Chapter 1 Prologue

Prologue

City of Amarillo, Texas, 1996.

Jack Colt is one of the richest ranchers in Texas, his lands stretch as far as the eye can see. Even with so much power and money, he feels that something is missing in his life.

He enters the farmhouse and walks to the office with a frown. He never imagined that one day he would want to have children. This strange desire to be a father appeared suddenly last week, when he was invited by a couple of friends from another farm to a dinner to celebrate their two-year wedding anniversary and their newborn daughter.

When he saw the little girl and held her awkwardly, afraid of dropping her, his heart filled with love for the little girl. She was beautiful, a little princess.

Sitting in the chair, he can't pay attention to the documents in front of him. He needs to find someone to be his wife and give him children, at least five.

The business papers that had previously dominated his thoughts now seemed insignificant. The bold letters and complex spreadsheets couldn't compete with the image of that little girl in his arms. He found himself daydreaming about a family of his own, children running through the fields, laughter filling the air. Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He knew finding a wife wouldn't be as simple as closing a deal. He needed someone who shared his vision of country life, who was willing to face the hardships and enjoy the joys of raising a family on a farm. He stood and walked to the window of his office, looking out over the vast horizon of his land. The vastness and solitude that had once comforted him now only accentuated the emptiness he felt. He needed a plan. Maybe it was time to socialize more, attend local events, attend fairs and dances. Country life might be isolating, but Amarillo was a big enough city to provide opportunities to meet new people. Jack knew he had a lot to offer. He was not only a wealthy rancher, but an honest, hard-working man with solid values and a genuine desire to start a family. He just needed to find the right person to share it all with.

Determining to move forward, he left the office with a new resolve. Amarillo had many possibilities, and he was ready to explore each one of them. After all, a man like him, with the determination of Jack Colt, never shied away from a challenge. And finding love and building a family would be his new and most important mission.

---

Chapter 1

As he walked to the stable to saddle his stallion, Jack heard footsteps behind him. Although he was unarmed, he pretended not to notice and continued to the saddles, where he kept a . 38 pistol under one of them.

Quickly, he grabbed the gun and turned, aiming it, but lowered the revolver as soon as he recognized the person.

"Clayton, you bastard! I almost hit you!"

Clayton laughed loudly. His eyes narrowed with malice as he advanced, exuding an aura of contempt.

"You're always so tense, Jack. Do you think I'd come all this way to hurt you? Don't be paranoid."

Jack's lips tightened in suspicion, but relaxed slightly when he saw that Clayton posed no immediate threat. However, the man's presence always brought with it a sense of unease.

"What do you want, Clayton? I don't have time for games," Jack said, his voice thick with disdain.

Clayton shrugged, his eyes shining with a mixture of challenge and amusement.

"Ah, Jack, always straight to the point. I like that. But relax, I'm not here to cause trouble. In fact, I'm here with a proposition that might interest you."

Jack arched an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. Clayton wasn't known for his benevolent overtures, but Jack's curiosity was piqued.

"Go on," he said, his voice cautious. Clayton smiled, revealing a set of age-yellowed, unkempt teeth. "I've heard of your ambitions, Jack. It seems you're looking to expand your business, perhaps even find a wife to share your fortune with. And I have an offer that could make all of that much easier for you." Jack frowned suspiciously. He knew that any offer from Clayton came with a series of strings attached to choosing one and regretting it later. He wasn't about to get involved in anything that would compromise his integrity or independence. "Get to the point, Clayton. What do you want?" Clayton leaned forward, his smile widening as if he were about to reveal a great secret. "Jack, as you know, I have a daughter, Charlotte. She's twenty-three years old, a charming and intelligent young woman. I'm willing to offer her in marriage to you."

Jack's eyes widened in surprise and indignation. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Offering his own daughter in exchange for a debt was an outrageous and disgusting proposition.

"Are you crazy, Clayton? Do you think I would accept that? Charlotte is a woman, not a commodity to be traded like a commodity," Jack replied, his voice filled with disgust.

Clayton held up his hands in a defensive gesture, trying to calm Jack's temper.

"Now, don't be hasty, Jack. Charlotte agrees to this. She knows it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her. And of course, if you accept this generous offer, we can forget about my debt altogether. And you'll have a wife to share your fortune with."

Jack felt a mixture of shock, anger, and disgust. He could never accept such a disgusting proposition. Charlotte didn't deserve to be treated like a pawn in a business game between her father and a friend. Although he had never seen the young woman, his friend only found out he was a father when he was told that the wife he had abandoned over twenty years ago had passed away.

"You are a monster, Clayton. I would never accept such a proposal. And if you think that this will make me forget your debt, you are mistaken. I will never subject myself to something so abominable," Jack declared, his voice echoing firmly in the stable.

Clayton's eyes widened, surprised by Jack's firm refusal. He tried to argue, but Jack was not interested in listening. With an expression of disgust, he said:

"Find another way to pay me, Clayton. I will not accept that proposal," Jack said firmly, turning to leave the stable.

Clayton watched Jack leave, his eyes shining with a mixture of anger and frustration. But then, a mischievous smile appeared on his face.

"Well, if you don't want my daughter, maybe Silas will," he said in a slightly loud tone for his friend to hear.

Jack froze in place, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. Silas was an elderly man, known in the area for his brutality towards his wives. Everyone knew that his wives did not die of natural causes, but they never found anything incriminating enough to arrest him. Only suspicions. Jack swallowed hard before turning around.

"You're crazy, Clayton. Silas is an old and violent man. No woman deserves to be subjected to him, much less his own daughter," Jack replied, his voice shaking with indignation.

Clayton shrugged, his eyes shining with satisfaction at having provoked his friend.

"Well, that's my problem, Jack. If you don't want Charlotte, then she'll have to deal with Silas."

Jack felt sick at the idea. He knew he couldn't let Clayton use his daughter as a bargaining chip, but he also knew he couldn't allow her to be handed over to someone like Silas.

"I doubt you'd do that. You wouldn't be such a lousy father."

With one last look of contempt at Clayton, Jack left the stable.

"We'll see, Jack! You're invited to the wedding, which is in a week!" he said loudly, then laughed. "In a week I'll have the money I owe you. See you later, my friend."