Chapter 2 — The Silence That Was Manufactured
The living room remained quiet except for the sound of paper sliding across the floor.
Michael opened one letter after another.
Each one began the same way.
My dearest Emily...
He had written about lonely nights overseas.
About missing home.
About dreaming of holding her again.
About counting the days until he returned.
Emily slowly sat on the staircase.
Tears streamed silently down her face.
"I thought..."
"...you stopped loving me."
Michael looked up in disbelief.
"What?"
"You stopped writing after three months."
"I thought something changed."
He shook his head.
"I wrote every week."
Margaret finally spoke.
"I was trying to protect you."
Michael stared at her.
"Protect us from what?"
"You loved her more than your own family."
Emily lowered her eyes.
Margaret continued quietly.
"I thought..."
"If enough time passed..."
"...you would come home and realize she'd moved on."
Michael's face hardened.
"You tried to erase my marriage."
May you like
His mother said nothing.
Because she couldn't deny it.
