Bonus Chapter 4

The day began like any other. Erica was deep into a work project, her desk scattered with notes and half-written memos, when her assistant stepped into her office, a small, nondescript envelope in hand.

“Mrs. Benson, this came in the mail for you,” she said, holding out the envelope with a curious expression. “It looks… personal.”

Erica glanced up, surprised. She rarely received personal letters, and the handwriting was unfamiliar. She thanked her assistant and took the envelope, studying it for a moment before carefully opening it. Inside, on thick, weathered paper, was a letter. And when she saw the signature at the bottom, her heart nearly stopped.

The letter was from her grandfather.

For a moment, Erica simply stared at the paper, memories flooding back—the man who had once been her hero, the one she had trusted, only to discover his hand in the betrayal that nearly shattered her life. The man who had chosen ambition over family. Her hands trembled as she began to read.

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My Dea