EMILY SMITH

The letter arrived unexpectedly, tucked between the gallery mail and a stack of bills. The envelope was plain, the handwriting unmistakably hers—Emily’s. My heart beat a little faster before I could even think.

I hesitated before opening it. Five years. Five long years since she’d been taken away. Five years of anger, confusion, grief, and rebuilding my own life without her.

Inside was a simple note:

“Laura,

I’ve been denied parole. I will be here for a long time. And yet… I feel something I haven’t felt in years. Peace. I don’t know if it’s remorse, acceptance, or just time, but for the first time, I can breathe...