THE ENVELOPE


Carmen stood still, the sealed envelope trembling slightly in her hand. The designer, Victor Hale, looked as though the walls were closing in on him.
âDonât open that,â he said sharply, forcing a laugh that didnât sound real. âYou donât even know what youâre holding.â
Carmenâs eyes didnât move from his face.
âI know exactly what Iâm holding,â she replied quietly. âItâs the truth you buried with my mother.â
A murmur spread through the guests. Phones lowered. Glasses stopped mid-air. Even the music technician had frozen at his console.
Victor stepped forward, lowering his voice.
âThat woman stole designs. She was fired.â
Carmen let out a bitter laugh.
âNo,â she said. âShe was silenced.â
A tense silence followed.
Then, slowly, Carmen broke the seal.
Inside was a stack of aged documentsâcontracts, sketches, and handwritten notes. At the bottom⊠a photograph.
A woman standing beside Victor in his early years, smiling next to a dress identical to the one displayed tonight.
But behind her eyes⊠fear.
And on the back of the photo, one sentence written in faded ink:
âIf anything happens to me, it wasnât an accident.â
May you like
Gasps erupted across the ballroom.
Victorâs face drained completely of color.