Chapter 15 - The last letter
The letter sent six days before Elena arrived explained why Veronica was panicking.
Elena wrote:
Alexander,
I am done guessing.
I have copies of delivery confirmations for thirty-four letters.
If you truly received them and chose not to answer, I need to hear that from you once, in person, so I can stop building explanations around silence.
I will arrive in New York next Tuesday.
I am not coming to take Sofia.
I am not coming to create a scene.
I am coming because three years is enough.
Elena.
Veronica received it Wednesday.
We found the envelope opened.
Inside the shoe box.
The following day, Veronica rescheduled Sofia’s nanny.
Friday, she removed two Elena photographs from Sofia’s room.
Danielle put one back.
Saturday, Veronica told Sofia:
“Mommy pictures are making you act like a baby.”
Sunday:
First maid-uniform incident in nearly six weeks.
Tuesday:
The shoe-polishing punishment.
Why that day?
Sofia had asked:
“Mommy come?”
How did she know?
Danielle had accidentally mentioned:
“someone may visit Daddy today.”
Sofia connected it to letters.
Veronica became angry.
According to Danielle, Sofia said:
“I want Mommy.”
Veronica answered:
“Your mother didn’t want to stay.”
Then Sofia threw a shoe-cleaning cloth.
Three-year-old rebellion.
Veronica put her in the maid uniform.
The final punishment began.
I came home earlier than expected because my last meeting canceled.
Chance again.
Had I arrived at six as scheduled, Elena might have reached the mansion first.
She might have walked into the same scene.
Or Veronica might have changed Sofia and hidden the box.
We will never know.
I stopped making alternative timelines after therapy taught me they produce no new evidence.
May you like
The one we lived was enough.
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