Exhausted, Maggie slumped into Daniel’s old armchair, folder on her lap. She closed her eyes, torn between dread and fragile hope. What if he had betrayed her? What if he hadn’t? Only one path remained: follow his instructions, wherever they led. Tomorrow, she would face the truth.
Morning light spilled across the driveway as Maggie clutched the safety deposit key. The town seemed unchanged, yet she felt herself moving through a different world—one Daniel had built in silence. Each step toward this bank tightened the coil of fear in her chest.