As Grace's words sank in, everyone in the room went silent, stunned by the revelation.
Jack leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Please, Aunty Grace," he whispered, almost afraid to interrupt the moment, "what happened next?"
Grace nodded, taking a deep breath as she continued. "Rita told me that she'd have left everything behind when she found out she was pregnant with you, but her mother and sister refused, despite the man she loves, being a commoner with no status or background. She feared for her life and his every day, constantly looking over her shoulder. Suddenly your father was announced dead. Although she never saw his corpse, she could do little or nothing about it, despite trying to save him, Planning to run away and give birth secretly, she made plans with her mum, sister, and trusted bodyguard with her—a man she thought would protect her. But he betrayed her, Jack." Grace's voice lowered, and her hands trembled slightly.
"He was supposed to… end her life," she whispered, her eyes dark with the memory. "But something stopped him. He couldn't do it. Instead, he warned her never to return to her family, that she would be in danger if she ever did, then he pushed her out of the moving car, and that's how she crawled into my farm ."
The room was still as everyone absorbed her words.
"Her name," Grace's voice broke slightly, "was Rita Mason."
At the mention of the name, Richard abruptly stood up, his face shocked. Without a word, he moved swiftly across the room, placing his index finger over Grace's mouth to hush her. His eyes darted to the windows, and in one smooth motion, he pulled them shut, and flicked a button on the wall, activating soundproofing around the room. Then, he took out his phone and sent a quick encrypted message to Grant, his loyal bodyguard.
"Get in here fast," he typed, urgency in every word.
Jack and Victoria exchanged a nervous glance, their curiosity piqued. When Richard returned to his seat, his expression was solemn. He looked Grace in the eye.
"Aunty Grace," he said quietly, "are you absolutely certain of what you're saying? Do you have… any proof of this? A picture, a letter… anything?"
Grace's lips curved in a small, knowing smile. "Richard," she said softly, "I have waited eighteen long years for this day. Believe me, I wouldn't come empty-handed."
Just then, a hidden panel in the bookshelf slid open, and Grant stepped into the room, a silent sentinel at Richard's side.
Richard took a steadying breath and nodded at Grace. "Aunty, please. Continue."
Grace reached into her bag, her hands carefully retrieving an old, neatly wrapped handbag, preserved through the years. She handed it over to Jack, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
"She said," Grace began, her voice thick with emotion, "that I should call you Jack Mason. She presumed… your father disappeared or was assassinated before they could even arrange a wedding. And then Rita was alone, worried, afraid…"
Jack looked at the handbag in his hands, his heart pounding. "What… what's inside?" he whispered.
Grace gave him a gentle nod. "Open it, Jack. Your mother wanted you to have this on your eighteenth birthday. She believed that by then, you would be ready."
Jack carefully unwrapped the handbag, his fingers brushing over the soft fabric. Inside, he found a small, worn envelope and a few family photos. There was one of a young woman, her striking resemblance to Jack unmistakable. Her eyes held a spark of life and bravery—and it was as though she was looking right at him. A Mason jewelry family heirloom, a limitless black card with the name Heiress Rita Mason printed on it. Grace moved over and whispered the password in Jack's ear
"Is… is this her?" Jack asked, his voice choked.
Grace nodded, smiling. "Yes, Jack. That's your mother, Rita Mason."
Victoria, who had been silently watching, finally spoke up, her voice full of awe. "Jack… this means… you're part of the Mason family? The hidden Mason family? and that Idiot called Francis had the nerve to insult you"
Richard sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Not just any part, Victoria. He's heir to one of the most powerful families in the world. Rita Mason was the heiress to the Mason fortune—hidden away for her safety for years, now I hear she died like this? the bounty for finding Rita or her child, one hundred Billion dollars is still out there."
Jack stared at the photo, struggling to take it all in. "But… why did she hide? Why didn't she come back?"
Grant, still standing nearby, spoke up, his tone respectful but firm. "The Mason family has enemies, Jack. Powerful enemies. She likely feared they would come after you as well."
Jack swallowed hard. "So… I'm… the heir?" He looked up, his gaze full of questions.
Richard placed a reassuring hand on Jack's shoulder. "Yes, you are, Jack. And as of today, you're family to me too. Whether you embrace the Mason name or not, you're one of us. I'm here to support you."
Jack looked at Richard, a mixture of gratitude and disbelief in his eyes. "I… I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything, Jack," Richard said gently. "Just know you're not alone."
Victoria smiled, reaching over to squeeze Jack's hand. "You've got us, Jack. We're in this together."
Jack's face lit up, and he looked back at Grace with teary eyes. "Grandma Grace… you kept this all these years alone, your heart must feel free now, the burden is too heavy for you?"
Grace nodded, smiling. "Yes, Jack. It's time for my heart to let go, I kept my promise to the last day, that's what I promised your Mum."
As Jack looked around the room, he felt something he hadn't felt in years—a true sense of belonging. The weight of his past, the mystery of his family, and the love of the people around him—everything was finally coming together.
"Grant, bring a new laptop and the account balance machine," Richard requested urgently. Jack carefully opened the letter, which was immediately scanned and saved. No sooner had the process finished than the letter dissolved, vanishing into thin air.
Everyone's eyes widened in amazement. Whatever secret technique Rita had used to preserve the letter for so long was incredible. The letter read:
Dear Jack,
As you read this, your mother may be long gone or hidden somewhere unknown. I have always had this nagging feeling that I might never get to hold you, that someone might be watching me, waiting to hurt me because they don't want me to bring you into this world. In the history of the Masons, a male child is rare. If I remember correctly, it happens only once every six generations. I even tried tampering with the pregnancy to alter your sex… only to find you were still a boy.
Your father… he suddenly disappeared. Someone, somewhere, doesn't want us together. They wanted me to marry into the Theodore Hidden Family, but I refused.
Do not worry; the people who take care of you will provide everything you need. But remember, only your blood can unlock the power in this family heirloom. A single drop from your right thumb will reveal the map and all I left behind for you. It will be available to you on your eighteenth birthday. The password to this account will be given to you by the one who hands this to you.
I may not be with you but know I am always watching over you, Jack. I named you after your father, Jack Taylor. Trust no one from the Mason family. If my mother is alive, say this to her… "Retrieve All." She will know who you are.
Like I said, trust no one from the Mason family. I love you, my son. This letter is self-destructive.
As Jack finished reading, tears streamed down his face, the weight of his mother's love and sacrifice pressing on his heart. They took everything from him—his family, his mother, his birthright—leaving him with only whispers and fragments of a life he'd never known.
When the document was saved on the laptop, Grant stepped forward, placing an account balance reader on the table before Jack. Jack looked over at Grandma Grace and Richard, who both nodded in support.
Taking a deep breath, Jack slid the card into the machine and entered the password Grandma Grace had told him. Instantly, rows of numbers appeared on the screen, each more astonishing than the last.
Richard's eyes were glued to the screen as the zeros seemed endless. When the numbers reached nine hundred trillion dollars, he stopped counting, his face paling. For a moment, the air in the room felt frozen in shock.
Jack looked up, his voice trembling. "This… this is all from my mother?"
Grace placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Yes, Jack. This is what she left for you. She wanted you to have it all when you were ready."
Victoria whispered in awe, "Jack… you're not just the heir… you're the legacy."
Silence settled over them as they all tried to grasp the enormity of what lay ahead.
Jack was still in shock, barely able to process everything he had heard when Grant's voice broke the silence. "So… Jack Taylor is your father?" He looked sharply at Richard, his expression filled with surprise.
Richard's face grew serious as he nodded slowly. Suddenly, fragments of memories surfaced—he remembered the night he saved Jack Taylor from an assassination attempt, the look of desperation on Taylor's face as he fled for his life, pursued by enemies who sought to kill him and Rita.
Richard's mind drifted back to that day, so many years ago, in the crowded market square. He'd been on a frantic mission, sent by Taylor himself to find a doctor who could save his life. But the doctor had coldly refused to help. Desperate, Richard had wandered the marketplace, his thoughts a blur, when he tripped over a stone and fell face-first to the ground.
Just then, a familiar voice called out. "Little Richard, what are you doing here? You're hurt!" A woman helped him to his feet, and as Richard looked up, he realized it was none other than Aunty Grace, the nurse known throughout Racoon Village for her healing skills. She was surprised to see him in the city, so far from the village.
"Aunty Grace," he gasped, feeling as if he'd just been handed a miracle. Ignoring his pain, he stumbled over his words, his voice desperate. "I need your help, please. My friend… he's going to die."
"Take it easy, Richard," she murmured, rubbing his shoulder gently. "Now, tell me slowly what's going on."
Without hesitation, Aunty Grace abandoned her shopping and followed Richard to the hidden apartment where Jack Taylor lay on the edge of life. When they arrived, she gasped, stunned by the sight. Jack Taylor looked barely alive, his body weak and ravaged. But she didn't ask questions. Her instincts kicked in—she simply did what she did best: she healed. For weeks, Aunty Grace remained in the city, nursing Taylor back to health. When her work was done, she was paid handsomely and told never to return or speak of him again. And just like that, she vanished from their lives.
Richard exhaled, coming back to the present. He realized how fate had twisted their paths, how this one woman had been there to save not only Jack Taylor's life but to later raise his son—without ever knowing the full story.
Grant looked at Aunty Grace intently, his gaze searching. He could see a woman filled with unwavering loyalty and compassion. She had sacrificed years of her life to protect Jack Mason, the young heir of the Mason family, without knowing his true heritage.
Grace straightened, her face calm, but there was something unreadable in her eyes. "There's one last thing I need to do before you all," she said, her voice steady. "Since my mission has been completed, I do not need to pretend anymore."
To everyone's shock, she raised a hand to her face, gripped a corner of what looked like her skin, and pulled away a thin, flesh-colored mask. With it came her wig. Beneath was a different face entirely—a face none of them recognized, though the voice was the same.
The room fell silent. Richard and Victoria gasped, staring at the stranger before them.
"Aunty Grace?" Richard and Victoria said in unison, their voices filled with disbelief.
Jack's eyes widened in shock. "Grandma Grace?"
Grant stayed by Richard's side, his gaze hard as he took in everything, waiting for any command.
Grace—or the woman they had known as Grace—met Jack's eyes, her expression softening. "Yes, Jack. It's me," she said, her voice gentle, familiar. "But as you can see, I am not who you thought I was."
The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, disbelief, and shock. Jack couldn't tear his gaze away from the woman standing before him—the woman he had always known as his Grandma Grace. But now, with her mask removed, she was a complete stranger.
Her real face was strikingly beautiful, a woman in her early forties, with a natural grace that spoke of both strength and elegance. Jack found himself speechless, his eyes wide as he took in every detail of the woman who had raised him in secrecy and sacrificed so much to protect him. It felt like a dream, a reality too surreal to accept.
The woman—no longer just "Grandma Grace" but someone entirely new—looked around the room, meeting each gaze steadily. "I did it for you, Jack," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "When I left the farm that day, I wasn't sure if I'd been followed. When I boarded the train to Racoon Village, I knew I had no choice—I had to change my face, my name, my entire identity. I couldn't be careless, not with the child of an heiress in my care. And so, I watched my own family search for me, year after year, never able to tell them I was alive. They even made a grave for me. I knew my sister visited often, bringing flowers, grieving the sister she believed was gone."
Her gaze softened as it rested on Jack. "I just wanted you all to see my real face once. Now, it's up to you… whether I should continue to wear the mask or live freely as myself. I can go back to being Grandma Grace if that's what's best for you."
Jack's thoughts were a whirlwind. His life had been one revelation after another recently, and this—this was almost too much to bear. He glanced over at Richard, hoping for guidance.
Richard took a deep breath, his eyes steady as he looked at the woman who had been a loyal protector for so long. "You have sacrificed so much for us, and for Jack," he said with sincerity. "But… considering everything, we need to make sure Jack's identity remains safe, at least until we fully understand the danger."
Jack nodded slowly, taking in Richard's words. He couldn't imagine losing her now, not after all she had done for him. But he also knew the stakes were high. "I don't want you to go back to hiding," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "But I also don't want to lose you, Grandma Grace—whoever you truly are. If it keeps you safe, then… then maybe, yes, you should keep your other face. At least until we know it's safe for us all."
She smiled softly, her eyes glistening with emotion. "If that's what you decide, I will wear the mask. For you, Jack."
Grant, observing the exchange, glanced at Richard, understanding the weight of their decision. "Young Master," he said, addressing Jack with deep respect, "I can help ensure her disguise remains flawless, and I'll double the security around her identity."
Richard turned to Jack, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "And as for your father, Jack Taylor… perhaps it's time to contact him. He's been searching for his wife for so long, not knowing she… not knowing she passed eighteen years ago. But he deserves to know what she left behind—a son, the heir to the Mason Family."
Jack felt his heart pounding, the thought of meeting his father filling him with both hope and fear. "If my father is alive and still searching… then I want him to know the truth. Even if he never got to be with my mother, he deserves to know that I exist."
The woman who had been "Aunty Grace" and "Grandma Grace" all these years gazed at Jack with pride. "Your mother left you something much greater than you know, Jack—a legacy, a strength, and a family that, whether hidden or known, will always be yours. I will continue to protect that legacy, in any way you need."
Jack's heart swelled, gratitude and determination mingling within him. "Thank you… for everything." He glanced around the room, his eyes settling back on her. "And, yes, until we're sure it's safe, let's keep your other face." He gave a small, bittersweet smile. "But one day, I hope we can live without masks."
As Grandma Grace knelt before him, the weight of her words sank into Jack's heart like stones.
"Young Master Mason," she said with unwavering loyalty, her voice both gentle and unbreakable. "I serve and will continue to serve." Her head bowed, radiating devotion.
In perfect unison, Richard, Grant, and Victoria fell to their knees, their voices echoing hers. "Young Master Mason, we serve and will continue to serve."
Jack staggered, overwhelmed by the scene unfolding before him. These people, who had been his family, his protectors, were kneeling before him now as though he were royalty—no, as if he were their king. He instinctively moved to kneel, unable to bear seeing them lowered before him, but Grant's hand caught him, pulling him firmly back up. The others stayed kneeling, their heads lowered.
"Do you know who you are?" Richard's voice was solemn, carrying the weight of ages. "Until you say 'stand,' we cannot rise. The royal blood of the Hidden Family cannot be undermined. You carry true power, strength, authority, grace, honor, and wealth. You are not only our leader—you are our King, King Jack Mason, the one true blood of royalty."
A tremor passed through Jack, but he steadied himself, swallowing the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to engulf him. He cleared his throat, fighting the tightness in his chest. "Stand up," he said finally, his voice low but firm, unwilling to keep his family—no, his followers—on their knees.
Slowly, they rose to their feet, their expressions as devoted and loyal as ever. Jack's heart swelled with gratitude and awe; he was not alone in this journey. They were here for him, just as they had always been, only now, with a deeper understanding of his true place in the world.