Shallow

In the aftermath of scandal and shipwreck, Liam Baines and Mei-Lin have built a fragile new life in Guangzhou. Their love has survived exposure, betrayal, and the fury of Lady Victoria Montague. But Victoria did not perish in the typhoon. She survived. And she has spent every waking moment plotting her revenge. Now she returns, not as a spurned fiancée, but as something far more dangerous: a woman with nothing left to lose. She will not simply destroy Liam. She will take everything from him. His family. His legacy. His future. When Victoria orchestrates the kidnapping of Liam's wife and two young children, she sets in motion a chain of events that will test the limits of love, sacrifice, and survival. Anna Thornton, a woman of strength and quiet dignity, must find the will to protect her children against impossible odds. Andrew and Mei, innocent victims of a cruel feud, face terrors no child should ever know. Liam is left shattered but not broken. He will cross oceans, burn empires, and confront his darkest fears to save those he loves. But Victoria has planned for every move. She has allies in high places, secrets that cut deep, and a hatred that knows no bounds. The chase will take him from the teeming streets of Guangzhou to the treacherous waters of the South China Sea. Shallow is a story of survival, justice, and the unbreakable bonds of family. It is the second book in the House of Baines series, a sweeping historical saga set in the volatile world of 1899 China, where love and betrayal walk hand in hand.