Chapter 18

Relying on memory, Victoria scoured the city for her mother's paintings, sparing no expense whenever she found one. Over the years, Stein had been by her side, always reaching out the moment he heard any news.

"No, there must be more out there just waiting to be found," he said.

Victoria's voice was soft but steady. "Thank you, cousin."

Back at Stein's home in Echo City, he led her into the parlor where a small memorial for his late wife stood. Stein handed her three sticks of incense.

"Go on-pay your respects to your cousin-in-law."

Victoria accepted the incense, lit them, and bowed three times, each movement deliberate and sincere. Rising, she looked at Stein.

"Are you really never going to remarry?"

want her own child. I don't want Jimmy to lose his father after

was calm, but his words carried a quiet

Any other man with his means would likely have remarried by now, but Stein had chosen to stay single for seven years for his son, and for the

mentioned last time I pulled some strings and got you the approval. It's yours now,

the conversation, his tone that of

to spend your whole life

swirling around McNeil. No one in Starfall City seemed to know McNeil was married. Some even whispered about a childhood sweetheart he'd kept hidden for years-how they'd had a daughter together, a girl

and Victoria's, yet

she and McNeil were married, but there had never been a wedding. The Langfords barely recognized Victoria's relatives, let alone a cousin

Victoria's dark eyes. "I'm the largest shareholder in the

at her, incredulous. "The Langfords agreed to

like McNeil-who'd built his fortune on a secret marriage and treated

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