Chapter 2
The morning light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows felt like a spotlight on my lies.
I'd been wandering Daniel's mansion for an hour, getting lost in hallways that seemed to stretch forever. Everything screamed money, but it felt cold. Lonely.
I turned a corner and froze. Through a slightly open door, I glimpsed what looked like a miniature casino—poker tables, slot machines, the works.
"Mrs. Morgan?"
I spun around, heart hammering. A woman in her sixties approached, silver hair pulled back in a neat bun. Despite her formal uniform, her dark eyes held genuine warmth.
"I'm Martha, the head housekeeper. Mr. Morgan asked me to show you around."
"What's in there?" I nodded toward the mysterious room.
Something flickered behind her eyes. "Mr. Morgan's hobby room. He studies casino layouts and security systems."
As we walked, Martha explained house rules with practiced efficiency. But when we reached my walk-in closet, she paused.
"Mr. Morgan personally selected every piece," she said, fingering a silk blouse. "He even knew your exact measurements."
My stomach dropped. "We barely knew each other before the wedding. How could he—"
"Mr. Morgan never does anything without preparation, ma'am." Her voice carried weight. "His knowledge of you extends far beyond what you might imagine."
What kind of man researches his wife like a business deal?
Later, passing two security guards in the hallway, I caught their whispered conversation.
"Mr. Morgan set up monitoring blind spots in all her favorite areas. Says the lady needs privacy."
"First time I've seen him care about anyone's comfort."
I pressed against the wall, pulse racing.
Daniel was watching me but giving me space? Nothing about my new husband made sense, and the only person who might have answers was Ryan.
I'd taken three different routes to the Eclipse Club, pulse quickening with anticipation rather than fear. After days trapped in Daniel's golden cage, I was finally going to see Ryan.
My heart fluttered spotting him in our usual corner booth. God, I'd missed this—his blonde hair catching the dim light, that warm smile that had gotten me through my worst years.
"You look good, Liv." He reached across to squeeze my hand. "Marriage suits you."
Heat rushed through me at his touch. This was what I'd been craving—Ryan's warmth, the feeling of being wanted by the person who mattered most.
"I've missed you," I whispered. "It feels like forever."
But something in his smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Something's not right, Ryan. Daniel's not what we expected. He's gentle, and there are things about the fire—"
"Stop." His voice cut like ice, completely different from seconds before. "You're letting him manipulate you. Rich guys play perfect until they have you trapped."
The sudden shift gave me whiplash.
He pulled out a tablet showing financial documents. "Sullivan Group is hemorrhaging money because Morgan's systematically destroying us. He's trying to wipe out everything your father built."
The numbers looked bad, but something in Ryan's tone made my chest tight.
"What do you need me to do?"
His blue eyes went predatory. "The Golden Heart casino. I need the security blueprints from his safe."
"Ryan, I don't know—"
"Don't know what?" His grip turned painful. "Have you forgotten who saved your life? Who took care of you for seven years?" His voice dropped deadly soft. "Morgan is just another move in our game, Liv. Don't waste your position."
The boy I'd loved for seven years was looking at me like a chess piece.
The drive home felt endless. My excitement had curdled into something sick and heavy.
Ryan's words echoed, but so did Martha's warnings about Daniel's knowledge of me. And that newspaper clipping...
I found Daniel in our bedroom when I got back—which was strange since he wasn't supposed to return from Macau until tomorrow. Panic shot through me as I quickly shoved Ryan's task list under a pillow.
"Olivia." His face lit up in a way that made my chest ache. "I caught an earlier flight."
He seemed to notice my tension but didn't comment. Instead, he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket.
"I saw this in an antique shop and thought of you."
The ruby ring inside was breathtaking—deep red fire set in vintage silver. When he slipped it onto my finger, the stone caught the light like liquid flame.
"Daniel, this is too much—"
"In this city, luck sometimes matters more than skill." His fingers lingered on mine. "The shopkeeper said this ruby brings good fortune."
Something in his tone made me look up. "You mentioned luck before. What does that mean?"
Daniel's dark eyes searched mine. "The red reminds me of the first time I saw you, seven years ago..."
My heart stopped. "Seven years ago? But we didn't know each other then."
For a moment, his expression was almost vulnerable. Then he seemed to catch himself.
"Just a figure of speech. I have a conference call—dinner at eight?"
He left me standing there, the ruby burning on my finger like a brand.
Seven years ago. The same timeframe as the fire. The same timeframe Ryan claimed to have saved me.
"This can't be possible," I whispered, my breath catching in my throat.
That evening, I slipped into Daniel's study. The door was unlocked—this had to be a test, not carelessness. For someone like Daniel, nothing was ever left to chance.
The room screamed power with its oak furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows showing Vegas's glittering skyline.
But the framed photo on his desk made me freeze.
The Lucky Clover's grand opening, fifteen years ago. Dad cutting the ribbon with his huge grin, Mom holding flowers, me as a twelve-year-old in a green dress. And there, in the background crowd, was a younger Daniel.
"What the hell?" I whispered.
"A map on the wall showed every major Vegas casino. The Lucky Clover's old location was circled in red ink.
Soft footsteps echoed in the hallway behind me, and I turned to find Martha standing in the doorway.
"Mr. Morgan has always been interested in the Hayes family," she said quietly, making me jump."
I whipped my head around, my heart leaping into my throat. "What are you talking about?"
She hesitated. "It's not my story to tell, ma'am. But sometimes what we see on the surface isn't the whole truth."
"Did he know my father?"
"Mr. Morgan visited the Lucky Clover site many times after the fire." Martha's dark eyes were serious. "Always alone, always carrying flowers."
My mind reeled. Daniel had been watching my family for years, visiting Dad's grave, and somehow ended up married to me. None of this felt like coincidence.
"Martha, I need to know what really happened that night."
But she was already backing toward the door. "Some answers have to come from him, ma'am."
Later, I found myself in the kitchen, drawn by the warm light and Martha's quiet presence. She peeled vegetables for dinner while I pretended to help, but the domestic scene felt surreal after everything I'd discovered.
"Ma'am, may I speak freely?"
I nodded, desperate for answers.
"Mr. Morgan had files about you long before the wedding. Photos, newspaper clippings, everything since the fire. His safe contains a whole album."
My hands stilled on the cutting board. "That sounds like stalking."
"Or guilt." Martha's knife paused mid-chop. "He came home the night of the fire covered in ash and smoke. Singed clothes, burned hands. Wouldn't say where he'd been."
The knife clattered from my fingers. Daniel was at the fire? But Ryan saved me...
"Be careful of your trusted people, ma'am." Martha's voice dropped to barely a whisper.
She didn't elaborate, but something in her tone made my skin crawl. Before I could press her further, she was already moving toward the sink.
That night, I discovered Daniel's routine—exactly one hour in the underground pool every Thursday.
When he emerged from the bathroom, hair still damp, I forced myself to sound casual.
"I heard the Golden Heart will have revolutionary security."
Pride flickered in his eyes. "I designed most of it myself. Impenetrable."
I moved closer, trying to look interested. "Even your wife can't get a peek? I'm part of the Morgan family now."
Daniel studied my face for a long moment. Something shifted in his expression—hope, maybe?
"When you're truly ready to understand my world, I'll show you everything."
When I'm truly ready? What did that mean?
He headed for the door, then paused. "The preliminary blueprints are in my study safe, if you're genuinely curious."
The casual comment hit like lightning. Either way, I had what Ryan needed.
Alone in my dressing room at midnight, I stared at my reflection. The ruby ring caught the lamplight, throwing red shadows across my face.
My phone buzzed. Ryan.
"Did you locate the safe?"
I typed back: "Found it. He told me where the blueprints are."
"Perfect. Next Thursday we make our move. Remember what we're fighting for, Liv."
I set the phone down, touching the ruby's warm surface. Unlike everything else in my life, it felt real.
Twenty minutes later, Mom called.
"Honey, Ryan visited yesterday. Asked strange questions about you and Daniel. Be careful—there was something in his eyes I didn't like."
After hanging up, I sat in darkness, turning the ring on my finger. Dad's picture smiled from my nightstand.
"What would you want me to do?" I whispered.
I pulled out my jewelry box's bottom drawer and found a folded paper I'd missed earlier.
"Some redemption takes time. I'll wait. —D"
My hands shook. Daniel had left this for me. But when? And what redemption?