Chapter: 625
As she crouched down to pick up the bead, she noticed a hidden compartment on the back of the closet door. Curious, she opened it and found a small notebook inside.
She took it out and flipped the cover to the first page.
The pages were already yellowish, probably because the notebook had been stored in the compartment for a long time.
Landing on the first page, a pretty handwriting read, "Norah is one year old today, and we would have celebrated it together if she were here. Calvin and I miss her terribly each day. It breaks our hearts to think we aren't together on such a special day. I hope she can feel our love and longing for her wherever she is right now. We wish nothing for today but her safety and to hear news about her whereabouts. Until then, we won't give up and stop hoping."
Judging from the ink mark, the writer must have paused before adding the next paragraph.
“Even if Norah isn't here, Calvin and I prepared a birthday gift for her. We've decided to do it every year until she's back with us, and we're complete again to open them all together."
Norah's hand trembled slightly as she turned the next pages, each a paragraph-Long entry.
"I saw a gold pendant necklace when I went shopping today and thought it would look good on Norah, so I bought it. I hope she likes it when she sees it."
“For Norah's fifth birthday, I bought a matching dress. I saw a mother and daughter wearing a pair when I went out today, so I bought us one. I bet she would look so cute in it."
“Iker and I argued today. He said Norah must be probably dead, and I refuse to believe it. I know she's just right there somewhere, waiting for us to find her, so I won't stop looking for her and hoping we'll be together again."
The next entry was about Norah's tenth birthday gift.
At that point, Norah was certain the writings on the notebook were by her mother, Bernice.
Enclosed in her writings was her love for the daughter she had lost and her unwavering hope to see and be with her again.
And, with a stroke of pure chance, Norah found the notebook and read her mother's thoughts.
She blinked, causing the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes to trickle down her cheeks, her emotions overflowing within.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she turned to the last page, which read, "We finally found a reliable lead about Norah's location.
Calvin and I wept with joy when we got the news. Norah, Mom and Dad are coming for you. Just wait for us, baby. We'll be home and together soon. We promise.”
That was the last entry, and Norah knew what happened after that day.
All the birthday gifts Bernice mentioned in the notebook were inside the closet.
There was a lump in her throat when Norah picked up the gold pendant necklace and held it close, her tears falling like water falls.
Her parents were so close to being reunited with her.
If not for the car accident that took their lives, they would have seen Norah again and lived a happy life together.
Norah knew in her heart that her parents' death wasn't a simple accident.
Looking at the items in the closet, all a token of their love for her, Norah vowed to seek justice for her parents.