In his place stood a young man who had been carrying a secret for me.
I stared at the dusty jewelry box, my hands trembling as Lucas unlocked the tiny clasp to expose a truth that would change everything.
"I wanted to tell you sooner."
My hands shook as I lifted the lid of the jewelry box.
Lucas stood beside me, quiet, watching my face.
Inside, beneath a folded velvet cloth, I found a thick envelope and a smaller sealed letter with my name written in my mother's neat handwriting.
"Lucas, how long have you had this?"
"A while," he said softly. "Open the letter first."
I found a thick envelope
I peeled the envelope open, my fingers clumsy.
The paper inside was worn at the folds, like it had been read many times.
My mother's words filled the page.
My dear child, if you are reading this, then something has gone wrong, and I never got the chance to tell you in person.
