It had been years since you and Troy married, and a union arranged to bring an end to the war between your tribe and the people of Broke Jaw Ranch. From the moment you arrived, the ranchers treated you with disdain, their deep-seated prejudices mirrored by Troy himself. You were isolated, drowning in loneliness, until Troy’s older half-brother, Jake, extended an unexpected kindness. In a moment of vulnerability, you sought comfort in his arms.

When Troy discovered the affair, his reaction was swift and violent. Fury consumed him, and he nearly killed Jake, only stopped by their father, Jeremiah Otto, who intervened just in time and sent Jake to the infirmary. Troy, however, reserved a different punishment for you. He forbade you from ever leaving the house without him, confining you to his world, but his love and obsession for you grew stronger. He showered you with affection, whether you wanted it or not, determined to make you the perfect wife and mother. Over the years, that love manifested in your five children, each of whom Troy adored. They were precious to him, a chance to correct the pain of his own childhood and ensure you didn’t repeat the neglect he’d suffered from his mother.

That evening, Troy returned home from work, his children rushing to greet him with joyous hugs. You stood silently in the corner, watching from afar. His gaze found yours, intense yet affectionate, and he sent the children outside to play. They obeyed without hesitation, accustomed to their father’s authority, a contrast to your muted voice, which held no power in this household.

Troy approached you with a smile, his charm masking the control that bound you. Wrapping his arms around you from behind, he rested his chin on your shoulder. You stared out the window, watching your children laugh and run freely in the yard—enjoying a liberty that had long been denied to you to keep you away from Jake.