Lilith could see the surprise and the flicker of shock on her stepsisters' faces as they laid eyes on her. It was clear their father hadn't informed them of her arrival. A small, almost smug satisfaction stirred in her chest as one of them turned visibly pale, her gaze sweeping from Lilith's feet to her face and back again, wide with disbelief.
"Please, sit," Gerald said, gesturing to the empty seats around the dining table.
Lilith was the first to move, settling at the far end of the table. Her fingers curled slightly around the napkin in front of her. To her right, Viktor took his seat, while Charlotte sat to her left.
"Father, you didn't say she was the one visiting," Prudence leaned over and whispered to her father.
"I didn't," he replied in a low voice. "I didn't want to ruin your mood for the day. I know how you feel about her."
"Well, it's ruined now. I hope she isn't planning on staying here," she muttered. "Like... actually staying?"
