I sat frozen in my chair, staring at Master Wilkerson as his words echoed in my mind. My maternal grandparents were coming to see me—strangers who shared my blood but had never before acknowledged my existence.
"Your Grace?" Master Wilkerson's concerned voice broke through my daze. "Are you quite well?"
I straightened my spine, grateful for years of practiced composure. "Yes, quite. This is... unexpected news."
"Indeed." He nodded sympathetically. "But potentially beneficial to your case. Your grandparents' testimony could strengthen our position against your stepmother and half-sister."
"Do they know about my situation?" I asked, absently touching the edge of my mask—a habit I couldn't seem to break even now.
"Only what was necessary to persuade them to meet with you. They seemed genuinely interested in reconnecting."
I wasn't sure whether to laugh or scoff. "After twenty-four years of silence?"
