Chapter 2 - THE NOTEBOOK BEHIND THE WALL
I blocked Kate before she reached the closet.
For the first time since I walked inside, she looked afraid.
“Daniel, move.”
Her voice was different.
The fake kindness was gone.
The woman who smiled at me every morning disappeared.
I looked at Lily.
She was shaking.
“Why does she want that closet?”
Lily didn’t answer.
She just looked down.
Like she was afraid the truth would make things worse.
I opened the closet door.
Inside were old blankets, cleaning supplies, and boxes from Emily’s belongings.
Nothing looked unusual.
Then Lily stepped forward.
She pointed behind a loose wooden panel.
My heart stopped.
“Daddy… there.”
I moved the panel aside.
Behind it was a small plastic container.
Inside was a notebook.
A broken pencil.
And dozens of folded papers.
Fourteen months of writing.
Fourteen months of fear.
Kate rushed toward me.
“Those are lies.”
But her voice was shaking.
I opened the first page.
The date was fourteen months earlier.
The day after Emily’s funeral.
May you like
The first sentence made my hands tremble.
“Daddy is always gone. Aunt Kate says nobody will believe me.”
