A month later, Louisa Watson—my aunt, the woman I'd claimed as my mother—took a sudden turn for the worse, her condition critical.
Victor accompanied me to the private hospital.
Once inside, I asked for a few moments alone with her, a request Victor granted without argument, stepping out into the hallway to give us privacy.
I leaned in close, taking her frail, trembling hand in mine, my voice low and urgent. "Auntie, Desmond's free. He's allied himself with the Thorne family, married to their heiress. The brothers are tearing each other apart publicly—it won't be long before Miranda can't stay hidden any longer."
Louisa's breath came in ragged, painful gasps, her grip on my hand weak but desperate. "Lillian, your mother was killed by the Finches. You have to avenge her. That person wil
