The doorknob turned slowly.

Victoria instinctively stepped in front of Elena's hospital bed while the little girl hid behind her.

The door opened.

The same man from the restaurant stood in the hallway.

His cold gray eyes settled on Elena.

"So..." he said quietly.

"You finally found each other."

Victoria's pulse thundered.

"Stay away from my sister."

The man smiled.

"I've waited seventeen years for this reunion."

Hospital security guards rounded the corner after hearing raised voices.

The stranger calmly walked away before anyone could stop him.

"He won't run forever," Victoria whispered.

But Elena grabbed her wrist.

"You don't understand."

"He always has another plan."

That night Elena finally revealed everything.

Seventeen years earlier, she had worked as an accountant for a powerful businessman named Adrian Cross.

By accident, she uncovered evidence that he had been laundering millions through fake charities and illegal property deals.

When Adrian learned she had copied the financial records, he kidnapped her.

Everyone—including Victoria—had been led to believe Elena had died in a boating accident.

Instead, Adrian kept her imprisoned for years, forcing her to reveal where she had hidden the evidence.

She never told him.

Eventually she escaped with the help of another captive.

By then she was pregnant.

The little girl, Lily, was born while Elena lived under false identities, constantly moving to stay alive.

The only thing she had managed to keep from her old life...

...was Victoria's gold Rosewood ring.

She had secretly given it to Lily, telling her that if she ever met a woman wearing its twin, she should say only one word.

"Rosewood."

Because only Victoria would understand.

Victoria embraced both her sister and niece.

"No one will ever separate us again."

But Adrian had already begun his final move.