Chapter 2: The Ring
Ethan made it three steps.
Marco caught him before he reached the corridor.
There was no dramatic fight. Marco simply stepped into Ethan’s path and seized his wrist.
“Let go of me!””
“Stop moving.””
“Uncle Dominic!””
Dominic remained beside the table.
“Bring him back.””
Marco escorted Ethan toward us.
The guests began whispering.
I wanted to leave.
Every instinct screamed at me to pick Lily up, find the nearest door, and disappear.
But Dominic looked at me.
“Rachel.””
I froze.
I hadn't told him my name.
He must have heard Claire say it.
“Please stay.””
“That doesn't sound like a request.””
Something flickered across his face.
Then he nodded.
“You’re right.””
He gestured toward the doors.
“You may leave whenever you want.””
I looked at Lily.
She was still trembling.
Then I looked at Ethan.
His right fist was tightly closed.
“No,” I said.
“We’ll stay.””
Ethan stared at me with pure hatred.
Dominic held out his hand again.
“The ring.””
Ethan shook his head.
“It was my father’s.””
“I know.””
“You can't take it.””
“I gave it to him.””
Ethan swallowed.
Dominic’s voice softened.
“And I buried him wearing another one.””
A strange silence followed.
Marco forced nothing. He simply waited.
Eventually, Ethan opened his fist.
The gold ring rested against his palm.
Dominic took it.
At first, it looked ordinary: thick gold, black onyx face, the Moretti crest engraved across the surface.
Then Dominic twisted the stone.
Click.
The top opened.
Claire gasped.
Inside was a tiny compartment.
Empty.
Ethan laughed immediately.
“See?””
Dominic examined it.
“There’s nothing there.””
“I told you.””
“But there was,” Lily said.
Everyone turned.
Lily peeked from behind me.
“Powder.””
Ethan's smile disappeared.
Dominic closed the ring.
“Marco, seal this too.””
Ethan slammed his palm onto the table.
“This has gone far enough!””
Lily jumped.
I stood.
“Don't shout around my daughter.””
Ethan looked at me as though I were beneath contempt.
“You bring a child into my family’s home, let her destroy property, accuse me of poisoning someone, and now you’re giving orders?””
“Ethan,” Dominic warned.
But Ethan kept going.
“People like her always do this.””
Claire stiffened.
I stared at him.
“People like me?””
“Desperate people.””
His voice dropped.
“People who see a wealthy family and smell opportunity.””
I felt Lily's fingers tighten around mine.
Before I could answer, Dominic spoke.
“Apologize.””
Ethan laughed.
“To the caterer?””
“Event coordinator,” Claire said coldly.
Dominic didn't blink.
“To Rachel.””
Ethan looked around.
Dozens of guests were watching.
“No.””
Dominic's jaw tightened.
Then a woman hurried through the ballroom doors.
She wore a black evening gown and carried a tablet.
“Mr. Moretti.””
Dominic turned.
“What?””
“Dr. Salazar called.””
She lowered her voice, but the room was so quiet I heard every word.
“The preliminary test on the frosting is positive.””
My stomach twisted.
Dominic became motionless.
“For what?””
The woman glanced at Lily.
“I think we should discuss that privately.””
“No.””
Dominic's voice was ice.
“Say it.””
She hesitated.
“There was a sedative compound in the sample.””
Someone dropped a champagne glass.
It landed on the carpet without breaking.
Ethan went pale.
“That proves nothing.””
Dominic turned toward him.
“It proves Lily was right.””
“No, it proves something was in the cake.””
“And you had a hidden compartment in your ring.””
“So?””
Dominic stepped closer.
“Who was the slice for?””
Ethan opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then I remembered something.
When Lily had run forward, Ethan had been holding the plate.
But he hadn't been eating.
He had been walking around the table.
Toward Dominic.
I looked at the overturned chair at the head of the table.
Then at the cake.
“Oh my God.””
Dominic heard me.
“What?””
“That wasn't Ethan's slice.””
Ethan's head snapped toward me.
I continued.
“He was carrying it to you.””
Dominic slowly turned.
For the first time all night, the billionaire looked genuinely shaken.
Ethan recovered quickly.
“That's absurd. I was bringing my uncle birthday cake. That's what families do.””
Dominic stared at him.
“Then why didn't you eat any?””
“I wasn't hungry.””
“You ate two appetizers.””
Ethan said nothing.
Dominic looked toward the woman with the tablet.
“How dangerous?””
“The doctor said the amount detected wasn't likely lethal.””
Ethan exhaled.
Too visibly.
Dominic noticed.
“So you knew.””
“No.””
“You just looked relieved.””
“Anyone would!””
Dominic turned to Marco.
“Call security.””
Ethan suddenly laughed.
A strange, broken laugh.
“You still don't understand.””
Dominic stopped.
“Understand what?””
Ethan looked directly at me.
Not Dominic.
Me.
Then he looked down at Lily.
“You think she saved you?””
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“What does that mean?””
Ethan smiled.
“Ask Rachel.””
My skin prickled.
“I don't know you.””
“Oh, I know.””
His smile widened.
“You don't remember.””
Dominic looked between us.
“Rachel?””
“I've never met him before tonight.””
Ethan leaned across the table.
“Tell him your full name.””
I stared at him.
“Rachel Bennett.””
Dominic went still.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
The color vanished from his face.
“Bennett?””
I frowned.
“Yes.””
Dominic's fingers tightened around the back of a chair.
“What was your father's name?””
I felt the room disappear around me.
“My father died when I was nine.””
“What was his name?””
“Daniel.””
Dominic stumbled backward.
Marco caught his arm.
Ethan began laughing again.
Dominic ignored him.
His eyes were fixed on me now.
“Daniel Bennett?””
“Yes.””
Dominic whispered something under his breath.
Then he crossed the ballroom, unlocked a drawer built into the antique cabinet beside the fireplace, and removed an old photograph.
His hands shook as he brought it to me.
I looked down.
Two young men stood beside a boat.
One was Dominic.
The other was my father.
And written across the bottom in faded ink were five words that made my knees weaken.
*Dominic, protect my daughter Rachel.*
I looked up.
“What is this?””
Dominic's eyes filled with something I couldn't name.
Before he could answer, Lily tugged my sleeve.
“Mommy.””
I crouched.
“What?””
She pointed toward Ethan.
He wasn't laughing anymore.
He was staring toward the ballroom entrance.
Lily whispered, “That's the other man.””
I followed her finger.
A stranger in a gray suit had just stepped through the doors.
May you like
And when Dominic saw him, the photograph slipped from his hand.
“Daniel?””
