Chapter 1

"Mom, please stop crying and tell me why you asked me to come to the hospital." Danielle's puzzled expression caught her mother's attention as she looked up from her palms. She sniffled and said, "The company suddenly went bankrupt overnight, and your father's illness has resurfaced again." Her voice broke as she choked on her words.

A pang of pain hit Danielle's chest, and she found it difficult to breathe for a split second. Seeing her mother's helpless expression made her heart ache. She sighed deeply and pulled her mother in for a tight hug. "It's fine. Everything will be alright. I'm sure Dad's surgery will go well, and he will get back on his feet and take care of things in the company."

Mrs. Young's gaze flickered, and she suddenly fell silent before saying, "Child, don't tell your dad about this. He especially warned me not to tell you, but I can't possibly keep you in the dark. Davis Anderson is responsible for everything."

Hearing his name made Danielle's eyes narrow with disdain. The tears she had been fighting back immediately fell and rolled down her cheeks. "That bastard! How dare he! What does he want from me?"

With a heavy heart, Danielle turned to face her mother, who now had red, puffy eyes. She grabbed both of her hands and gave them a light squeeze. "Mom, I'm sorry for everything. It's all my fault that both you and Dad are suffering because of my stubbornness. I shouldn't have broken up with him."

Mrs. Young brought Danielle's hand to her lips and kissed it. "No, dear, this is none of your fault. That good-for-nothing tried to force himself on you, your father, and I would rather endure any sort of pain than watch you end up with an unrefined beast like him who is not worthy of our precious jewel."

For the second time, Danielle's eyes turned blurry with tears as she stared down at her hand wrapped in her mother's, feeling a warmth sensation spread across her heart.

To Danielle Young, her parents were everything; they did and endured so much to make her happy. How could she possibly sit back and watch Davis trample over them all because she refused to give him access between her legs? "No!" Danielle mumbled, shaking her head, feeling all riled up.

"Mom, I'll be back. Please take care of yourself and Dad. If something urgent happens, please give me a call immediately." Danielle rose up to her feet and hung her bag over her shoulder, preparing to leave.

Mrs. Young eyed her suspiciously. "Where are you going? Promise me you are not going over to see that scumbag."

"Look, mom, don't you trust me? I promise nothing will happen to me." Danielle assured her mother with a warm smile before taking her leave without looking back.

..

The taxi arrived at a villa, where he resides alone, and tried to take advantage of Danielle's simplicity. She clenched her jaw as those memories of that night came flooding into her memory. She sucked in a deep breath and pushed the door made of sleek glass open.

A maid instantly bowed slightly at her and said, "Ms. Young, please sit; I will quickly inform master about your arrival." She gave Danielle a polite smile before walking away.

Sitting patiently in the grand living room, Danielle fiddled with her fingers immediately when she heard footsteps approaching her. She raised her head and met the smug smirk on the man's handsome face, which she was utterly disgusted with before looking away.

"Baby, you are here! What a surprise! You should have called to inform me; I was just on my way out." He said it with a smirk on his face that made Danielle's blood boil with anger.

"Davis Anderson, drop the act already," Danielle said firmly as she looked at him coldly. "This has to do with you and me; why did you drag my father's company into this mess? What do you think you are doing?"

Davis smiled sinisterly as he walked over to Danielle and whispered softly, "I told you I'm going to make you pay dearly."

Danielle charged forward and grabbed him by the collar. “Would you stop playing games with me already?“ She said it through gritted teeth while glaring at him fiercely. "Look at me carefully; you better undo this mess before I show you the worst of me; don't you dare think the Young family is easy to be trifled with."

His pink lips curled into another devilish smile that could make any girl squeal from excitement, which only Danielle found irritating in her eyes. He grabbed her hands from his collar, and looking into her eyes, he gave them a whiff, taking in her scent before bringing her hand back to his lips and kissing them lightly.

"Would you stop getting angry at me?" Davis asked with an innocent expression that only made Danielle angrier than before.

"Get your filthy hands off me!" She pushed him off, making him stumble a couple of feet away from her.

"Unfortunately for you, only these filthy hands can do and undo," Davis said with an arrogant smirk that made Danielle want to slap him across the face repeatedly until he stopped smiling like that again ever in his life!

Danielle bit her lip, well aware of what he was implying. On her way here, she had called all of her father's business partners who shared a close relationship with her family, but they all rudely turned her down, saying they didn't want to get involved.

"Mr. Anderson, what do you want from me?" Immediately after those words left her lips, she cursed herself inwardly and felt like getting rid of her tongue.

"I know you wouldn't let me get access to that pretty thing in between your legs no matter how hard I try but there's one thing you can do," he said.

"Which is?"

"I want you to accompany me to a party tonight. If your behavior is to my liking, then I will let your family go. It's all left to you to decide now, Danielle Young," he said with a mischievous smirk that didn't sit well with her.