Chapter 17
Julia sat on the edge of her bed, holding the old wooden box her grandmother had left behind. It had been locked for years, but today, for some reason, the key she wore around her neck fit perfectly
Inside was a faded letter, written in her grandmother's delicate handwriting.
*"My dearest Julia,
If you're reading this, it means you're growing up in a world I can no longer be part of. But I want you to know... you were always my sunshine, even when the clouds covered your smile.
Don't let the world dim your light. You were born to feel deeply, to dream big, and to heal. One day, you'll remember how to smile — not because the pain is gone, but because you're strong enough to carry it and still find beauty.
Love always,
Grandma."*
Tears welled in Julia's eyes, but this time they didn't fall from sadness — they fell from warmth, from the memory of love.
She pressed the letter to her heart, a tiny smile beginning to form on her lips — small, fragile, but real.