Chapter 9 - The Unsent Letter
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The room was completely silent for several seconds. The hum of the medical monitors felt deafening.
“There is one more thing you need to know, Hannah,” Martin Shaw said quietly, breaking the silence.
I gripped the edge of my blanket. “What is it?”
“Thomas knew his son was weak,” Martin confessed. “Before Thomas passed away, he came to my office. He was terribly sick, but his mind was crystal clear. He handed me a sealed envelope.”
My breath hitched. “Another letter?”
“Yes. But this one wasn't addressed to Adrian.”
“Who was it addressed to?”
Martin looked directly into the camera lens, his faded blue eyes holding mine. “It was addressed to you, Hannah.”
Emma, who was sitting at the foot of my bed, gasped softly.
“To me?” I whispered, my heart racing. “Thomas only met me twice! We barely spoke at family dinners before he passed!”
“Thomas was a master observer of people,” Martin explained. “He saw how Adrian acted around Vivian—nervous, desperate for approval, willing to bend any rule to keep her happy. But Thomas also saw how Adrian acted around you during those brief months before you two got married.”
Martin reached down beside his desk and picked up a heavy, old-fashioned manila file folder. He pulled out a sealed white envelope with my name written across the front in fading dark ink.
“Thomas gave me strict instructions,” Martin said. “I was to deliver this letter to you only if the trust was ever compromised or if Adrian did something unforgivable to put your life in jeopardy.”
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“He foresaw this?” I breathed, horrified.
“He hoped he was wrong,” Martin said softly. “He prayed that Adrian would grow a spine and become a real man under your influence. But Thomas wanted to give you a weapon to defend yourself if the worst ever happened. I am sending the original document to Detective Morris via courier right now.”
