Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest inside Amelia. Years melted away, replaced by the stinging memory of the day she'd betrayed Clara. The crumpled paper in her hand, the apology letter, felt heavy, leaden. She’d found it tucked inside an old book. A book she’d never expected to open.

Her fingers, usually nimble and quick, trembled as she traced the faded ink. Clara’s elegant script, so familiar, now seemed like a ghost from a past she’d desperately tried to bury. Amelia bit her lip, the taste of blood a bitter reminder. The letter mentioned the lost necklace, the accusations, the friendship shattered. She should have spoken up. She should have defended her.

The fire crackled in the hearth, offering no warmth. Amelia rose and walked to the window, watching the rain blur the world outside. The letter felt cold against her skin.