The screen flickered. And this time. Her mother appeared. Amara froze completely. For a moment, she couldn't even blink.
"Mom…" Her voice cracked on the word.
Her mother was smiling in the video. Soft. Familiar. The kind of smile that always made Amara feel like everything would be okay, even when it wasn't.
"You are a smart girl," her mother's voice came gently through the speakers. "And I know only you will find this video." A small laugh followed.
Warm. Alive. "Why? Because you are my baby girl."
Amara's lips trembled as she sank slowly into the chair again, as if her legs had finally given up. "I miss you…" she whispered, barely audible. On screen, her mother continued. "Your father left gold bars and jewelry… as an apology for his mistakes."
A pause. "But my dear… we can never fully understand what goes on in a man's heart when he chooses to betray a good woman."
Amara's eyes flickered with pain, but she didn't interrupt. Because this wasn't anger.
