This was Sylvia's handwriting.
Adrian's fingers drifted unconsciously over the familiar script, brushing against tear stains that had long since dried into the paper. His heart clenched painfully, twisting into a tight knot.
The sheer number of those stains alone was enough to convey the depth of sorrow behind these words.
Sylvia, who had only ever dared to love him in secret, who had only ever dared to dream of marrying him in the pages of her diary, had written a blessing for him and Bianca instead, wishing them a lifetime of happiness together. She had said that she would never marry him, not even 20 years later.
"Is that from your missing friend? The one you've been looking for?" Tina had wandered over without him noticing.
Adrian startled and instinctively snapped the diary shut.
