaving Danielle to climb out on her own.
And now, as she stood there, abandoned and ignored, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever truly been part of this family.
She kicked off her sodden high heels, the cold grass squishing between her toes as she made her way back to the house. Her bare feet left faint imprints on the polished floors, but no one stopped her, no one asked if she was okay. She was an afterthought, a shadow in the grandeur of the Hughes estate.
Upstairs, she stripped off her wet clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the chill. But it couldn't wash away the ache in her chest, the gnawing feeling of being unwanted. She changed into a clean nightgown, the soft fabric a small comfort, and crawled into bed, pulling the covers over her head. The world outside could burn for all she cared.
"Wake up!"
The sharp command cut through her sleep like a knife. She barely had time to register the coldness in Jared's voice before the covers were yanked off her body. Her eyes fluttered open, her vision hazy, to find him standing over her, his expression icy and unreadable.
"Jared," she mumbled, her voice hoarse. She sat up, rubbing her temples as a headache threatened to split her skull. "How is Chloe?"
His lips curled into a disdainful sneer. "Get up. You're coming with me to the family plot."
Her heart skipped a beat. The family plot. The place where the Hughes family settled their most grievous matters. The last person who'd been called there had never returned.
"Apologise," Jared said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He grabbed her arm, his grip bruising, and pulled her out of bed as if she weighed nothing.
"I didn't push her, Jared," she said, her voice trembling. "Please, you have to believe me."
But he wasn't listening. His eyes were dark with anger, his jaw clenched so tightly she could see the muscle twitching. The anguish in his heart was evident, but it wasn't for her. She'd learned long ago that his concern, his tenderness, was reserved for Chloe.
The halls of the Hughes estate were eerily quiet as Jared dragged her toward the family plot. Her bare feet slapped against the cold marble floor, the sound echoing in the vast emptiness. She remembered, with a sharp pang, how Jared had knelt before Chloe just days ago, gently slipping socks and shoes onto her feet. The memory was a knife to her heart.
The family plot was a circular room at the centre of the estate, its walls lined with portraits of the Hughes ancestors. The air was thick with tension as the entire family gathered, their eyes cold and accusing.
"Kneel," Jared commanded, his voice cutting through the silence like a whip.
She shook her head, defiance flaring in her chest. "I won't kneel. I've done nothing wrong."
Sir Hughes, the patriarch of the family, stepped forward, his face red with fury. He hurled a porcelain cup at her feet, the shards scattering across the floor. "Kneel!" he bellowed.
A sharp pain shot through her leg as a shard cut into her skin, but she stood her ground, her chin held high. "I didn't push Chloe. I won't apologise for something I didn't do."
The room erupted in murmurs, the voices of the Hughes family blending into a cacophony of disdain.
"She's stubborn," someone said.
"She's a danger to this family."
"Jared, she's your wife. Can't you control her?"
Fanny Sabir, her mother-in-law, stepped forward, her eyes filled with concern. "Dad, she's injured. Perhaps we should-"
"Silence!" Sir Hughes barked, cutting her off. His gaze swept over Danielle, cold and unyielding. "She will kneel."
Isa Hughes, Jared's sister, sauntered forward, a cruel smile playing on her lips. She kicked the back of Danielle's knee, the sharp pain forcing her to stumble. But Danielle refused to fall. She straightened, her eyes blazing as she met Isa's gaze.
"Kneel," Isa hissed, her voice dripping with malice.
Danielle's lips curled into a bitter smile. "I won't."
Isa's hand flew out, the slap echoing through the room. Danielle's cheek burned, but she didn't flinch. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her break.
"Kneel!" Isa shouted, her voice rising as she kicked Danielle's knee again.
Danielle's legs buckled, but she caught herself, her hands braced against the floor. The cold seeped into her palms, sending a shiver up her spine. She looked up, her eyes locking with Jared's.
Do you even see me? she wanted to ask. Do you care at all?
But Jared's expression remained impassive, his eyes cold and distant. He turned away, his voice low and cutting. "She's brought this on herself."
The words were a knife to her heart. She'd given him three years of her life, three years of loyalty and love, and this was all she got in return.
Her hands clenched into fists as she pushed herself to her feet. Blood dripped from her leg, staining the floor, but she ignored it. She wouldn't kneel. Not for them. Not for anyone.
The room fell silent as she stood, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Sir Hughes's eyes narrowed, his voice a low growl. "Discipline her."
Jared stepped forward, his dark eyes glinting with something she couldn't quite place. He reached for her, his grip firm but not unkind.
"Danielle," he said, his voice low, "don't make this harder than it has to be."
" It already is".
Chapter 1 Episode one
09/06/2025
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