Victoria rushed outside, but the mysterious man was already walking away.
“Wait!” she shouted.
He stopped without turning around.
“You finally recognized me,” he said quietly.
Victoria’s voice shook.
“Who are you?”
The man slowly faced her.
“My name is Daniel Rosewood.”
The world seemed to stop.
“Rosewood…” Victoria whispered.
He nodded.
“The name inside your ring isn’t your family’s name.”
Victoria’s knees nearly gave out.
Daniel looked toward the little girl, who was now standing silently in the restaurant doorway.
“Her mother was my sister.”
Victoria stared at the child.
“No…”
Daniel reached into his coat and pulled out an old photograph.
It showed two young women laughing together.
One of them was Victoria.
The other wore the same ruby ring.
“You disappeared after the fire twelve years ago,” Daniel said. “Everyone believed you had lost your memory.”
Victoria’s heartbeat thundered in her ears.
She remembered flashes… smoke… screaming… someone placing the ring on her finger…
“I… I don’t remember…”
Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.
“You weren’t born a Harper.”
He pointed gently toward the little girl.
“You’re her aunt.”
The child slowly walked forward, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“So… you’re really my family?”
Victoria fell to her knees and wrapped the little girl in her arms.
For the first time in twelve years…
She remembered her real name.
