CHAPTER 2

ANN

The knock on the door pulled me out of my light sleep.

I blinked, confused for a second, before reality rushed back all at once. My heart jumped. I quickly dragged my gown up properly and hurried toward the door.

When I opened it and saw Duke standing there, something inside me settled instantly.

Before I could stop myself, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him.

The moment I realized what I was doing, I pulled back immediately.

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, my voice slightly breathless. “I’m just… happy you came back. I thought you left.”

He didn’t respond right away.

He was holding something that looked like a hockey stick, his expression calm as always, like nothing ever shook him.

I stepped aside for him to come in.

The door shut behind him, and suddenly it was just the two of us.

My palms started sweating. A strange fear crept in, sudden and familiar. What if Judge walks in right now?

What if he sees me with another man? I would be punished for it.

My chest tightened as the thoughts rushed in, one after the other.

No, I shut them down immediately. Judge is dead. I saw his body.

I watched them lower him into the ground. He’s gone.

“Your body; you’re trembling.”

Duke’s voice pulled me back.

“I won’t hurt you. Be calm.”

He had been watching me.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t have control over it.”

He nodded slightly.

“What’s your name?” he asked. “And your late husband’s full name?”

“My name is Ann,” I replied. “He was Judge David Luke.”

He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and started typing.

I already knew what he was doing. Checking, making sure I wasn’t lying.

My head dropped slightly, my gaze fixed on the floor.

It wasn’t intentional. It was a habit. One I couldn’t seem to break.

“Is this your husband?”

His voice came again, and he turned the phone toward me.

I looked. My breath caught for a second.

Even on a screen, he still had that presence. That look that made people step back without thinking.

I bit my lip hard.

“Yes,” I said quietly. “That was him.”

I could already feel Duke’s gaze on me, and I knew what he was thinking.

“He died at seventy-five,” he said slowly. “And you look like you’re in your twenties.”

“Thirty-four,” I corrected immediately.

People always got it wrong.

They always looked at me twice, like something didn’t add up.

I looked younger than I was.

One of the workers at Judge’s house used to joke about it, calling me a vampire.

That was the last time I saw him. Judge must have gotten rid of him for talking too freely.

I shook the thought away quickly.

“Tell me, Ann,” Duke said, his voice softer now. “What’s the story?”

I let out a long breath.

Where do I even start? It felt like opening a door I had kept shut for days.

But I had already started.

“There’s no short way to say it,” I murmured, my voice low. “My dad worked for him. He was Judge’s driver for years.”

I paused briefly, swallowing.

“On my dad’s birthday, I went to see him at work. I wanted to surprise him. I was twenty then.”

The biggest mistake of my life.

“He saw me that day,” I continued. “Judge did. And from that moment, he didn’t look away.”

I let out a small, bitter breath.

“At first, I thought it was just a normal look. But it wasn’t. It was something else.”

“He told my dad he wanted to marry me,” I said. “Just like that.”

Duke’s brows tightened slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.

“My dad refused,” I added. “I was twenty. Still in college, and he was…” I gave a dry laugh. “Sixty-one.”

“Nobody says no to a man like Judge. Nobody, but my dad did.”

I felt my throat tighten.

“And he paid for it.”

Duke didn’t move. He just listened.

“Judge framed him for murder,” I said, my voice dropping. “Got him arrested. And before the case could even go anywhere, he arranged for people to kill him in prison.”

The words came out flat. I had said them too many times in my head.

“To cut everything short…” I continued, forcing myself to stay even, “My stepmother sold me to him.”

“And just like that, I became his.”

I let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it.

“His property.”

The memories came too fast. Nights I couldn’t forget even if I tried.

The way he would make me stand in front of him, repeating words I didn’t believe.

I laughed again, but this time it sounded wrong, even to me.

“He died a month ago,” I said. “And I thought that was it. I thought I was finally free.”

I shook my head slowly.

“But even after death, he still wanted control.”

My hands clenched slightly.

“But not anymore. I would rather die than let him win again.”

The room went quiet.

I wiped my face quickly, not even realizing when the tears had fallen.

When I finally looked up, Duke was still watching me.

“I’m sorry, Ann,” he said. “Nobody deserves to be treated like that.”

I gave a small nod, managing a faint smile.

“It’s okay… sir,” I replied out of habit. “It’s not your fault.”

“It’s Duke,” he corrected gently. “And I’m twenty-six”

That surprised me slightly. He went quiet for a moment, like he was thinking something through.

“Would you like to come with me?”

I blinked.

“I’m going back to New York tomorrow,” he continued. “I only came to Dallas with my coach and team. I’m a hockey player, Duke Smith.”

For a second, I just stared at him. I will be moving to a different city. This must be my second chance to breathe again.

“Yes,” I said immediately, before fear could catch up with me. “Yes… I’ll come with you.”