“Listen to me,” Quinn said. “I don’t know what Sylvia told you, but it’s not what you think. She took your memories. You had two visions of the cornfield draining the shadow garden dry. She stole that from you.”

“I love you, Addison,” Sylvia said.

Irene almost threw the older woman to the ground.

Addison worried at her lip, but ultimately she shook her head. “Sylvia’s the only one here who showed me the truth. I’ve never been good enough for this family. I thought you’d understand that, Quinn.”

“If I hadn’t watched Sylvia mess with your head, I’d be really pissed at you for saying that,” Quinn said. “Actually, I’m still a little pissed.”

“Whatever Sylvia’s asked you to do, it’s not going to help the garden,” Irene said. “She wants this land as much as Nate does.”

“You’ve got it all wrong,” Addison said. “I can fix this.”

“You can’t trust Sylvia,” Maura said.

“Our family’s hatred for the Bonners kept both of you from ever loving me. You gave up the truth of who I am because you couldn’t put that hatred aside,” Addison said. “Well I’ve finally found a family that loves me the way you never did.”

Each word out of Addison’s mouth cut right to Irene’s core. Her daughter’s aura faded until only chrysanthemums remained—their yellow blooms a sign of neglected love, their white petals a symbol of honesty. Addison believed every word she was saying.

“That’s not true,” Irene said. She’d been the best mother she knew how to be. “Everything I have is yours.”

“Not everything,” Addison said. “You could never reconcile my magic. And you know why? Because it wasn’t yours.”

Irene’s eyes widened. Of course. What Addison had done with River, the way her magic had always taken more than should’ve been possible. She had more than just Haywood power in her. She was a Bonner, too.

“Baby, I know,” she said. “And I’m sorry.”

“We both understand better now,” Kaden said. He took a step toward her.

Addison’s eyes widened. “What?”

Irene pulled the bottle with her name on it out of the bag. “I saw it all in here.”

“I see,” Sylvia said, her eyes flicking to Quinn. “It seems my suspicions were right about you.”

“I was wrong, and I’m sorry,” Maura said to Addison. “I should’ve listened to you this morning. I should’ve listened to you from the beginning—your leaves led us all here. To the truth.”

Addison shook her head. “Sylvia loves me.”

“Sylvia lied to you,” Irene said.

“I showed her where she comes from,” Sylvia said.

“Something you could’ve done years ago, but you waited until it would have the most impact,” Irene said. “When it would tear my family apart.”