I Went Into the Forest With My Father. Suddenly, He Grabbed My Hand and Said, ‘Finally, We’re Alone. Come Here, Let Me Kiss You. I’ve Wanted to Do This for So Long.’ I Pulled Away in Terror. But My Father Stepped Closer, Took Me by the Shoulders, and Whispered, ‘Don’t Be Afraid, Sweetheart. Your Mother Will Never Know What Happened Between Us.’ I Started Trembling. And When He Said, ‘I’ve Been Waiting 19 Years for This Moment,’

I remained silent.

He continued:

“And when I said I’d waited nineteen years, I meant this moment. The day I could finally tell you about Catherine.”

I looked at him through my tears.

“Then why didn’t Mom want me to know?”

My father gave a sad smile.

“Because she was afraid of losing you.”

At that moment, we heard footsteps coming down the forest trail.

We turned around.

It was my mother.

She stopped when she saw us.

Her eyes were filled with tears.

“Robert…”

My father stood up.

“I told her.”

My mother approached me.

“Emily, there’s something I need to confess.”

She sat beside me.

“I was Catherine’s best friend.”

I stared at her in astonishment.

“You knew each other?”

“We grew up together. Before you were born, Catherine asked me that if anything ever happened to her, I would make sure you were never left alone.”