*Lily*

The call with Victoria stirred up emotions about my own mother I hadn’t felt in years. I ended the telephone call with her abruptly. Her tone remained kind and questioning when I thanked her for the offer, but I wanted to concentrate on my creations—which was true. There was no mention of William, our relationship, or our arrangement.

The contract I signed and returned to Grace gave me the security I needed to keep working, confident in my abilities. Once ...