Nathaniel smiled, a genuine expression that softened the lines of stress and sorrow etched into his face. “I promise,” he said fervently. “We’ll uncover the truth together.”
As they re-entered the restaurant, Vivienne was waiting, her expression unreadable. She had been a silent observer to Nathaniel’s pain for years, yet never had she imagined it would resurface so unexpectedly. Her grip tightened around the stem of her wine glass as the pair approached.
“Vivienne,” Nathaniel said, his voice firm and resolute, “we need to talk. All of us.”
Vivienne’s eyes flickered towards Aurora, then back to her husband. She had kept her own secrets, buried them deep in the hope they would never see the light of day. But now, faced with the undeniable, she realized her past choices were unraveling.
The three of them moved to a quieter corner, away from prying eyes and ears. Nathaniel took a deep breath, preparing to confront the past. Vivienne sat stiffly, her facade of control slipping. Aurora, caught between them, felt a sense of anticipation and dread.
“Vivienne, I need you to tell me everything,” Nathaniel began, his tone leaving no room for evasion. “All those years ago… what really happened to our daughter?”
Vivienne hesitated, her carefully constructed world on the brink of collapse. But one look at Aurora’s searching eyes, so much like Nathaniel’s, and the walls she had built began to crumble.
“It’s time for the truth,” she whispered, her voice barely audible but carrying the weight of years. “I owe you that much.”
In that moment, the past was poised to meet the present, and the future held a glimmer of hope for a family that had long been torn apart.