Chapter 42

"It's okay." Vivian gave a small, gentle smile. "It’s not like it’s some huge secret anyway." Tristan knew he should steer the topic back to Daphne’s background. That made the most sense. But when he looked into the girl's warm, bright eyes, something caught in his throat. He knew his sister had been adopted by the Grants, and not just that—she’d been taken in at one and dumped back in the countryside at two like she was nothing. He had no idea how she’d gotten through those years in that remote village. He’d tried to dig, but there was just nothing to go on. That tiny, backwater place had been wiped out by a fire five years ago—gone, just like that. Everything after she turned two was a total blank. But he knew—deep down, he knew—his sister's life hadn’t been anything like theirs. No privilege. No warmth. Just survival. His eyes burned at the thought. He dipped his head quickly, trying to breathe through it and keep himself together. "You don’t need to feel bad, Mr. Knight," Vivian sa