The past isn’t all black and white(2)

Lixue stared at the documents handed to her by the butler, her fingers tightening around the edges. The birth certificate and accompanying DNA results seemed unnecessary at first glance, but the butler's next words caught her attention.

"Madam, the master asked me to give you these," he said evenly, his expression measured. "He thought it was time you understood the full picture of what happened between your mother and the family."

Lixue's jaw tightened, her expression unreadable. "The full picture?" she repeated. "I've heard enough of the past to know it wasn't kind to my mother."

The butler met her gaze with a calm steadiness. "Your mother suffered greatly, but not all of it was inflicted upon her. Some of her suffering stemmed from choices she made, young miss. The master believes it is important for you to understand that the blame does not lie solely with him or this family."