The door opened easily at Maria's touch. Excitement surged, then plummeted as she stepped inside the empty room. Confused, she checked for hidden rooms before texting, "I'm here. Where are you?"
The reply was immediate: "There's a bag on the table. Open it."
Speechless, Maria spotted a black bag in the corner. Inside, a sealed bag contained two small bottles. Unsure what they were, she was about to open them when her phone buzzed.
Setting down the bag, she read the text: "Don't open the bottles. Bring it home and keep it safe. Don't tell anyone."
Maria eyed the contents suspiciously, but resisted opening them. Still, curiosity gnawed. Before she could succumb, another text arrived: "Stop being curious, and don't touch my things!"
The curt message struck a chord. It echoed Rhea's impatient, cold tone—a voice Maria would never hear again. Tears welled, and she stifled her curiosity. She texted, "Ree, is it you?"
The usual prompt reply was absent. Anxious, she sent another message: "You're still alive, aren't you? Could you meet me?" Then, a desperate plea: "Please!"
Tears streamed down her face, each drop a tiny splash on her phone screen, her only lifeline. Since Rhea's death, Maria's world had crumbled. She'd considered ending her life, haunted by memories—of Rhea as a child, and later, the cold hostility of her grown daughter. Yet, Rhea, no matter how she treated others, was still her child. Maria would secretly cherish Rhea's clothes, terrified of upsetting her even in death.
Fabian urged her to let go, to look to the future, but how could she move on? Happiness was gone with her daughter.
But a text the previous night had pulled her from despair. The familiar tone, the shared secrets, convinced Maria that her daughter was alive. Rhea, she was certain, had faked her death and was now safe, but unable to appear. She needed Maria's help, and then she could return home.
Maria believed every word. It was Rhea. She would believe anything Rhea said. The thought that her daughter lived filled Maria with a fragile calm.