Violet''s face drained of color. She''de here to tell the old man that she could have children, hoping he''d finally agree to her marriage with McNeil. She never imagined he''d go this far.


    "You can''t do this to me," she pleaded. "All these years, I''ve stood by McNeil''s side. You can''t just take away my womb-if you do, how am I supposed to have children?"


    The old man''s gaze was icy, his tone sharper than a de.


    "That''s your problem. I never intended for you to carry on the Langford family line. Someone like you? Hardly worthy."


    He despised nothing more than people acting behind his back. In his world, he alone held the reins; only his word counted. Anyone who tried to y games with him would pay the price.


    Women like Violet, who thought they could climb the socialdder by having a child, were nothing new to him. In his youth, he''d seen plenty-and even been targeted by a few himself. But no matter how desperate the Langfords were for an heir, he''d never allow some outsider''s child into the family.


    Violet was no match for the old man''s cunning. She''d thought he was merely trying to scare her, but when he actually dragged her to a dark room in the family''s old estate, panic truly set in.


    She was strapped to a bed. Twenty minutester, the door creaked open, and someone entered with a syringe of anesthetic.


    Now Violet knew he was serious. She broke down, sobbing.


    "I''m sorry! Please, I was only joking, I won''t fight you anymore. I can''t have children, just don''t do this to me please, don''t take my womb!"


    The old man''s cold voice drifted in from the hallway:


    "If you can''t have children, then it doesn''t matter whether you have a womb or


    not. I''m not risking the Langford name for someone like you.


    If you want to stay with McNeil, that''s your business. After the procedure, you two can do whatever you want together.


    I''ve tolerated you long enough. It''s your own arrogance and greed that brought you here."


    With a wave of his hand, he dismissed her as if she were nothing.


    The anesthesia hit, and Violet slipped into darkness.


    When she finally woke, harsh overhead lights stabbed at her eyes. She was lying


    on an operating table, her abdomen aching dully.


    Tears streamed down her face.


    It was gone. Her womb. She could never have children now-no miracle in the world could change that.


    Violet cried until her voice was raw and broken.


    The old man entered, his expression as cold as ever.


    "I looked into McNeil and Victoria. Yes, they''re divorced. But even so, Victoria will always be the only daughter-inw I recognize. You can be with McNeil for the rest of your life if you want—it makes no difference to me. But you''ll never set foot in the Langford house as family.


    Aspensation for your...sacrifice, I''ve bought you an apartment. The deed is in your name. Go live there. No one will ever bother you again."


    With that, he ordered his men to take Violet to the apartment, even assigning a few nurses to look after her.


    Violet spent a week in bed, drifting through her days like a ghost. The old man''s staff tended to her wounds with meticulous care, but nothing could ease the pain inside.


    Every time someone unwrapped the bandages from her abdomen to change the dressing, she was overwhelmed by a wave of despair.


    She felt utterly powerless. Part of her wanted to tell McNeil what had happened, but she couldn''t bring herself to do it.


    Her n had always been to get pregnant as soon as McNeil and Victoria divorced, using the child to force McNeil into marriage. Now all of that was gone.


    Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that years of devotion would end like this.


    Even worse, her aunt and uncle still didn''t know what had happened. If they ever found out, she couldn''t bear to think how heartbroken they''d be. She''d let down all their hopes for her.


    She remembered being sixteen, moving in with her aunt and uncle. They''d bought a home in an affluent neighborhood, eager to introduce her to the right people. Soon, she was part of the in-crowd, rubbing shoulders with the wealthy, making friends among them.


    Back then, McNeil hadn''t even been her first choice. The Langford family was already in decline. But McNeil''s friends loved to tease them, pairing her and McNeil together as a joke. The group just assumed they were a couple.


    The boys who had secretly liked her gave up out of loyalty to McNeil; no one wanted to steal their friend''s girl.


    So Violet became McNeil''s girlfriend by default. To everyone else, she was the one he''d always loved from afar.


    But then the old man found out about their rtionship and t-out refused to give his blessing. Furious, Violet ignored her aunt and uncle''s pleas and left for Europe.


    She thought leaving would force McNeil to stand up to his grandfather and fight for her.


    But while she waited abroad for McNeil toe after her, he married someone else her cousin, Victoria. The news was a blow she could hardly bear.


    But it was toote. McNeil was Victoria''s husband, and there was no way Violet could wedge herself into their marriage.


    The only silver lining was that, years ago, she''d once saved McNeil''s life. And when she returned, she used that debt to keep McNeil close, always making sure he owed her.