Tom couldn't bear the thought of his sister, Ava, lording her inheritance over him. Ava had never been the favorite, and now, at 26, she had her fortune handed to her while Tom, at 20, was left in the shadows. The thought of her bossing him around, flaunting her wealth, and treating him like a child fueled his determination. He was willing to endure any humiliation—even the absurd charade of pretending to be Aunt Aria's daughter—if it meant getting his share of the inheritance and finally gaining freedom from Ava's control.