The envelope lay unopened on the kitchen table, its neat seal daring Clara to break it. Her hands hovered above it, trembling, while her heart pounded like a drum in her ears. She had faced death in hospital wards, whispered final goodbyes into fading pulses, but nothing like this.
Upstairs, Emily’s laughter rang out faintly, a melody of innocence and trust. Eighteen years of scraped knees, bedtime stories, and whispered prayers lived in that sound. Eighteen years Clara had fought to protect. And now, with one flick of her hand, all of it could vanish.
She pressed her palms flat against the table, closing her eyes, fighting back the rising dread. She had promised herself she would be strong when the time came, but the truth was unbearable. If she opened that envelope, she might lose the only thing that ever made her whole.