In just a few days, our family suffered the loss of three members, and the news quickly spread throughout the neighborhood. Rumors swirled among the locals; some claimed we were cursed, while others suggested a string of murders. The police returned to our house, and this time their demeanor was noticeably different.

A young officer, looking concerned, spoke seriously, "This situation is too unusual. We need to see that letter."

Esther sat on the couch, her head bowed in silence. I noticed her rubbing her little finger repeatedly—a telltale sign she wasn't being truthful.

"The letter... My husband already burned it," she murmured, her voice slightly trembling.

A shock ran through me—Esther was lying. But why? What could be so frightening in that letter that she felt the need to hide it?

The officers exchanged uneasy glances, clearly dissatisfied with her answer. They continued questioning, hoping to uncover some leads. I sat there, half-listening to their conversation, my mind elsewhere.

Suddenly, I looked up to find Esther's gaze; her eyes were a storm of emotions—sorrow, fear, and guilt. A chilling thought struck me: if the letter was truly that dreadful, did it mean something terrible for those who read it?

My heart raced, overshadowed by a sense of foreboding. Esther knew something, yet she chose to keep it secret. Why?

The police's questioning yielded no concrete evidence of foul play, and they eventually left. The young officer gave me a meaningful look on his way out, as if to say, "If you remember anything, feel free to contact us."

The room was left with just me and Esther, an oppressive silence hanging between us like an invisible barrier. I hesitated before speaking, "Mom, what did that letter really say?"

Esther's lips moved as if to speak but then fell silent. She shook her head, "I don't know."

No matter how I pressed, Esther insisted she didn't know the letter's contents. The weight of depression became unbearable, so I turned to medication and therapy for relief.

Whenever the darkness crept in, I'd find myself kneeling before Esther, begging for any hint of the letter's mysteries. But she would only shake her head in silent resignation.

"They're better off dead..." she would mutter, her eyes vacant.

In moments of clarity, guilt overwhelmed me. They were her closest family—the pain she bore was far greater than mine. What right did I have to force her to relive such horrors?

We moved to a neighborhood on the other side of the city, far removed from that place of nightmares. Yet, in the quiet of the night, I often woke up soaked with sweat, haunted by memories of that day.

Life was a blur until I met Rowen Ferguson. He was my new therapist, young and gentle, with eyes that seemed to peer into my very soul. On that day, it was pouring rain, and I had forgotten my umbrella, standing awkwardly at the clinic's entrance. As he wrapped up his work, he handed me a steaming cup of coffee and offered to walk me home. The raindrops tapped a soothing rhythm on the umbrella.

"Rain's pretty nice," he remarked, staring into the distance. "When it rains, everything gets a chance to start anew." It reminded me of something Atlas once said. I turned to look at him, and for a moment, his silhouette merged with Atlas’s in my mind. My heart started racing.

In the days that followed, I found myself often inviting him to go to the movies, grab dinner, and even orchestrate "accidental" meetings. I knew it was inappropriate, but I couldn't help it. I was desperate for someone to fill the void and chase away my fears, and Rowen was simply there at the right time.

My unusual behavior must have been obvious to Esther. One evening, when I got home late, I was surprised to find the living room light on. She was sitting on the couch, gazing at me with a serious expression.

"Mom..." I said, feeling guilty.

"You're in love, aren't you?" she asked directly.

I stayed silent. Since Atlas's passing, our conversations had dwindled, replaced by heavy, unbearable silences. I never imagined our first meaningful conversation in so long would begin like this.

Seeing my silence, Esther's face grew somber, and she stood, moving towards me. "Leave him! Don’t be with anyone. You can’t be with anyone!" Her face was contorted with fear and desperation.

Her sudden outburst shocked me. "Why? Tell me why?" Anger surged within me. "Atlas's death wasn't meant to prevent me from moving on, and now you want to stop me too, why?"

I stepped towards Esther. "What did that letter say? Tell me!" I shouted desperately, tears streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks. Esther's face went pale, and she stumbled backward, hitting the wall.

"You don’t understand..." she murmured. "You just don’t understand..."

"Then tell me!" I screamed, "Do I have to jump off a building like them for you to finally tell me the truth?"

She only shook her head. I sank to the floor in despair, looking at the elderly woman before me, her hair all white, feeling utterly powerless.