Hazel had no idea when she had fallen asleep. The clatter of the photo album slipping from her hands startled her awake.

Outside, dawn was breaking with a pale, smoky light. She stepped out of the study, not bothering to look down, and nearly tripped over someone lying on the floorGabriel, who had stationed himself dutifully by the door.

Before either of them could speak, the butler appeared at the top of the stairway, holding a phone.

Sir, its the young miss, he announced.

Hazels gaze fixed on the phone, her breath catching. It was her daughter! Caro, the elder of the twins.

Gabriel, promptly reading the room, took the phone and pressed the speaker button so Hazel could hear her daughters voice as well.

Dad, Caros voice came through, brisk, direct, can you give Zach Zeller more access? Like, if its under ten million, let him decideso we can skip all this back-and-forth stuff. Its such a hassle. Anyway, I need eight hundred thousand now, wired to my account here, the one back home. Dont mess it up. Gotta go, bye!

Before Gabriel could get a word in edgewise, Caro had hung up, leaving no room for refusal.

Their father-daughter exchanges rarely deviated from this formulashe asked for money, he sent it. Simple. Transactional.

Have the butler contact Assistant Zeller to

Wait! Hazel cut in, rubbing her temples with unmistakable irritation. She asks for money, and you just give it? Caro is seventeen, Gabriel! What on earth does she need eight hundred thousand for? Did you bother to ask before you handed it over?!

When their children were born, Hazel had vowed never to raise entitled heirs. Yet now, before shed even reunited with her daughter, she was discovering the kind of child Gabriel had been fosteringa spoiled, reckless one.

Gabriel caught the storm brewing in Hazels expression and hastily offered a weak defense. Haz, youre the one who said we should raise our daughter with a silver spoon.

In his role as father, Gabriel had always felt hed come up short, and so he compensated with indulgence, sparing no expense.

So no wire transfer, then? he asked carefully.

Hazel didnt respond right away, her silence unnerving. Gabriel chose prudence and added, Ill call her back now and ask her what its for.

On the other end, Caro was stunned to see her father calling back. It was unprecedented. Never before had he questioned her requests for money.

What is the money for? Gabriel asked directly.

Caro froze, her confidence momentarily shaken. This was a firstto be interrogated like this.

Just, you know stuff. Clothes, bags. It adds up fast, she answered vaguely.

Gabriel glanced at Hazel. Her face was set in a frown, clearly unimpressed. It didnt take a genius to know Caro was lying.

Caro, Gabriel said, his tone cooling, dont lie to me.

Caro gripped the phone tightly. Her father had always maintained a hands-off approach. Why now? But she knew him well enough to realize there was no point withholding the truthhed find out eventually if he wanted to.

One of my classmates was being mocked for being poor, she admitted hesitantly. I wanted to buy him a car, something to shut those jerks up.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. A male classmate?

There was a pause before Caro gave a quiet yes. Henry Harrison. He didnt ask me for itI decided on my own.

No, Gabriel said flatly, his voice brooking no argument. Thats not a good enough reason.

Caro stammered, desperate to explain further, but the call ended abruptly. She stared at the phone in disbelief. Just eight hundred thousand Why was her father suddenly so stingy?

That evening, Caro received another startling callthis time from her great-aunt Madison. According to Madison, someone had seen her father bring a woman home. Did she know anything about it?

Something clicked in Caros mind. Of course. That was why hed denied her! Somebody had gotten into his earsome conniving woman! Oh, shed deal with this person. Just wait until she returned home.

But that was a matter for another day. For now, Gabriel, having ended the call with his dismayed daughter, found himself facing Hazel, whose displeasure was far from abating.

Youre so thoughtful, arent you, when it comes to the kids, she said, her voice a lethal shade of calm.

Her words, ground out through clenched teeth, drove the point home. Gabriel, brilliant businessman that he was, had failed spectacularly when it came to parenting.

Im sorry. I was wrong, he murmured, offering no defense.

The butler, standing to the side, scarcely dared to breathe. Hed seen enough to understandthis new Mrs. Hazel was no ordinary woman.

Hed assumed the mistress versus stepmother clash would end with Hazel retreating and the master of the house asserting his authority. Instead, Gabriel left looking thoroughly chastened, and the so-called domineering head of the Jennings Group had reduced himself to a man utterly under his wifes thumb. Remarkable.

Case in point: Gabriel couldnt even wire eight hundred thousand to his daughter without Hazels approval. Who would believe it?

It lent new perspective to an old sayingthe presence of a stepmother changes the dynamic with the father. The butler couldnt help but internally smirk at the irony.

But his own survival instincts kicked in. Gabriel was willing to stand up to his own children over Hazel; what chance did a mere butler stand if he stepped out of line? Resolving to stay firmly in Hazels good graces, he stiffened his professionalism further.

So when Madison Gale called, probing for information about Hazel, the butler refused to let slip even a single detail.

MadisonHazels cousinhad often looked in on Caro and Victor after Hazels difficulties years ago. Andrew, Hazels eldest, knew of the tension between his mother and Madison and kept her at arms length. But the twins had been too young to grasp those old grievances, and Madison had used the opportunity to build a relationship with them, occasionally extending her concern to Gabriel.

Gabriel knew all of this. His reasoning? The children could benefit from a maternal figure taking an interest in their lives. As for Madisons greedwell, letting her skim some money off the top wasnt worth making a fuss over.

But none of it escaped Hazels notice. And Gabriel would learn soon enough that the allowances hed made in the past would no longer pass unchallenged.

The years had slipped by uneventfully.

Now, it seemed Madison had caught wind of something. Word had reached her about a woman appearing by Gabriel's side, and she wasted no time dialing the butler for answers.

Back in the study, the butler was still recovering from his earlier discoveryMr. Gabriel Lynch, the epitome of authority, turned out to be entirely henpecked. So when he saw Madisons name flashing on the phone, he let out a disdainful huff.

Every time Madison appeared with the young lady of the Lynch family, she carried herself with the airs of a matriarch, her intentions so transparent they were almost laughable. She might as well have been auditioning for the role of lady of the house.

With a tone no warmer than ice, the butler dismissed her inquiries with a few noncommittal phrases and hung up. Turning to the window, he exhaled deeply. He could sense ithis workdays were about to become far more chaotic.

Upstairs, Gabriel was still attempting to salvage his reputation.

Caros been overseas for her exchange program. Shell be back next week. Victor and his friends went to the neighboring city for the marathon, so they wont be home this weekend, Gabriel explained, sharing updates about the childrens whereabouts as if to prove he wasnt entirely neglectful.

Resting his head on Hazels shoulder, he held her tightly around the waist, his voice softening with every word, spilling over with affection he couldnt seem to restrain.

If the butler had seen Gabriel in that momentclinging like a bird seeking warmthit mightve rendered him speechless.

Hazel, however, paid no attention to Gabriels tender facade. The household was far more tangled than shed anticipated. Andy was bristly as a hedgehog; her daughter seemed caught up in a whirlwind of infatuation; and her youngest son

Well, his situation didnt seem much better.

First things first, Hazel decidedshe needed to rest and approach the problems one by one. If Andy returned tomorrow as expected, shed face him with her best self, a mother restored to what he remembered.

But the next day didnt bring Andrew. It brought someone else entirely.

The tea youve chosen this time is excellent, wonderfully fragrant, Madison remarked to the butler, though her gaze drifted repeatedly to the base of the staircase. Today, she was here to confront the mysterious woman, to see her face-to-face.

Gabriel had been a model of discretion all these years, and nowout of nowherethis woman appeared, setting off every alarm in Madisons mind.

Yes, Madison harbored those sorts of feelings for Gabriel.

The butler, increasingly uneasy, wished he could show her to the door. Yet he was trapped by his professional obligations. Madison had arrived under the pretense of delivering something to the young lady of the house, leaving him little recourse.

This paintbrush set is a gift for Caro, Madison explained. The poor child forgot to bring it with her. Oh, and by the way, butler, I heard

Not satisfied with eavesdropping over the phone, Madison had come in person, determined to catch a glimpse of the woman. Shed arrived early, certain she wouldnt leave disappointed.

Butler, whos here? Its so noisy.

Madisons chatter cut off abruptly as her gaze jerked upward, landing on the figure descending the stairs. The sound of her own breath caught.

The woman moving toward them had a grace that was impossible to overlook. Despite a face mask obscuring the details of her features, her beauty was unmistakableexquisite, radiant, designed to turn heads.

Her waist was slender, her skin so pale and luminous it seemed to glow. With full curves and a flawlessly smooth neck devoid of a single line, she radiated vitality Madison could no longer claim.

Clutching her teacup, Madisons fingers whitened under the pressure. Another stab of envy pierced her. Youth had fled her grasp, no matter how rigorously she maintained her appearance, and no cream or routine could compete with the fresh allure of someone so young.

Hazel had risen not long ago and planned a quiet moment reclining on the second-floor balcony, seeking a bit of solace. Hearing the commotion downstairs, she decided to investigate.

Her eyes met Madisons, sharp with jealousy and hostility, and Hazel recognized her instantly. So, the infamous Ms. Madison Gale hadnt changed one bitstill coveting what was never hers to begin with.

Hazels gaze drifted, thoughts spinning, and then it came to her, light as a breeze. A gentle, knowing smile curled her lips. Oh, a guest, she said, her tone laced with honey.

Before I came down, I asked Honey to sleep a little longerhes been exhausted lately. If theres something you need, my dear, you can tell me, and Ill be sure to pass it along to him.

The moment Madison realized she hadnt recognized this woman, Hazel seized her chance to play her part.

Ms. Gales face darkened so dramatically it was almost comical. Watching quietly from the side, the butler gave an imperceptible thumbs-up. The new lady of the house was something elseone line, and shed disarmed the opposition entirely.