A letter to the post man

 "Damian… tell me about her."

His eyes shifted to me, wary and guarded. "Not tonight."

"No," I said firmly. "Tell me now. We have time."

He didn't respond, his gaze returning to the fire, but I wasn't going to let it go.

"What's your relation to the woman in the photo?" I pressed. "And the countless nights you've spent thinking about her—tell me everything."

He tensed, the muscles in his jaw tightening. I knew he wouldn't want to talk, but I couldn't stop myself. I needed to know.

"How are we supposed to find her if you won't tell me anything about her?"

Those words hit him like a dagger. He flinched as if I'd struck him, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his memories. Slowly, he turned to face me, his eyes reflecting something I hadn't seen before—pain. Deep, unrelenting pain.

"She was someone I loved," he said finally, his voice cracking.

My breath caught at the raw emotion in his words. "Who was she?" I asked gently.

"Her name was Reina," he began, his voice low and unsteady. "I met her four years ago. She was… incredible. The bravest woman I'd ever known. She could fight like a man, think faster than anyone I've ever met, and… she was beautiful. Not just beautiful—she was breathtaking."

He paused, adding more wood to the fire, as if the act would distract him from the memories. "She wasn't just brilliant—she was resourceful. Through her, we made more money than I ever thought possible."

I listened, captivated by the way he spoke about her, the way his voice softened at her name.

"And then what?" I asked, feeling an odd mixture of curiosity and dread.

"I introduced her to my little brother, Dev," Damian continued, his voice growing quieter. "She suggested we open a business together. Dev trusted her. We both did. He brought over his life savings, every penny he had. I believed in Reina—I believed in her so much that I convinced my brother to risk everything."

He clenched his fists, staring into the fire as though it held the answers to all his mistakes.

"I'd fallen for her," he admitted, his voice almost a whisper. "Completely. Her beauty, her intelligence, her bravery—I thought she was everything I ever wanted."

I could hear the crack in his voice as he continued. "But it was all a lie. She schemed us. She took everything—our savings, our plans, our dreams—and then she disappeared."

My heart ached as I watched him struggle to hold himself together. I could see the betrayal etched into every line of his face.

"She left without a trace," he said bitterly. "I would've forgiven her, you know? For the love I had for her, I would've forgiven her. But Dev… he couldn't let it go. He swore he'd find her. I told him to forget about her, to let it go, but he wouldn't listen."

His voice faltered, and he stared into the fire, his eyes glassy. "He came to me one day, sweating and shaking, swearing he'd seen her. I didn't believe him. I told him it was just his imagination, but he kept chasing her, getting closer and closer. And then one day…"

He stopped, swallowing hard. His hands trembled as he rubbed them together, as if trying to shake off the memory.

"One day, he called me," Damian said, his voice barely audible now. "He said he'd found her. He begged me to come, but I didn't believe him. I stayed back, told him to let it go. And then… then I heard it. The sound of a car screeching, a crash… and Dev was gone."

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands. "What happened?" I whispered.

"She ran him over," Damian said, his voice breaking. "Reina ran him over with her car."

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he clenched his jaw, trying to hold them back. But the pain was too much, and for the first time, I saw him vulnerable, his strong facade crumbling before me.

I sat there, stunned, unable to process the weight of his words. "When did this happen?" I managed to ask.

Damian looked at me, his expression hollow. "Four years ago October 5th "

The date sent a chill down my spine. My mind raced, the pieces clicking into place. That was the exact date my mother had her accident.

I froze, my thoughts spiraling. Could it be connected? And why did the woman Damian described sound so much like me?

"Reina," I whispered, the name tasting foreign yet familiar on my tongue. "She even has my name…"

Damian didn't respond, lost in his own grief. I stared at him, my mind clouded with countless questions. Who was this woman? How was she tied to both Damian and my mother? And why did she look so much like me?

I felt small, insignificant, as if I could never match the brilliance Damian described. This Reina seemed like a goddess—intelligent, cunning, and fearless. But if she was so perfect, why did she cause so much destruction?

I moved closer to Damian, unable to bear the sight of his pain any longer. Gently, I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. He stiffened at first, but then he melted into the embrace, his head resting on my shoulder as his body trembled.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I'll help you. I'll help you find her."

He sobbed softly in my arms, the firelight illuminating the tears streaming down his face. I held him tighter, determined to keep my promise.

Whatever it took, I would uncover the truth.