Tears stream down my cheeks as I read the letter. My whole world shatters in a matter of seconds - everything I'd believed about my life is just a cleverly crafted illusion. My heart pounds like a war drum against my chest as the truth hits me like a tidal wave - my parents, my life, all constructed to hide a darker reality.
My hands shake as I read the letter over and over, each word ripping through me like a knife. My existence, my identity, shrouded in a dangerous past I had no knowledge of. Rage bubbles inside me, not at my adoptive parents who loved and cherished me, but at the faceless villains lurking in the shadows, responsible for the deaths of my parents and those who birthed me.
I gather the letter, documents, and the stained dress, stuffing them into my bag. The bank, once a
