Amelia sat in the living room, staring at the photograph in her hands. The man standing next to Victoria looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place him. The picture was old, the edges worn and faded, but it was clear that Victoria was close to this man. Her smile was genuine, a stark contrast to the cold, calculated expression Amelia had grown used to seeing.
Lucas sat beside her, his brow furrowed in thought. "Do you recognize him?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Amelia shook her head. "No. But whoever he is, he meant something to Victoria. This smile… it's different. She looks happy here."
Lucas leaned closer, studying the photo. "Maybe he's connected to her past, something she never told us about."
Amelia nodded. "It's possible. We need to find out who he is. This could explain a lot about why Victoria did what she did."
Determined to uncover the truth, Amelia and Lucas decided to visit an old family friend, Mrs. Harper, who had known Victoria during her younger years. Mrs. Harper was a retired historian with a keen memory for details. If anyone could identify the man in the photograph, it would be her.
The couple arrived at Mrs. Harper's modest home later that afternoon. She welcomed them warmly, her sharp eyes immediately noticing the photograph in Amelia's hands.
"Ah, I see you've found a piece of history," Mrs. Harper said, motioning for them to sit down.
"Do you recognize him?" Amelia asked, holding out the photo.
Mrs. Harper adjusted her glasses and took the picture. Her expression grew serious as she examined it closely. "This man… I remember him. His name was Richard. He and Victoria were very close once."
Lucas leaned forward. "Close how? Was he a friend, or… something more?"
Mrs. Harper sighed. "He was more than a friend. They were in love. But something happened, something that tore them apart. After that, Victoria changed. She became… colder, more guarded."
Amelia's heart sank. This was a side of Victoria she had never imagined. "What happened to Richard?"
"I don't know," Mrs. Harper admitted. "He disappeared. Some said he left the country, others believed he was forced to leave by Victoria's family. Whatever the truth is, Victoria never spoke of him again."
Back at the estate, Amelia and Lucas discussed what they had learned. The idea of Victoria being in love and losing someone so important to her was difficult to reconcile with the ruthless woman they knew.
"She must have been devastated," Amelia said quietly. "If her family forced him away, it would explain a lot about her anger and resentment."
Lucas nodded. "But that still doesn't explain why this photograph was sent to us. Someone wanted us to find it. Someone is trying to tell us something."
They decided to dig deeper, starting with Victoria's personal belongings. Although she was no longer welcome at the estate, some of her things remained in storage.
Amelia and Lucas searched through boxes of old documents, letters, and photographs. Most of it seemed irrelevant until Amelia found an old journal. The cover was leather-bound, and the pages were yellowed with age.
"This could be it," Amelia whispered, opening the journal carefully.
Inside were entries written in Victoria's neat handwriting. As they read through the pages, they found entries about Richard. Victoria described him as her first and only true love. She wrote about their plans to run away together, to escape the strict expectations of her family.
But as the entries continued, the tone shifted. Victoria wrote about her family discovering their plans and the ultimatum they gave her: leave Richard or lose everything.
"She chose her family," Amelia murmured. "But it destroyed her."
Lucas pointed to the last entry about Richard. "Look at this. She wrote, 'They said he left, but I never believed them. I know he's out there, and one day, I'll find him.'"
Amelia frowned. "If she believed he was still alive, why didn't she look for him?"
Lucas shrugged. "Maybe she tried and failed. Or maybe she didn't know where to start."
As they continued searching, they found another photograph tucked inside the journal. This one was newer and showed Richard standing outside a small cabin in the woods.
"There's a name on the back," Lucas said, flipping the photo over. "Silver Ridge."
"Do you think that's where he is?" Amelia asked.
"It's worth checking out," Lucas replied.
They decided to visit Silver Ridge, a remote area known for its dense forests and secluded cabins. If Richard was still alive, this might be their chance to find him and uncover the truth about Victoria's past.
The drive to Silver Ridge was long and treacherous. The narrow, winding roads were surrounded by towering trees that blocked out most of the sunlight. Amelia felt a sense of unease as they approached their destination.
Finally, they arrived at a small, weathered cabin. It looked abandoned, the windows covered in dust and the door slightly ajar. Lucas stepped out of the car first, motioning for Amelia to stay behind.
"Let me check it out," he said.
Amelia watched nervously as Lucas approached the cabin. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. A few moments later, he called out, "It's empty!"
Relieved, Amelia joined him inside. The cabin was sparsely furnished, with only a few pieces of old furniture and a fireplace filled with cold ashes.
"There's nothing here," Lucas said, disappointment evident in his voice.
Amelia noticed a small box on the mantelpiece. She opened it to find a collection of letters, all addressed to Victoria but never sent.
"They're from Richard," she said, her voice trembling. "He was here. He tried to reach her."
As they stood in the cabin, piecing together the fragments of Victoria's past, they heard a noise outside. It was faint at first, but it grew louder a low rumble, like the sound of an approaching vehicle.
Lucas moved to the window, peeking out cautiously. "Someone's coming," he said.
Amelia's heart raced. "Who is it?"
Lucas's expression darkened. "I don't know. But whoever it is, they're not here for a friendly visit."
The sound of tires crunching on gravel grew closer. Amelia and Lucas exchanged a tense glance, realizing they were trapped.
The chapter ends with the silhouette of a man stepping out of the vehicle, holding something in his hand a gun.
The man raises the gun, aiming directly at the cabin. Amelia and Lucas have nowhere to run.