By the time Danelle returned home from her meeting with Ashton, the sky had already dipped into a deep shade of blue, hinting at the approach of night. The car headlights cut through the long driveway leading up to the Da Vinci mansion, casting fleeting glows across the stone path.
In the passenger seat beside her sat Stella Weiss, her personal assistant. The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was the kind shared between two people processing the weight of the day.
Danelle had barely said a word since signing the marriage contract. A decision she made not for love, or even personal gain, but for the survival of her family's company and the protection of her children.
As the driver slowed the car to a stop in front of the grand entrance, the large oak doors creaked open and revealed Stella West, the head maid, bustling about, arranging cushions and giving quiet instructions to the junior staff.
The moment she noticed Danelle step out, she approached with her usual grace.
