At the lawyer’s office, the air felt still, heavy with the scent of old paper and coffee. Andrew sat quietly beside me, his hands clasped tightly together. Lauren crossed her legs, her heel tapping lightly against the floor, her gaze drifting across the room as if she were evaluating it.
Michael began reading.
At first, everything seemed ordinary. Small personal items, charitable donations, sentimental gifts. Lauren pretended disinterest, but I could see the way she leaned forward ever so slightly whenever anything of value was mentioned.
Then Michael paused.
He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a sealed envelope.
“She asked for this to be read first,” he said. “It’s addressed to Andrew… and Lauren.”
Andrew’s breath caught. Lauren smiled faintly.
Michael opened the letter.
“Andrew,” he read, “if you are hearing this, it means I am no longer here to protect you from what you chose not to see.”
Andrew’s head snapped up.
Lauren’s foot stopped tapping.
The room grew heavier, as if the air itself had thickened.