Chapter 1

I am a professional pearl diver.

This time, I barely made it back from the shark-infested depths alive.

But as I climbed onto the jagged rocks of the cove, I saw my husband.

He was pinned against the stones, lost in a heated embrace with his childhood sweetheart.

"Gavin, darling, everyone says you're the perfect husband, tending to your mother-in-law's deathbed every single day," Ruby whispered breathlessly.

My husband's voice was dripping with a dark, playful affection. "Sweet Ruby, are you actually jealous?"

"To be honest, that old woman died a long time ago."

"If I didn't keep up the lie, Lyra would never risk her life in the deep sea to make me money."

My fingers dug into the sharp coral until they bled.

Gavin had told me he was using every cent I earned to pay for my mother's life-saving treatment.

The reality was a cold, jagged blade to my heart.

1

"I've almost saved enough now," Gavin whispered, his voice full of greed.

"Soon, I'll buy you that massive estate on the Gold Coast."

"I knew I was the only one in your heart," Ruby purred, her voice like a cat's.

"Of course. She's just a tool to me. Now, hold me tighter…"

The sounds of their betrayal filled the salty air, making my skin crawl.

I looked down at the glowing Siren's Heart Pearl in my hand.

It was a legendary treasure that took centuries to form, nearly impossible to find.

I had almost drowned in the riptide to get it, saved only by a lucky piece of driftwood.

I squeezed the wood until my knuckles turned white and swam for the shore with everything I had.

Once I landed, I immediately called for an old taxi to take me to the city hospital.

I had to see if the man I loved had been lying about my mother's life.

My father died in an accident five years ago, and Mom fell ill two years back.

The medical bills were astronomical, which was why I became a pearl diver.

It was a death sentence for most, but for her, I faced the abyss every day.

Why did Gavin say she was already dead?

Suddenly, Gavin appeared at our cottage, looking perfectly composed.

His eyes lit up with a flash of greed when he saw me.

"Lyra! You're finally back! Did you find anything valuable today?"

I looked at his eager face and felt a hollow, freezing void in my chest.

I hid the Siren's Heart in my bodice and pulled out a cheap, common pearl.

"Luck was bad today. I only found this."

He grabbed the pearl, inspecting it for a moment before his face darkened with disappointment.

"A whole day and night for just this piece of junk?" he muttered under his breath.

"How is my mother doing?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"I just came back from visiting her. The doctor says she's stable as long as we keep paying for the medication."

He was so convincing, such a natural liar.

If I hadn't heard him with Ruby, I would have fallen for that concerned face again.

My heart twisted as I realized he had been handling all the sales.

He always claimed it was too dangerous for a woman to carry cash or negotiate with dealers.

For years, I had no idea how much money I had actually made.

He was using my mother's memory to keep me in the water while he fed his mistress.

I clenched my fists as my taxi arrived at the gate.

Gavin's face paled when I said I was going to the hospital in the city.

"You just got back, Lyra. Why go all that way now?"

"I haven't seen her in weeks. I need to see her for myself to feel at peace."

I tried to move past him, but he grabbed my arm and threw me to the ground.

I scraped my elbow on the gravel, looking up at him in shock. "What are you doing?!"

He didn't say a word, his face a mask of cold fury as he dragged me toward the house.