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Sniffling, I forced myself to crawl on my hands and knees towards the fireplace.
Towards the truth.
Breathing rough and uneven, I reached inside the fireplace, fingers feeling my way.
Don’t be there.
Don’t be there.
When my hands found the old tin box, I wanted to beanywherebut inside this room.
Shaking violently, I withdrew the box and placed it on the floor in front of me before wiping the soot and dust from the lid.
Don’t open it, Ashton.
Let it go.
The past should stay in the past.
My hands betrayed the warning signals my brain was shooting and I reached forward and opened the lid.
Almost instantly, I was flooded by a multitude of emotions that rushed through me.
Mister Daddy.
Oh god…
Daddy, don’t go!
Daddy, please, don’t leave me!
Exhaling a slow, steadying breath, I tipped the contents of the box on the floor. Purposefully keeping my mind blank, I flipped through document after document.
The deeds of the house.
A fake passport with a photo of ten-year-old me inside.
A thick stack of hundreds.
A bank statement for an overseas account containing several million dollars.
And a letter in my father's handwriting.
My fingers shook as I carefully unfolded the letter and began to read.
Hello, Miss Ashton,
If you are reading this, then the worst has happened and I am no longer with you. I can only hope that you are finding this letter quickly. The thought of you suffering is enough to bring me back from the dead. I don’t want to leave you, my little princess. There is so much I need to tell you, and so much that I could never expect a little girl your age to possibly understand.
You know that Daddy is not a good man, and you're probably going to hear some terrible things about me. Most of which, I regret to say, is true, but please remember that I love you fiercely and that you made my life worthwhile. You were the one good thing I ever did, and the absolute love of my life. My beating heart outside of my chest. Whatever happens, remember that. Remember that Daddy loves you – even in death.
Now, listen carefully to what I am about to tell you next because it is important. It is life and death, Ashton –yourlife.
Whatever happens, you must get away from Fabio. He is a terrible man and the reason I am writing this letter to you instead of protecting you like I should.
When the time comes, a boy will come for you. A boy of your own flesh and blood. When that happens, you must go with him. He will protect you. Trust me, Ashton, it is the only way you will make it out of this…"
When I moved to unfold the next piece of the letter, a polaroid photograph fell out from between the pages, distracting me. I reached down and picked it up.
