A letter to the post man

That night, as I lay in bed, my thoughts inevitably drifted to Nath. No matter how much I tried to distract myself, his face lingered in my mind. My fingers hovered over my phone, staring at the blank screen, willing for a message to appear.

But nothing came.

A part of me wanted to reach out, to send him a simple text. Yet I hesitated. What if Catharine saw it? The thought made my stomach churn. Nath had always been careful, but lately, his silence made me question everything.

I missed him. I missed the way his voice softened when he spoke to me, the way his eyes lit up when we were together. But was there even a future for us? Could we ever be more than just a fleeting, forbidden connection?

"Do I even have a future with Nath?" I whispered into the darkness, my voice barely audible, as though saying it out loud would make it real.

I could almost hear my mom's voice in my head, soft and encouraging: Love can defeat anything. She had said those words so many times, and I wanted to believe them. I clung to them like a lifeline, convincing myself that no matter how impossible it seemed, I would hold on to my love for Nath until my last breath. Even if the world saw it as forbidden or disgraceful, my heart knew the truth.

Eventually, exhaustion claimed me, and I fell into a restless sleep. Dreams of Nath danced in my mind, blurred and fragmented, leaving me both comforted and hollow when I woke up.

The next morning, I got ready for breakfast, my heart still heavy with the weight of unspoken words. The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted through the air as I made my way to the dining room.

Diana's cooking had a way of making everything feel a little less complicated. Her meals were always hearty and comforting, filled with flavors that reminded me of home—or at least what I imagined a warm, loving home should feel like.

As I took my seat, I glanced around the table. The usual chatter was subdued today, but Diana's smile was as bright as ever as she placed a plate in front of me.

"Good morning, Reina," she said cheerfully. "You're going to love this. It's one of my specialties."

Diana broke the news to us over breakfast, her voice brimming with excitement.

"Your father has made all the arrangements for your trip, and it's happening now! You both need to get ready," she announced, clapping her hands together.

I glanced at Geynie, trying to gauge her reaction. Her expression was sour, her displeasure evident as she poked at her food. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she refused to meet my gaze.

"Geynie, did you hear what I said? You should get ready," Diana urged gently, though her tone carried the unmistakable weight of expectation.

Without a word, Geynie stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Fine," she muttered, excusing herself from the table with an irritated sigh.

I watched her leave, feeling both triumphant and nervous. This trip was my best chance to uncover the truth about her, but I could sense her resistance growing. She wouldn't make this easy.

Returning to my plate, I carefully finished my meal, my mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. The timing of it all had caught me off guard. I hadn't expected my father to arrange the trip so quickly, and now I had to act fast.

As soon as breakfast was over, I hurried to my room to pack. Clothes, essentials, and a few things I might need to stage the perfect "opportunities" for Geynie. Each item I packed felt like a small step toward unraveling the mystery.

But there was one more thing I needed to do—contact Damian. He had to be informed about the trip and ready to assist me.

Almost as if the heavens were aligning with my plans, my phone buzzed in my hand. The message was from an unknown number, but the familiar phrasing gave away who it was.

Damian: I hope you have news for me.

A small smile crept onto my lips as I quickly typed a reply. I told him about the trip, where we were going, and how crucial it was for him to meet me there. I didn't need to explain much—Damian was sharp enough to understand.

His response came almost instantly.

Damian: Understood. I'll be there.

With that, everything was in place. The trip, the arrangements, Damian's involvement—it was all coming together. Yet, as I zipped up my bag, a pang of doubt tugged at me. What if Geynie saw through my intentions? What if she managed to keep her secrets hidden, despite my efforts?

No, I couldn't think like that. I had come this far, and I wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away.

The journey to Lakeside Forestry was uneventful. The sprawling green expanse of the forest greeted us with the scent of pine and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. I had meticulously planned every activity, carefully selecting situations that would push Geynie into revealing her hidden abilities.

We started with a simple hike through the dense trails, the kind that required balance, agility, and endurance. I let Geynie lead the way at first, observing her movements. She walked with a casual confidence that suggested she was no stranger to the outdoors. I pretended to stumble over roots and rocks, making her pause to look back.

"Are you always this clumsy, Reina?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe," I replied with a laugh. "Or maybe I'm just not as skilled as you."

She smirked but didn't respond.

When we reached a clearing, I pointed toward a rope bridge suspended over a deep ravine. "Let's cross this," I suggested, trying to mask my excitement.

Geynie hesitated for a moment but then nodded, stepping onto the bridge with surprising ease. She moved swiftly, her steps steady despite the sway of the bridge beneath her. I followed clumsily, exaggerating my movements to make it seem like I was struggling.

"Not bad," I said when we both reached the other side. "You didn't even flinch."

"It's just a bridge," she replied, her tone indifferent. But I caught the faint glimmer of pride in her eyes.

The next challenge came when we reached the lake. A small boat was waiting for us, along with diving gear I had insisted we bring "just for fun."

"Let's explore the underwater caves," I suggested cheerfully.

Geynie looked at me skeptically. "Are you even good at diving?"

"Not really," I admitted, "but I thought it would be exciting to try."

She sighed, clearly unimpressed, but she suited up nonetheless. As we dived into the clear waters, I kept close, pretending to struggle with my equipment. Geynie moved effortlessly, her body slicing through the water with the precision of someone who had done this a hundred times before.

I pretended to signal for help at one point, forcing her to swim back toward me. She grabbed my arm with practiced ease, guiding me to the surface.

"Reina, this isn't a game," she scolded as we broke the surface.

"You're amazing at this," I said, ignoring her annoyance.

She didn't respond, but the faintest blush crept up her cheeks.

Finally, we reached the last part of my plan: a shooting range set up in a secluded part of the forest.

"Why would we need to shoot?" Geynie asked, clearly suspicious now.

"It's just part of the fun," I said with a shrug. "You've never tried it?"

She hesitated before picking up the gun. Her hands moved with an almost mechanical precision as she aimed at the targets. One shot, then another, and another—each one hit dead center.

I stared at her, feigning shock. "Where did you learn to do that?"

Geynie froze, realizing she had slipped. "Lucky shots," she muttered, placing the gun down and stepping away.

But I knew better. I had seen the focus in her eyes, the steadiness of her hands. The pieces were falling into place.

By the time we returned to the lodge, Geynie had grown quieter, her guard visibly up. She avoided eye contact, but I knew she was aware that she had given away more than she intended.