Chapter 2

Nerissa’s POV

“Hey, babe, you’re already up?” It was ten when Eric finally came out of the bedroom, freshly showered and dressed.

I was on the sofa with a book open in my hands. I hadn’t turned a single page.

I told myself not to react when I faced Eric. I wouldn’t let him sense a single crack before I had everything prepared—before I could throw those damn divorce papers in his face.

He leaned down and kissed my forehead like he always did. “I can’t stay for breakfast. Big client coming to the casino this afternoon. I’ve got to keep him happy.”

He winked, grabbing his keys.

A big client? Or a doctor’s appointment with your mistress?

I kept my voice steady. “Alright. Work comes first.”

He paused at the door, studying me. “Don’t be upset, Neri. You know me. If it wasn’t for this client, I’d skip the whole day and stay with you. How about we take a vacation next week?”

Normally, I would have asked him to stay, at least for coffee.

Today, I just smiled. “Focus on your client first.”

After he left, I picked up my purse and drove to Golden Casino.

I rarely went to see Eric at the Golden. Part of it was practical—some of his biggest clients knew my face, and they certainly knew my father. The rest of it was simple, I trusted Eric enough not to need to.

But today, I wanted to. I didn’t want to see Bella only through filtered photos and stolen moments—I wanted to see her in real life.

I walked nearly the entire casino floor and didn’t find her. So I turned toward Eric’s office instead.

That was when I saw her.

Bella—just outside Eric’s office, seated behind his usual secretary’s desk.

Her pregnancy was obvious now—round and full beneath her dress. She looked even younger than in the photos, long golden hair spilling over her shoulders, clear eyes bright and soft. Bella got the kind of face that looked innocent and untouched.

No one would guess that a girl who looked so harmless had willingly slipped into a married man’s arms—smiling sweetly while tearing apart another woman’s life.

“Hello, miss. Who are you here to see?” she asked when she noticed me, her smile sugary, her voice light and melodic.

I let my gaze move over her slowly. The tailored white dress. The diamond necklace resting at her throat. The quiet confidence beneath all that polished innocence.

“I’m here to see Mr. Eric Vale,” I said evenly, like I was any other guest.

“Mr. Vale is in a meeting with a client. May I have your name, please?” She kept smiling.

“Of course. Nerissa Ardent.”

The change was subtle—but I saw it, a flicker in her eyes and a tightening at the corners of her lips.

She hadn’t recognized my face. That meant Eric had kept me out of sight. But she knew my name, which meant she knew me.

“Sorry, Mrs. Vale,” she said quickly, reaching for the phone. “I’ll inform Mr. Vale that you’re here.”

So I was right. Bella had known Eric was married.

“Mr. Vale,” she said into the receiver, her voice trembling just slightly, “your… your wife is here.”

…

I waited about five minutes before the elevator doors opened.

Eric stepped out, his expression tight the moment he saw me. “Nerissa? What are you doing here?”

“Dropping by to see you,” I said lightly, walking toward him and slipping my arm through his as if nothing had changed. “What? I’m not allowed to visit my own husband?”

He glanced at me—then at Bella—then quickly back again. “No. I was just… surprised.”

“Don’t mind me,” I said, glancing around the floor. “Go handle your client. I can wait.”

“No, no.” He took my hand a little too quickly and steered me toward his office. “Wait inside.”

He was in a hurry to get me away from Bella.

Once the door shut behind us, I turned casually, letting my gaze wander around the room. “Since when do you have such a young, lovely secretary? Bella, right? I don’t remember seeing her up here before.”

For a split second, Eric’s face changed, then the smile returned. “Oh, her? I’m not sure. I’ve seen her around a few times. Maybe HR moved her. You know how casinos work—we shuffle people around all the time.”

“I see.” I tilted my head slightly. “She looks very young. How old is she?”

His smile faltered again. He suddenly seemed very interested in the papers on his desk. “How would I know? I didn’t even know her name until you mentioned it.”

“Oh.” I nodded slowly.

I didn’t push. His explanation was already laughable enough.

…

That afternoon, I had suggested we eat something simple at the casino, but Eric wouldn’t hear of it. He insisted on taking me out for lunch. He probably didn’t want me anywhere near the office floor, therefore anywhere near Bella.

During lunch, I played the attentive wife.

I asked about the gaming room expansion, whether the late nights entertaining clients were wearing him down, if the casino needed additional capital.

Eric looked deeply moved. “You’re the only one who truly cares about me,” he said. “Having you is my greatest luck.”

I nearly lost my appetite.

“Oh, right,” I added lightly, as if the thought had just come to me. “A friend mentioned a new waterfront property. Private security. Restricted access. Maybe we should take a look?”

His fork paused midair. “A new place? Isn’t our current villa enough?”

“It’s comfortable,” I said. “But not very spacious. If we have children someday, we might need more room.”

There it was—that subtle shift in his expression.

“There’s no rush for children,” he replied quickly. “The casino’s cash flow has been tight. We shouldn’t add pressure.”

Cash flow tight?

Interesting. He hadn’t seemed concerned about pressure while buying a sea-view penthouse for his mistress through a shell company tied to our casino.

“You’re right,” I said smoothly. “We can wait.”