Chapter 1

I am Luna Croft. My boyfriend, Smith Caldwell, called himself a "casino master." Every time he went gambling, he came back loaded with winnings.

It wasn't until later that I realized he always chose the same table.

And the dealer at that table was his so-called untouchable dream girl, Alice Moore.

"Luna, I'm a millionaire now. You're way out of your league-so let's call it quits. Alice is my true love. She gives me both fortune and pleasure," he added with smug certainty.

I said yes, only to watch him lose every last dollar at the table moments later.

He shoved me straight into the hands of the loan sharks who had come to collect his debt.

"This is my girlfriend. I'm giving her up to settle my debt. She's an orphan. Even if you ruin her completely, no one will come after you!"

The casino staff and the loan sharks closed in on me, but I couldn't help laughing.

"Let your boss come out and talk to me," I demanded.

The moment those words left my lips, the entire casino went silent.

The loan shark leader froze, as if he hadn't heard me right.

Smith burst out laughing.

"Luna, are you crazy? Who the hell do you think you are, asking to see the boss?"

The face that had once captivated me was now twisted with disdain.

"Quit the act. Go with them, and maybe they'll go easy on you."

Beside him, Alice, the most beautiful dealer in the casino and his so-called true love, clung to his arm with the air of a victor.

Her bright red nails traced lazily across Smith's chest.

"Smith, stop wasting your breath on her. We should be celebrating," Alice cooed.

Her voice was soft and syrupy, dripping with practiced flirtation.

The gamblers around us looked at me with open glee, savoring my humiliation.

I ignored them, letting my gaze cut past the crowd and land on a figure hurrying from the far corner of the casino.

It was Hansen Doyle, the regional manager of the casino.

He was a man who had served under my father for twenty years.

The moment he saw me, his face drained of color, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he nearly stumbled to the floor.

"Miss... Miss Croft!" Hansen stammered.

Hansen nearly scrambled across the floor, shoving aside the loan sharks who tried to block his way.

His voice trembled with fear.

The crowd parted on its own, leaving a path before him.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone present, Hansen bent at a ninety-degree angle before me, his head nearly touching the floor.

"Miss Croft, what brings you here? This... this is my failure!" he stammered.

Smith's grin froze on his face.

Alice's hand slipped from his arm.

The loan sharks who had looked so vicious moments ago twitched nervously, exchanging bewildered glances as if they couldn't make sense of the situation.

"Mr. Doyle," I said calmly. "My boyfriend, Smith, owes money here."

I pointed first at Smith, then at the loan sharks.

"He planned to use me as payment."

Hansen's body trembled even harder.

He snapped his head around, his gaze as fierce as a predator's.

"Take the two of them down!" he barked, pointing at Smith and Alice.

The casino guards moved faster than I expected, rushing in at once and pinning Smith and Alice on either side before they even realized what was happening.

"What the hell are you doing? Hansen, have you lost your mind?"

Smith thrashed wildly, his face flushing from pale to crimson.

"What trick did you pull on Mr. Doyle? You bitch!"

I watched his frantic rage and found it nothing but laughable.

Hansen ignored him, turning instead to the loan sharks and speaking with icy authority.

"Smith's debt will be recorded under the casino for now. Now take your men and get out of here immediately. If I see you again within two minutes, you can forget about ever doing business in Las Verdan."

The loan shark leader wasn't stupid.

He looked at Hansen, then at me, forcing a smile uglier than a sob while nodding and bowing repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, we'll leave right away!" he babbled.

They scattered like frightened animals, bolting faster than rabbits.

Smith and Alice were pinned tightly by security, still spitting curses.

"Luna! Who the hell are you really? Let go of me!"

"Smith is mine! You crazy bitch!" Alice shrieked.

Watching them, I realized for the first time that the past two years of my relationship had been nothing but a joke.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

"Dad, I'm at Paradise Palace Casino, Hall Three. Yeah, I've run into a bit of a mess."