Chapter 2 - The Sapphire Room
Aurum House occupied three discreet floors of a Manhattan building with no obvious sign outside.
My company had maintained a corporate membership for client dinners.
Daniel knew that.
What he apparently didn’t know was that divorce automatically terminated his spouse privileges at midnight—but the card authorization remained active until I removed it.
Dad had known Daniel would try something before then.
That bothered me.
When we reached the Sapphire Room, the atmosphere was no longer celebratory.
Daniel stood beside the table arguing with a waiter.
Vanessa wore a magnificent sapphire necklace.
The table looked absurd.
Rare wine.
Jewelry boxes.
Crystal glasses.
A private dinner designed to humiliate me with my own money.
Daniel saw me.
“You.”
He charged toward me.
“Unlock the card.”
“No.”
“You embarrassed me!”
“You attempted to charge $998,214 to my company.”
“It was marital property this morning!”
“It isn't now.”
Vanessa touched Daniel’s arm.
“Danny, stop.”
Then the waiter quietly interrupted.
“Sir, there’s another issue.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
“This card was flagged with a security instruction seven days ago.”
I slowly looked at Dad.
Seven days.
The divorce had been finalized today.
“Dad?”
Richard said nothing.
Then Vanessa finally looked directly at him.
Her wineglass slipped from her fingers.
It shattered.
She backed away.
“No.”
Dad’s face changed.
Vanessa whispered:
“You were supposed to be dead.”
Everything stopped.
Daniel went pale.
“Vanessa.”
She ignored him.
“You told me he died.”
“Shut up.”
I stared between them.
“Who told you?”
Vanessa pointed at Daniel.
“He did.”
Daniel seized her arm.
“Enough.”
She ripped free.
“Don't touch me!”
Then Vanessa looked at me.
There was no smugness left.
Only panic.
“Emily, you don't even know why he married you.”
My stomach dropped.
Daniel stepped between us.
“She's drunk.”
“Why did you marry me?”
He said nothing.
Dad’s gaze had settled on the sapphire necklace.
Slowly, impossibly, tears filled his eyes.
“Take that off.”
Vanessa clutched it.
“What?”
“Take. It. Off.”
“Dad, what is happening?”
He stared at the necklace.
“That belonged to your mother.”
My breath caught.
“That’s impossible.”
“I bought it for her.”
Vanessa whispered:
“No.”
Dad looked at me.
“She wore it the last night I saw her.”
“My mother died in a car accident.”
Richard’s voice broke.
“We thought she did.”
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Dad looked directly at Vanessa.
“Because the woman we buried…”
May you like
He swallowed.
“…wasn't your mother.”
