The Billionaire's Insignificant Wife novel Chapter 140

The third strike.

Mrs. Helen nearly pulled her hand back but Mr. Harris held it in place.

“Keep your hand out, Mrs. Helen,” he whispered in a voice saturated with remorse. “Please, hold on.”

CRACK!

The fourth strike.

Mrs. Helen’s cry grew louder. It echoed through the silent room.

“STOP!”

Alina’s voice broke through the silence.

Everyone stopped. They all turned toward her.

Alina was already standing at the edge of the bed. Her body trembling. Her eyes wet with tears that flowed freely. She looked at Daniel with a mixture of hatred and helplessness.

“Please stop,” she whispered in a hoarse voice. “Don’t hurt Mrs. Helen anymore.”

Daniel smiled crookedly. Satisfied. Alina had finally surrendered and responded, exactly as he had wanted.

“Mr. Harris will not stop,” Daniel said in a casual tone. “Unless you obey my instruction. Eat. Now.”

Alina clenched her fists tightly. The tears continued to fall.

She looked at Mrs. Helen weeping while cradling her red and swollen hand.

Then she looked at Daniel again with eyes full of hatred.

“Fine,” she whispered in a shaking voice. “I’ll eat. But don’t hurt Mrs. Helen again.”

Alina understood that Daniel was not bluffing.

This man would truly harm others to force her compliance.

Resistance was pointless. Argument was pointless.

Daniel would not listen. He might even impose a heavier punishment.

With rigid movements Alina walked to the table. She picked up the plate from the tray, then returned to sit on the edge of the bed.

She began to eat quickly. Pushing spoonful after spoonful into her mouth without chewing properly.

Alina choked several times but kept forcing the food in regardless.

Daniel watched Alina with a melancholy expression.

He felt a pang of guilt seeing the desperate way Alina was eating.

He had not wanted to resort to this. But he knew it was the only way to make Alina comply.

Regardless of everything, Alina had to take care of her health.

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Had to remain strong enough to carry his child.

Daniel gave Mr. Harris a signal to stop the punishment.

Mr. Harris immediately set down the ruler. He stood to one side with a pale face, consumed by guilt over what he had done to Mrs. Helen.

Daniel crouched in front of Alina. He stilled the spoon moving too quickly by touching her wrist.

“Slowly,” he said in a gentle tone. “Don’t choke. I don’t want you to get sick.”

Alina felt revulsion at Daniel’s touch. She pulled her hand away from him with a rough motion.

But she kept eating. More slowly now.

Daniel did not make an issue of Alina’s reaction.

Instead he picked up a tissue from the table. He dabbed gently at traces of food at the corner of Alina’s mouth.

“Eat slowly,” he repeated. “Don’t choke. I don’t want to see you get hurt.

Alina gripped the spoon so tightly her hand trembled. Her jaw locked as she held back her fury. She felt sick at Daniel’s pretend concern.

Especially after this same man had just ordered his subordinate to strike a servant who had given decades of faithful service to his family.

Alina was nauseated by Daniel’s performance of caring.

Daniel rose from his position. He glanced at Mrs. Helen, who was still weeping with her head bowed. Her struck hand was visibly trembling and red.

“Mrs. Helen,” said Daniel firmly. “This punishment will be applied every time you fail to carry out your duties. Therefore, perform every task properly.”

Mrs. Helen nodded quickly through her tears.

“Understood, Sir. I’m sorry.”

Daniel looked over at Alina, who had resumed eating under compulsion.

He held a brief melancholy expression, then quickly replaced it with a flat stare.

“Mrs. Helen,” he said as he turned. “Help Alina finish her meal. Make sure she eats everything.”

Daniel looked at Alina once more.

“There is something we need to discuss after you’ve finished eating. So finish your meal soon.”

Daniel walked out of the room followed by Mr. Harris.

The door closed with a soft click.

Mrs. Helen immediately moved to Alina’s side. She sat down next to her with glistening eyes.

“Forgive me, Ma’am,” Mrs. Helen whispered in a trembling voice. “Forgive me for being unable to protect you. For making you suffer like this.”

Alina stopped eating.

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Tears suddenly poured down her cheeks.

She set the spoon down with a trembling hand.

Then she looked at Mrs. Helen with eyes full of remorse.

“You are not the one who needs to apologize,” Alina whispered in a ragged voice. “I am the one who should apologize. You were punished because of me.”

Alina reached out. She touched Mrs. Helen’s red and swollen palm gently.

“This must hurt so much,” she whispered through her tears. “Forgive me. This is all my fault.”

Mrs. Helen shook her head vigorously. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“This is not your fault, Ma’am. It is my fault for failing in my duties. I am the one who could not get you to eat.”

Alina’s weeping grew harder.

Her body shook.

“I am exhausted, Mrs. Helen,” she sobbed in desperation. “I am so exhausted living like this. I want to give up. I want to leave. But I don’t know how.”

Alina covered her face with both hands.

“I don’t know how to free myself from Daniel. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Mrs. Helen pulled Alina into a tight embrace.

She let the woman weep against her shoulder.

Feeling a sorrow and compassion so deep it had no bottom.

“Ma’am,” Mrs. Helen whispered as she rubbed Alina’s back. “I don’t know how you’ll be free from all of this. But I believe there will be a way out. There must be.”

But even as she spoke those words, Mrs. Helen did not believe them.

Because she herself had no idea how to free Alina from Daniel’s tightening grip.

They could only hold one another and weep in a suffocating silence.

Without either of them noticing, the CCTV above the room recorded everything.

Elsewhere, in the lavish penthouse, Margaret sat before her laptop with a glass of wine that had gone cold in her hand. 1

Her eyes were fixed on the screen displaying the feed from Alina’s room.

She had watched it all.

Watched Mr. Harris strike Mrs. Helen on Daniel’s orders.

Watched Alina finally surrender and eat under compulsion.

Watched Daniel crouch in front of Alina with a melancholy expression.

Margaret was stunned.

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Her eyes had gone wide, unable to believe what she had just witnessed.

She had not anticipated that Daniel would do something so monstrous.

That he would torment a faithful servant who had devoted decades of her life to the Blackwood family.

“No,” Margaret murmured in a trembling voice. “I must have misread what I saw. My son has always been controlled. He would not do something so irrational.”

Margaret shook her head hard. Trying to convince herself.

But her eyes returned to the screen.

Seeing Alina and Mrs. Helen holding each other in tears.

Seeing the disordered state of the room. Seeing the plate Alina had just been forced to finish.

It was all real.

This was not a dream. Not a misreading of what she had seen.

Daniel had truly done all of that.

Margaret felt her body go rigid.

“My son,” she whispered in a trembling voice. “Why has he become like this?”

Margaret’s gaze settled on Alina, still weeping in Mrs. Helen’s arms.

Her jaw hardened.

Her hands clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

“Alina,” Margaret whispered in a voice full of hatred. “All of this is happening because of you. You are the one

who has influenced Daniel into becoming this irrational, emotional man.”

Margaret stood with a sharp movement. She stared at the screen with blazing, furious eyes.

“I will not let you go, Alina. I will make certain you disappear from my son’s life.”

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Strings of Obedience

After Alina finished her meal, Daniel sat on the sofa in the corner of the room.

Watching Alina who sat quietly on the edge of the bed with a vacant expression.

Mrs. Helen had already been dismissed on Daniel’s orders. Leaving the two of them alone.

“Alina,” Daniel called in a calm tone. “We need to talk.”

Alina did not answer. Did not look up. She only sat still staring at the floor.

But her tears had stopped. Her face was flat. Showing no emotion whatsoever.

Daniel stood and walked closer. He sat on the bed beside Alina at a close enough distance.

“Your father has been in contact several times,” said Daniel, studying Alina’s profile. “He wants to speak with you. Wants to make sure you’re all right.”

Alina remained still. No reaction.

“I already promised I would arrange for the two of you to speak by phone,” Daniel continued. “And I will keep that promise. Today. Now.”

Alina finally turned slightly. She looked at Daniel with vacant eyes.

“But before that,” Daniel went on in a more serious tone. “I need to make sure you understand what you are to say to your father.”

Alina looked at him without expression.

Daniel drew a deep breath.

“You are to tell him that you are fine. That you are pregnant and very happy. That the doctor has advised you to rest and avoid stress. Which is why you haven’t been able to meet with him or call often.”

Alina remained silent. Her face like a mask.

“You must not say anything that could cause your father to worry or grow suspicious,” Daniel continued in a firmer tone. “No hint that you are unhappy. No sign that you need help.”

Daniel held Alina’s gaze sharply.

“I am not bluffing, Alina. As you saw today with Mrs. Helen. I am capable of anything to ensure your compliance.”

Alina finally spoke in a flat voice.

“What will you do? Will you hurt my father too?”

Daniel smiled thinly. Coldly.

“No need for physical harm. There are other ways that are far more effective.”

He took out his phone. He opened something and held the screen toward Alina.

Debt documents. A loan contract from Hayes Corporation to Blackwood Enterprises.

Alina stared at the screen with wide eyes.

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“Do you remember this contract?” Daniel asked in a casual tone. “An interest-free loan with a very flexible repayment period.”

Daniel scrolled down to reveal figures that drained the color from Alina’s face.

“The outstanding balance currently sits at eight million dollars,” said Daniel. “Your father has been paying it down little by little each month. But with the state of his business right now, he still needs at least another twenty years to pay it off.”

Alina looked at Daniel with a fear beginning to surface in her eyes.

“What are you going to do?” she whispered.

“That depends on you,” Daniel answered as he put his phone away. “If you speak to your father according to my instructions, and convince him you are happy, then everything will be fine. I will continue allowing flexible repayment terms. I may even consider writing off part of the debt as a gift when his first grandchild is born.”

Daniel stood and walked to the window.

“But if you cause trouble,” he continued in a dangerous tone. “If you try to signal your father that you need help. If you try to undermine our marriage in any way…”

He turned and looked at Alina with cold eyes.

“I will call in the full debt. Eight million dollars. To be repaid within thirty days. And we both know your father cannot manage that. His company will go bankrupt. His house will be seized. He will lose everything.”

Alina felt the blood drain from her face.

“Even worse than that,” Daniel added with a cruel smile. “I have connections throughout this industry. I can make sure no bank will extend credit to your father. No client will work with him. He will be completely ruined. Not just bankrupt but driven out of the industry entirely.”

Alina felt her entire body trembling.

“Why?” she whispered in a hoarse voice. “Why are you doing this to me? What have I done to deserve such cruelty?

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Daniel walked back and sat beside Alina. He took her cold hand in his.

“I am not being cruel,” he said in a manufactured gentle tone. “I am only trying to preserve our marriage. To protect our family.”

Alina pulled her hand away roughly.

“This is not protecting anyone! This is a prison! This is torture!”

“This is love,” Daniel corrected firmly. “A love you may not yet understand. But someday you will.”

He looked at Alina with eyes full of obsession.

“You will always remain my wife, Alina. That will never change. And in return, I will look after your family. Your father will be safe. His business will survive. As long as you are obedient to me.”

Alina felt resentment surge in her chest.

But also a fear that left her unable to move.

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Daniel was not bluffing. His threats were not empty words.

He would truly destroy her father if Alina did not comply.

With a trembling voice Alina finally said.

“All right. I’ll do what you want.”

Daniel smiled with satisfaction. He took his phone and handed it to Alina.

“Good. Now call your father.”

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Alina took the phone with trembling hands.

She stared at the screen with glistening eyes.

Daniel sat back on the sofa. Watching closely.

Alina pressed her father’s number with shaking fingers.

The line rang several times before it was answered.

“Alina?!” Richard’s voice came through anxiously. “Alina sweetheart, you finally called! How are you? Papa has been so worried!”

Alina closed her eyes for a moment. She drew a deep breath.

“I’m fine, Papa,” she said in a voice that tried to sound calm. “Sorry I haven’t been able to call more often. I’ve been resting as the doctor advised.”

“Resting? Why? Are you ill?”

Alina glanced at Daniel, who was watching her sharply from the sofa.

“Not ill, Papa. It’s just… I’m pregnant. And the doctor said I should rest during the first trimester. Avoid stress.”

Silence on the other end.

“Pregnant?” Richard’s voice sounded disbelieving. “You are really pregnant?”

“Yes, Papa. Seven weeks along. Daniel and I are very happy.”

Those words felt like poison in her mouth. But Alina forced herself to say them.

“Alina,” Richard’s voice shifted to something more serious. “Papa needs to know… are you really all right? Is there something you’re hiding from Papa?”

Alina felt her heart pounding hard.

This was her chance. This was the moment to give a signal.

But her eyes moved to Daniel again. The man was sitting at ease but his sharp eyes never left Alina.

Watching every word. Every expression. Every movement.

“Alina,” Richard said again in a more pressing tone. “Have you been having nightmares lately?”

Alina went still.

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Black birds.

Their code.

A code that only she and her father knew.

If she mentioned black birds, her father would know she was in danger.

But…

Alina looked at the phone in her hand. She felt an immense weight pressing on her chest.

She knew Daniel was listening.

Knew the man would immediately sense something was wrong if Alina’s answer seemed off.

And if that happened…

Her father would be ruined. His business would collapse. His life would be destroyed.

Alina could not allow that.

No matter how desperately she wanted to be saved.

In a trembling voice Alina answered.

“No, Papa. I haven’t had nightmares. I’m sleeping well. Don’t always worry about me.”

She closed her eyes as she said the next words.

“Everything is fine.”

The words she always used when something was wrong.

A habit from childhood that her father would surely recognize.

When Alina said “everything is fine” in that particular tone, it meant things were actually not fine at all.

Alina prayed silently that her father noticed it.

Noticed the forced quality in her voice. The way she spoke that wasn’t natural at all.

“Alina-” Richard began to speak again but Alina cut him off.

“Papa, I need to rest now. The doctor said I shouldn’t stay on the phone too long. I’ll call again when I’m feeling better.”

“But Alina-”

“I love you, Papa. Give everyone my regards.”

Alina ended the call before her father could respond.

She set the phone on her lap with trembling hands.

Tears began to fall down her cheeks again.

Daniel stood and approached. Smiling with satisfaction.

“Well done,” he said as he stroked Alina’s head. “You did it perfectly. I’m proud of you.”

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Alina did not react. She only sat still with tears flowing.

Daniel lifted Alina’s chin gently.

“You did the right thing. Protecting your father. Protecting your family. That is what a good daughter does.”

Alina looked at him with eyes full of hatred.

But said nothing.

Daniel pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Rest now. You have done a great deal today. I still have work to finish. I’ll be back tonight.”

He stood and walked toward the door.

But before stepping out, he turned and whispered with a crooked smile.

“You need to rest properly. Because tonight we have to try again to get our baby soon.”

Alina stared at Daniel with wide eyes. Filled with trauma and terror.

Her hands gripped the phone in her lap until they shook.

Tears streamed faster down her face. Holding back the anguish and despair,

Alina wanted to curse Daniel. Wanted to scream. Wanted to fight back.

But before she could say a word, Daniel had moved close again.

He pulled Alina to her feet with a sudden motion.

He crushed her lips with his. Hard. Rough. Possessive.

Alina tried to push back but Daniel gripped her wrists firmly.

The kiss lasted several seconds that felt like an eternity.

Then Daniel released her and turned to leave.

Leaving Alina stumbling backward, her breath ragged.

Alina immediately wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Hard, Rough.

She felt disgusted and filthy.

“BASTARD!”

With a furious motion Alina hurled the phone in Daniel’s direction.

But it did not hit him.

It fell and shattered on the floor a few inches from his feet.

The screen cracked. The casing split apart.

Daniel stopped for a moment. He glanced at the broken phone.

But said nothing. He did not even turn around.

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He simply kept walking out with unhurried steps.

He opened the door and spoke to Mrs. Helen standing outside.

“Make sure Alina rests properly. Don’t let her do anything tiring. And clean up the broken phone inside.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Daniel walked away with a thin smile on his lips.

He felt satisfied with everything he had achieved today.

Alina was now truly compliant. She no longer dared to resist.

Only a few more steps and s would be bound to him forever.

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Glimmer in the Darkness

At the Hayes family residence, Richard sat lost in thought in his private study.

His phone was still clutched in a trembling hand.

The call with Alina had ended only minutes ago.

But his daughter’s words still echoed in his head.

Especially the last sentence.

“Everything is fine.”

Richard closed his eyes. He drew a long, shaking breath.

He knew that tone.

He had heard it thousands of times since Alina was small.

The forced quality. The voice made artificially cheerful. Words that tried to reassure but only deepened the worry.

Since Alina was five years old, every time she said “everything is fine” in that particular tone, it meant things were actually not fine at all.

When she fell off her bicycle and her knee was bleeding but she didn’t want to make Richard worry.

When she was bullied at school but didn’t want to report it because she didn’t want to cause trouble.

When the grandmother who adored her passed away and she tried to appear strong in front of Richard even though she was falling apart inside.

Every single time, Alina always said “everything is fine” in precisely the tone he had just heard on the phone.

And every single time, Richard knew his daughter was lying.

Richard opened his eyes. He stared at the phone in his hand with a hardened jaw.

Alina was in danger.

He had caught the wrongness in his daughter’s final words.

The way she cut the conversation short with obvious haste.

The way she so carefully avoided answering the question about nightmares – their code, the black birds – with such deliberate caution.

And most telling of all, the forced tone of her voice when she said she was “very happy” about the pregnancy.

There was no happiness in it. Only emptiness. Fear. Despair./

Richard was certain it was a signal from Alina that she was not all right.

But what worried him even more was the fact that Alina had not dared to respond to the code he had given her.

Alina had caught the “nightmare” signal. Richard knew she understood.

But she had not answered with “black birds” as she should have.

She had not even dropped the faintest hint about the code.