The Counterfeit Heir

Helena Lockwood has perfected the art of invisibility.

As the penniless poor relation, she exists in the margins of her aunt's household—fetching shawls, managing tantrums, and fading into wallpaper while her spoiled cousin Arabella hunts for a titled husband. Helena has no fortune, no prospects, and no expectations beyond a lifetime of quiet servitude.

Then she catches the eye of the one man she was never meant to notice.

Adrian Cathcart, Viscount Ashworth, is living a lie.

Seventeen years ago, a desperate earl legitimized his illegitimate son and fabricated a story about a childhood spent abroad. Now Adrian is heir to an earldom, darling of the ton, and terrified that one whispered truth could destroy everything. He's spent years perfecting his performance—charming, eligible, untouchable.

Until a sharp-eyed wallflower sees straight through his mask.

Helena intrigues him in ways he can't afford. Adrian unsettles her in ways she doesn't understand. But as stolen glances become stolen conversations, and guarded hearts begin to open, a far more dangerous threat emerges.

Sybil, the Dowager Viscountess Ashworth, knows Adrian's secret—and she wants him for herself.

Armed with letters that could expose everything, Sybil offers Adrian a choice: marry her, or watch his world burn. Now Helena and Adrian must fight for a future that was never supposed to be theirs, against an enemy who would rather see them destroyed than happy.

At the dramatic cliffs of Ravencliff, secrets will surface, loyalties will be tested, and the counterfeit heir will finally discover what it means to be truly seen.