Chapter 31

The morning sun filtered through the blinds of Scot and Mia’s apartment, casting long shadows across the living room. Scot was engrossed in a stack of paperwork when he heard Mia’s sharp intake of breath. The sound cut through his focus, and he quickly moved to the source.

In the living room, Mia stood frozen by the coffee table, her face a mask of shock and distress. She clutched a letter tightly in her trembling hands. Her eyes, wide with a mix of fear and sadness, met Scot’s as he approached.

“What is it?” Scot asked, trying to keep his voice calm despite the sudden rise of anxiety in his chest.

Mia handed him the letter, her hands shaking. “It’s... it’s something I didn’t expect.”

Scot took the letter and began reading. The contents were chilling and detailed aspects of Mia’s past that she had never disclosed. The anonymous letter described her teenage years with unsettling clarity, painting a picture of survival that was far from the life she had built for herself.

The letter det