Chapter 4 : Whispers of the Past

The revelation about Samuel's death weighed heavily on Olivia as she walked home with Mia by her side. The quiet evening air did little to calm her nerves, and the deeper they dug into the past, the more Olivia felt the weight of the hidden secrets pressing down on her.

"So what now?" Mia asked, breaking the silence.

Olivia shook her head. "I don't know. Someone went to a lot of trouble to cover this up. I just... I don't understand why no one ever talked about it."

"They probably wanted to protect your grandmother," Mia suggested. "Maybe she doesn't even know the full truth."

Olivia frowned. "But why would my great-grandfather go so far to keep Samuel away from Mary? There has to be more to this."

As they approached Olivia's house, Mia glanced at her phone. "I've got to get home. Let me know if you find out anything more."

"I will," Olivia promised, watching Mia head off before she turned toward the house. As she reached the front porch, her grandmother was waiting by the door.

"You went to the estate, didn't you?" her grandmother asked softly, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and sadness.

Olivia hesitated, then nodded. "I had to. I needed to know what happened."

Her grandmother sighed and motioned for Olivia to sit with her on the porch swing. They sat in silence for a moment before her grandmother finally spoke.

"I was younger than you when Samuel disappeared," her grandmother began, her voice thick with emotion. "My father forbade my mother from ever seeing him again. He was furious when he found out about their relationship."

Olivia listened intently, her heart aching for her grandmother. "Did you know what happened to him?"

Her grandmother shook her head, her eyes misty. "Not at first. My father told me that Samuel had run away. He said Samuel wasn't good enough for our family. I didn't find out the truth until years later, when I overheard a conversation between my father and one of his old friends."

Olivia's breath caught in her throat. "What did they say?"

Her grandmother's voice trembled. "They said that Samuel had died-drowned in the river. But I always suspected it wasn't an accident. My father... he had a temper, and he would've done anything to protect the family's reputation."

A cold shiver ran down Olivia's spine. "You think he was involved?"

Her grandmother didn't answer directly, but the look in her eyes told Olivia everything she needed to know.

"I don't have proof," her grandmother continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I've lived with the guilt for so long-knowing that my mother's happiness was taken from her. And I think that's why she was never the same after Samuel disappeared."

Olivia felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Her grandmother reached for her hand, her grip surprisingly firm. "Because I was afraid. Afraid of the truth, afraid of what it would mean for our family. And because I didn't want you to carry the same burden."

"But I do," Olivia said quietly. "I need to understand what really happened."

Her grandmother sighed deeply. "Then be careful, Olivia. Some things are better left in the past."

But Olivia knew she couldn't leave it alone. There were still too many unanswered questions, and she wasn't going to stop until she knew the full story.

Later that night, Olivia lay in bed, unable to sleep. Her mind kept replaying the conversations with her grandmother, the letters, and Samuel's tragic fate. She felt a strange connection to Samuel and Mary, as if their story had become intertwined with her own life.

Unable to rest, she grabbed her phone and began researching the events of 1972. The local archives online were sparse, but there were a few mentions of Samuel's disappearance. Every article described it as a tragedy, a young man who vanished without explanation.

But there were no mentions of foul play-nothing to suggest that Samuel's death was anything more than an accident. Olivia's frustration grew as she scrolled through page after page of information that led nowhere.

Then, something caught her eye-an old photograph from the town's archives. It was taken at a community event in 1972, just weeks before Samuel's disappearance. In the background, Olivia recognized the Carter estate, and standing near the edge of the photo, partially obscured by a group of people, was a young man. Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she zoomed in on the photo.

It was Samuel.

But there was something else in the photo that made Olivia pause. Near Samuel, a man stood watching him, his expression cold and calculating. Olivia couldn't make out the man's face clearly, but a sense of unease crept over her as she studied the image. There was something familiar about him.

Suddenly, Olivia's phone buzzed with a text. It was Mia.

You up? I can't stop thinking about the letters.

Olivia quickly texted back: Me neither. I found a photo from 1972. I think someone was watching Samuel before he disappeared.

Mia's reply came almost instantly: Can I come over?

Of course, Olivia responded.

A few minutes later, Mia arrived, her face pale and worried. Olivia showed her the photograph, and Mia's eyes widened.

"This guy," Mia said, pointing to the man near Samuel. "Do you know who he is?"

Olivia shook her head. "Not yet. But I have a feeling he had something to do with Samuel's death."

Mia stared at the photo for a long time before speaking. "We have to find out who he is."

Olivia nodded in agreement. "And we will."

As they sat in the dim light of Olivia's room, staring at the old photograph, Olivia knew one thing for certain: the truth about Samuel's disappearance was still out there, buried beneath decades of secrets. And she wasn't going to rest until she uncovered it.

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