From the moment Alexa met Duncan’s wealthy family, she knew she would never be accepted. They mocked her modest background, whispered insults, and even tried to buy her off to leave him. When that failed, they spread rumors, sabotaged her efforts, and treated her like an outsider at every family gathering. Duncan, the man who had once promised to stand by her, sat in silence, letting the cruelty continue.
The breaking point came on Duncan’s birthday, a party Alexa worked tirelessly to plan. Instead of gratitude, his relatives mocked her food, destroyed her preparations, and laughed as smoke poured from the oven. Tears stung her eyes as she realized Duncan wasn’t defending her—he was ashamed of her. That night, comfort came from an unlikely source: Steven, Duncan’s father, who quietly reminded her of her worth and urged her to stop letting them tear her down.