The morning sun streamed through the windows of George's Chicago apartment, casting long shadows across the kitchen table where he sat with his coffee. The diary was closed now, tucked away in the drawer where he kept his most precious belongings. But its contents still haunted him. The revelations about Richard Sterling. The secrets his mother had kept. The truth that had been buried for decades.
George stared out the window, watching the city wake up. Cars honked. People walked their dogs. Children ran to school. Normal life. Something he hadn't experienced in a long time.
Sam walked into the kitchen. She was dressed for work, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She looked at George with a mixture of love and concern.
"You're up early again."
"I couldn't sleep. I keep thinking a
