Page 1 of Lessons in Touch

Chapter 1

Rose

I am adopted.

The truth came when I was sixteen. Even now, seven years later, I remember exactly how it felt—like everything I thought I knew about myself had shifted in a single second.

Not only that. My biological family is the Devereauxs—one of the most powerful billionaire dynasties in America.

Billionaires.

It still feels like a story written for someone else, or a movie I somehow wandered into.

I’m twenty-three now. Graduated three months ago, in June, though it still feels like yesterday. The gray London sky matches the feeling in my chest—relief, yes. No more exams. No more nights spent trying to finish a paper at 3 a.m.

But sadness comes with it, too. I miss my friends. I miss knowing what comes next. And beneath all that, excitement flickers. Tonight, I’m flying to New York to start a life I can’t fully comprehend.

I’m Rose Devereaux.

I’ve carried this name since the day when my parents sat me down and told me who I really was. What I didn’t fully grasp back then was the scale of it—being the rightful heir to one of the most powerful fortunes in the world.

The Devereaux legacy, steeped in wealth and whispered scandal, has lingered in the background of my life for over seven years now. But I kept living my life here in London, far from the world I was born into.

Now, with graduation behind me, it’s time to step out of the shadows and claim what’s mine.

I pull my coat tighter and walk past groups of people huddled under their umbrellas. Voices blur behind me as I head for the subway. There’s water in my shoes and it makes me cold, but I don’t care—my mind is fixed on what comes next. My mother says it isn’t just money.

It’s a new life that feels too big to step into. I’ve always been the quiet type. Better with books than with people. More comfortable reading poetry than playing games of power. The Devereaux world feels overwhelming—like a storm they don’t teach you to survive.

The subway takes me back to our small flat in the Bethnal Green neighborhood. Inside, the air smells like tea and Mum’s lavender soap. It’s warm and comforting after the cold. I find my parents at the kitchen table.

Dad gestures to a chair. His hands are rough from years of work.

“Rose, love, sit. Big day, isn’t it?”

I set my bag down. My chest tightens as I join them.

“It’s surreal,” I say, feeling my voice getting unsteady. “Last class done, and now… New York.”

Mum pours tea for all of us. Her eyes shine with tears she’s trying to hold back. She manages a smile, though her voice trembles when she speaks.

“We’re so proud of you, Rose. University is finished, and now you’re heading to the other side of the world. Your birth family is waiting.”

I lift the cup, take a sip, and try to steady my breath.

“Do you think I can do this? They’re one of the richest families in the world. And me… I’m just me.”

I look around at the familiar room—the wallpaper peeling slightly in places, but the pattern is one I’ve always loved; the mugs chipped, but they’re ours, and I’ve known them all my life.

Our life here is simple. But it’s full of happiness.

Dad laughs and says, the smile still lingering on his face, “You’re more than enough, Rose. You’re clever, kind, and stronger than you think. They’ll see it, just like we do.”

Mum takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

“When we told you the truth, you faced it bravely. Scared, yes, but you kept going. This is your moment, love.”

“I still can’t believe that I’m taking a private jet to New York. It feels surreal.”