The last taillights vanished into the mist as rain whispered against the windows, leaving the house wrapped in silence. Every room felt hollow, echoing with memories of Richard—his laughter, his presence, his scent still lingering faintly in the air. The weight of loss and uncertainty pressed down on me until I could barely breathe. Yet amid the grief, one thought burned brighter than all the rest: I needed answers.
Richard’s study was the heart of his world, meticulously organized and always locked when not in use. Tonight, it felt like a vault of unspoken truths. The dim light from the desk lamp revealed the familiar leather chair, the neat stacks of documents, and the faint smell of his cologne. My fingers trembled as I reached for the drawer I’d avoided since his passing.
The message I had received earlier replayed in my mind—the one that hinted Richard might still be alive. My heart thudded in my chest as I felt along the drawer’s edges until I found what I was looking for: a hidden latch. With a quiet click, a secret compartment slid open, revealing a single cream-colored envelope addressed to me in Richard’s unmistakable handwriting.
Inside was a will—different from the one my children had presented. This version felt right, compassionate, balanced. Everyone was provided for, even relatives who had been excluded before. A portion of the estate was left under my management, accompanied by a note of trust and gratitude. This was the Richard I knew—the man who led with both logic and heart.
But the discovery raised new, haunting questions. Why had he hidden this version? Why send a cryptic message if he was gone? My mind spun through possibilities—betrayal, danger, deception. Could my children have known? Or was Richard protecting us from something larger?
Before I could dwell further, my phone buzzed again. The same unknown number flashed across the screen. I opened the message with trembling hands:
“There are things you don’t know. Meet me at our place tomorrow. Midnight.”
“Our place.” The cabin by the lake. The one Richard and I had always called our sanctuary. My pulse quickened. Was it truly him—or a cruel trick designed to pull me deeper into a web of lies?