When we finally pulled into our driveway, Dad turned off the engine. For a long moment, he sat there, his face shadowed. Then, in a voice low and heavy, he spoke words that made my stomach drop.
“Emily shouldn’t be married to David. He’s not who he says he is.”
Dad ran a hand through his graying hair. His eyes filled with sorrow.
“I didn’t want to ruin her wedding without proof,” he said. “But two nights ago, I went to David’s apartment to return some tools. He wasn’t home, but his mailbox was overflowing. One letter caught my eye. No return address — just a name: Rebecca Morales. I recognized it instantly.”
I frowned. “Who is she?”
His voice cracked. “My sister. Your aunt. The one who disappeared twenty-five years ago.”
The Letter That Changed Everything
The name hit me like a lightning bolt. I had only heard whispers growing up — rumors of a sister Dad had lost touch with, stories Mom always shut down before details emerged. Rebecca was more ghost than relative.
But Dad pulled a folded envelope from his pocket and slid it across the table.
I read the handwriting slowly:
“My dear David, I know you don’t want contact, but I cannot stay silent anymore. I’ve watched from afar for years. Your father kept you from me, but I’ve always loved you. Your new life in Chicago sounds promising. Please don’t shut me out completely. — Rebecca Morales”
Which meant Emily had just married her cousin.
An Impossible Choice
Continue reading…
