Chapter 1 — The Baby Above the Courtyard
Adeline’s scream echoed across the mansion courtyard.
“Give him back!”
High above her, Grandmother Rowena stood on the second-floor balcony.
Baby Merrick was in her arms.
But she was holding him far too close to the stone railing.
Adeline’s heart seemed to stop.
“Rowena, move away from the edge.”
Rowena’s face was pale with anger.
“Give me what I asked for.”
Adeline stared at her.
“Not while you’re holding my baby like that.”
“Then perhaps you should have thought about that before taking something that doesn’t belong to you.”
“It isn’t yours either.”
Behind Adeline, the courtyard doors burst open.
Her husband, Stellan, ran outside.
“What is happening?”
He followed Adeline’s horrified gaze.
Then froze.
“Mother?”
Rowena looked down.
“Stay out of this, Stellan.”
His face changed instantly.
“You’re holding my son over a balcony.”
“I’m holding him.”
“Move back.”
“I said move back!”
Merrick began crying.
The sound made Adeline’s legs feel weak.
“Please.”
She no longer cared about the argument.
“Just give him back.”
Rowena adjusted the baby in her arms.
For one terrifying second, Merrick twisted.
His blanket slipped.
Rowena reacted too late.
The baby’s small body shifted from her grip.
Adeline screamed.
“MERRICK!”
Stellan ran beneath the balcony.
Everything happened in seconds.
Merrick slipped.
Rowena reached.
Missed.
Stellan threw both arms forward.
He caught his son against his chest.
The force knocked him backward onto his knees.
But he never let go.
Adeline ran toward them.
“Merrick!”
Stellan was shaking.
He held the crying baby tightly against himself.
“I’ve got him.”
“I’ve got him.”
“He’s okay.”
Adeline touched Merrick’s face.
His hands.
His little feet.
He was crying loudly.
But he was moving.
Breathing.
Holding onto Stellan’s shirt.
Adeline pressed her forehead against his.
Then slowly looked up.
Rowena stood frozen at the balcony railing.
For one moment, Adeline’s face showed only fear.
Then the fear became fury.
She stood.
“You wanted this?”
Rowena’s expression changed.
Adeline pointed toward the mansion.
“Fine.”
“Here it is.”
She stormed through the courtyard doors.
Stellan remained on the ground holding Merrick.
“Adeline?”
She crossed into the kitchen.
On the marble counter sat her silver purse.
She opened it.
Reached beneath her wallet.
And pulled out a folded cream-colored document.
Rowena had come downstairs by the time Adeline returned.
She stopped the second she saw the paper.
“Don’t.”
Adeline ignored her.
She opened the document in front of Stellan.
“Read it.”
Stellan was still holding Merrick.
His hands shook as he took the first page.
At the top was an embossed family-court seal.
Below it:
FINAL ORDER OF ADOPTION
Then:
Child: Stellan Vale
Stellan stopped breathing.
He looked at Adeline.
Then Rowena.
“Adoption?”
Adeline pointed toward Rowena.
“Now tell him what you’ve been hiding.”
Rowena said nothing.
Stellan looked back at the page.
Under Biological Mother was a name he knew very well.
But it was not Rowena’s.
It read:
EVELYN VALE.
Stellan slowly looked up.
“Aunt Evelyn?”
Rowena’s face went completely pale.
And for the first time in Stellan’s life, the woman he had always called his mother had no answer ready.