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Novel Catalog
Chapter 27 Let It Go
sound of footsteps approaching. He quickly stood up, his eyes sharp as he looked toward the door. The door creaked open, and an older woman stepped inside, her face weathered by years of hardship. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Nathaniel standing in the middle of the room.
“Who are you?” she asked cautiously, her voice trembling slightly.
Nathaniel didn’t answer immediately. He studied her face, trying to place her. She seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t quite explain. After a moment of silence, he spoke, his tone demanding answers. “I’m looking for answers about Cecilia. She lived here when she was young, didn’t she?”
The woman’s expression shifted, a flicker of recognition flashing across her eyes. She remained quiet for a moment, as if weighing whether to speak. Finally, she sighed and nodded. “Yes, she did. She stayed here with me for a while, after… after everything changed for her family.”
Nathaniel’s mind raced. “What do you mean? What happened to her family?”
The woman hesitated again, her eyes glistening with the weight of old memories. “Her family was powerful, once. But they fell from grace. Cecilia was just a child, but she was already caught up in the chaos of it all. She had to leave the city, and that’s when she came to me.”
Nathaniel stepped closer, his voice firm. “Tell me everything you know about Cecilia. What was she like? What happened to her after she left here?”
The woman swallowed, taking a deep breath. “Cecilia… she was always kind. Even when everything around her fell apart, she kept her head high. But there was sadness in her eyes, a deep sadness that never went away. She would ask to go to Sparaville every year. I never understood why, but she always came back more quiet, more distant. She never talked about it much.”
Nathaniel clenched his fists, his mind swirling with confusion. What was Cecilia hiding?
The woman paused, as if considering something. “She was looking for something here, something she never found. I think she left a part of herself in this town, something that haunted her all these years.”
Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed. “Did she leave anything behind? Anything at all?”
The woman hesitated, then walked over to a small cupboard in the corner of the room. She pulled out a box and placed it in front of him. “This… This is all I have of hers. I kept it safe for her, in case she ever came back for it.”
Nathaniel opened the box, and inside, he found a collection of old letters, photographs, and a small, ornate locket. His hand shook as he picked up the locket. He could feel the weight of it, as though it carried years of memories and secrets.
“What is this?” Nathaniel whispered, more to himself than to the woman.
The woman looked away, her voice soft. “Cecilia told me it was something from her past, something she could never forget. She never let anyone see it, not even her husband.”
Nathaniel felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Nathaniel… The word echoed in his mind. Was this locket tied to him somehow? Was it part of the mystery that had surrounded Cecilia’s death?
He turned to the woman, his mind set on uncovering the truth. “Where can I find her family? The people who were close to her, who knew her best?”
The woman shook her head slowly. “They’re gone, Mr. Rainsworth. Most of them have disappeared, or worse. But there are still a few people who might know more. You’ll have to search hard, though. They don’t want to be found.”
Nathaniel nodded, determination flooding his veins. He had to uncover the truth, for Cecilia, for himself, and for whatever secrets lay buried in Sparaville.
