Daniela stood in the grand lobby of a four-star hotel, the air thick with the scent of wealth and exclusivity. Marble floors gleamed beneath Crystal chandeliers, reflecting a world she had once dreamed of but had long since left behind . Her fingers trembled as she clung a folder with the DNA test results that showed proof of the truth she had kept hidden all these years . She wasn't here to admire the opulence, nor was she the same woman who had once been captivated, then cast aside by a billionaire.
Today, she was here to confront Alexander Dane.She had rehearsed this moment countless times in her mind, but nothing prepared her for the sight of him stepping into the room. Alexander Dane . The man she once loved , who single handedly tore her family apart with a ruthless business takeover. She hadn't seen him in five years, he knew nothing about her or her whereabouts . Yet ,he looked exactly as she remembered, lean and tall ,dressed in a dark, tailored suit that was more expensive than her house rent. He stood near the beautifully decorated ceiling windows, staring at the city he owned with one hand resting in his pocket, while the other scrolled confidently across his phone.His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was sharp as ever. When he looked up and met her eyes,it felt like a shift in gravity, his focus heavy and piercing.
The air thickened as their eyes met, and Daniela's heart pounded in her chest. She hadn't expected him to recognise her after all this time. Back then, She had been a " Nobody", just a small town girl caught in a fleeting affair with a man who had moved on without a second choice. Memories of Alexander- both tender and painful flooded back. He had once been her everything, the man who noticed her when she felt invisible,who made her feel desired and cherished and showed her what love was like. But behind his kindness was a ruthless ambition that didn't care about the cost. Back then,Daniela had been so naive,just a young woman with dreams of making something meaningful for herself . She fell in love with Alexander's charisma and warmth, only to realise too late that his world was built on something darker - A brutal business empire that thrived on swallowing up smaller, struggling companies . She had not fully understood it until he set his sights on her family's business.His evil deeds hadn't just been ruthless; they had been personal. It was her father's business that Alexander had targeted when expanding into new markets.Despite her family's effort to fight back,Dane industries swept in like a predator , dismantling everything her father had spent his life building, leaving nothing behind. The most devastating part ?
Daniela hadn't known about the plan until it was all over. She trusted Alexander with her whole heart that even as whispunaware about the plan until it was over. She had put so much trust in Alexander that even as the whispers in her family grew louder she was confused about the whole situation. Until one after the other, the truth began to reveal , the contracts, the aggressive acquisitions and the breach her father's company couldn't defend itself against. Alexander's plan was never to protect her or family ; he had seen them as another stepping stone to greater power.
As if that was not enough,her family had been left broken and her father's health was deteriorating under the pain of loss and betrayal. And Daniela, caught between the man she loved and the family she adored , had felt her heart split. She pleaded with Alexander to reconsider his decision, but he had simply looked at her, his face not showing any remorse." It's just business,Daniela ". Those words cut deeper into her than she could ever express, a realization that the man she had once cherished was capable of separating his emotions from his actions completely. She had left him that night, heartbroken and disillusioned, walking away from a future she had once thought would include him. The pain of that betrayal had stayed with her haunting her daily life and reshaping the way she saw the world. But there was something she hadn't told him after their separation , something she was very frightened to say. She had found out she was pregnant with Alexander's child. Out of sorrow,she raised the baby alone , vowing that her son would never know the legacy of cold ambition that had devastated her family. David has grown up asking for his father . For five years ,she had protected him from his father's world ,but the truth had finally caught up with her. David was asking about his father more often, and she couldn't ignore him anymore,no matter how much she wanted to.
And now, here she was,about to confront the man who had destroyed her family's legacy. She walked toward him, her steps steady,but her courage faltering beneath the surface. Her fingers burned from clutching the envelope so tightly, her words carefully rehearsed but fragile on her tongue.
" Mr Dane",she began, her voice steady but laced with a tension she struggled to keep in check.Alexander looked at her, reluctant , a flicker of curiosity in his gaze as he wondered what had brought her here. " Daniela", he replied smoothly, as if they were business associates discussing a contract rather than former lovers tangled in the bitterness of the past. " it's been a while"." Not long enough for you to forget", She replied, her tone sharper than intended. A flicker of surprise crossed his face , vanishing as quickly as it had come , replaced by a calm , unreadable expression . His gaze shifted to the envelope clutched tightly in her hand. "You've come a long way just to remind me", he said.She took a steady breath , determined to keep her anger in check. This isn't a reminder", she said, lifting the envelope slightly ." it's something I should have told you years ago". She watched his expression harden,tension tightening his jaw. But before he could respond , the sound of footsteps echoed across the marble floor behind her. Daniela turned, and her stomach twisted as she recognised the man approaching.
It was Alexander's younger brother, Richard Dane- A cunning man known for digging into people's past and wielding that information to his advantage. His dark eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint as he approached something dangerous as he approached. " Daniela peter", he greeted, his tone laced with mockery ." Of all places…" Daniela forced herself to stand tall , but she could feel the cracks forming in her composure. She knew what Richard was capable of, he had always been a shadow in Alexander's life, a man who let nothing escape his control. If he was here,it was no coincidence. "I didn't realize this was a family affair',she said, her voice steady but strained as her gaze flickered between Richard and Alexander.Richard let out a low, mocking laugh that echoed through the room. " Oh , but in the Dane family", he said,his eyes glinting as they darted to the envelope in her hand, " Secrets are always family business ".
Alexander's gaze darkened as he looked between his brother and Daniela, something unreadable flickering in his expression ." What's going on here?"he asked, his voice low and tense.Daniela's throat felt dry as she struggled to find her voice, summoning the courage to speak. "This isn't about you, Richard",she managed , holding Alexander's gaze." it's between Alexander and me". Richard stepped closer,a calculated gleam in his eyes."Oh,I think it's very much my business",he said smoothly , his stare cutting into her like a scalpel. "You see, Alexander has a lot at stake . We both do". Daniela felt her words crumble,the weight of her secrets pressing down on her, forcing her to confront the truth she'd buried for so long. She had come here to face one man,to reveal something she had held onto in silence, but now she found herself ensnared in a web of power and manipulation that extended far beyond what she'd anticipated.
Turning back to Alexander,She met his eyes,her resolve steady ." Five years ago", She began, her voice low but unwavering , " You walked out of my life without a second thought . But you left something behind". Alexander's eyes flickered , a spark of confusion crossing his face, quickly replaced by a look of guarded suspicion. " What are you talking about?" . Daniela took a steadying breath,allowing the silence to stretch painfully between them. Finally, she uttered the words that would change everything ." You have a son,Alexander".