My hands trembled as I carefully broke the seal. Inside was a folded letter, the paper yellowed with age but the ink still sharp.

“My dear Eugenio,” it began, “If you’re reading this, then I am no longer with you. But my love and my hopes for you live on through these words.”

He wrote about his regrets, his dreams for me, and the secret he’d kept all those years—a secret that could change everything I thought I knew about my family.

As I read on, my heart pounded. He had left clues, instructions hidden within the letter, leading me to a place only he knew. A promise he made ten years ago, sealed in this envelope, waiting for me to uncover it.

Tears blurred my vision, but I knew one thing for sure: this was not just a goodbye. It was the beginning of a journey that would uncover the truth—and finally bring me peace.

I folded the letter carefully, whispered a goodbye to my father, and made a silent vow: I would keep this promise, no matter what it cost me.