Chris's voice took on a storyteller's cadence as he continued. "Nyrosia has belonged to its native people for centuries. But in the early 1900s, five businessmen from New York discovered this place. Instead of exploiting it, they made a deal – they'd help Nyrosia export its gold, connecting it to the global economy while keeping its existence secret."
Lily listened, mesmerized despite her shock.
Chris went on. "And Lily sweetie, your great-grandfather… was one of those five council members, yes. As was Avery's. That's the real source of both your families' wealth. The story of tech startups and savvy investments? That's just the cover."
Lily's mind raced through childhood memories – the whispered conversations, the mysterious business trips. It all made terrible sense now.
"What about the other three council members?" she asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
Chris's expression darkened. "Greed is a powerful thing, Lily. Over the years, the council members turned on each other. Schemes, betrayals, even..." he paused, choosing his words carefully, "elimination of competition. In the end, only your family and the Sterlings remained."
Lily felt the blood drain from her face. People had died over this? Been killed for gold?
"That's why," she whispered, her voice shaking. "That's why my parents never told me. They were protecting me from this... this land of gold and greed." She stood up abruptly, panic rising in her chest as she looked around the luxurious room with new eyes. Every golden fixture, every expensive decoration now seemed tainted with blood.
"Why did you bring me here?!" She shouted at Chris, her voice cracking with emotion. "If my parents wanted to keep me away from all this, why did you drag me into it?"
Chris stood too, reaching for her, but Lily backed away. "Because you needed to know the truth," he said.
Chris moved closer, his presence both comforting and intimidating. "You can't be kept from your truth forever, Lily. You deserve to know what you're meant for." His fingers gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then traced along her jawline, making her breath catch despite herself.
"You should take over this gold mine for yourself, sweetie. It's your right. The main board directors want you as the heir, not Avery Sterling."
Lily swallowed hard, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach at his touch. "Why?"
Chris's smile was almost predatory as he explained, "Your father – he's honest, sincere in his dealings with the Nyrosia people. They trust him, and by extension, they trust you. That's what's driving Avery crazy." He chuckled, as if the whole thing was an amusing game.
But as Lily looked up into his ocean blue eyes, she saw something she'd missed before. Behind the charm and the gentle touches, there was ambition – cold, calculating ambition.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Chris had almost married Avery before their contract marriage. He'd saved Lily's life with a heart transplant, bound her in a contract... it had never been about love or even attraction.
It was business. Pure, ruthless business.
She was just another gold mine to him, a treasure he'd recognized when she couldn't see her own value. Every touch, every smile, every moment of seeming tenderness – it had all been calculated to bring him closer to Nyrosia's wealth.
The realization hit her like a physical blow, making her chest ache where her borrowed heart beat steadily. She'd been such a fool, thinking there might be something real between them. But Chris Eaton didn't fall in love – he made investments.
And Lily? She was just his latest acquisition.
As Chris continued talking about board meetings and future plans, Lily felt her world crumbling for the second time that day. First, she'd lost her innocence about her family's wealth. Now, she was losing her illusions about the man she'd begun to fall for.
"Enough!" Lily's voice cracked, her doe-brown eyes brimming with tears. "You... you're a horrible person, Chris." Her voice trembled, barely able to form words through the tightness in her throat.
Chris's smile faltered, genuine confusion crossing his features. "What? Lily, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" She let out a bitter laugh that sounded foreign to her own ears. "You tricked me. Played with my heart, all for... for this!" She gestured wildly at their opulent surroundings. "The contract marriage, saving my life – it was never about me, was it? Just another business deal for the great Chris Eaton!"
"No, Lily, I really do like you—" Chris stepped towards her, arms outstretched.
"Don't!" She pushed him away, her palm connecting with his chest. "Don't touch me. I don't trust you. I don't trust anyone anymore."
Before he could respond, she ran into the nearest bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind her. She collapsed onto the bed, her body shaking with sobs.
How had she become such an easy target? Then it hit her – her parents. In trying to protect her, they'd made her ignorant, vulnerable. A lamb among lions.
Wiping her tears with trembling hands, Lily pulled out her phone and video called her mother. The screen filled with the image of her mom getting a pedicure, the picture of relaxed luxury.
"Hi, dear! How are you doing?"
Lily forced a smile. "Hi, Mom... Guess where I am?"
"Where, sweetie?"
"I'm in Nyrosia!"
The change in her mother's expression was immediate and devastating – shock, fear, and guilt flashing across her face in rapid succession.
"Lily, dear. There's something you need to know..."
"I already know it all, Mom! I just called to thank you for keeping me in ignorance and ruining my life." The bitterness in her voice surprised even her.
"What happened? How did you find out? Who told you?" Her mother's voice rose with panic. "Your father and I are coming right away—"
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll manage." Lily ended the call, letting her phone drop onto the bed beside her.
She stared up at the ceiling, feeling more alone than she ever had in her life. Everyone had deceived her – her parents, the man she'd begun to fall for. She'd been living in a bubble, protected and ignorant, while the real world of power and greed swirled around her.
She was just an innocent little lamb — in the world of lions.