Chapter 47

• The attic was a repository of lost history, stacks of dust and aged possessions huddled together in disorder against the walls. Liana had always been intrigued by the attic, her imagination running wild with stories of hidden treasure and secret lives. On one rainy afternoon, when Amara was busy in the kitchen, Liana decided to venture out again into the attic.
• She climbed the creaky stairs, her little footsteps echoing in the silence. The atmosphere was thick with the scent of mold and old wood, a jarring juxtaposition with the fresh, clean air in the rest of the house. She pushed open the creaking door, her gaze scanning the dim room. There, in the corner, was a box she had never noticed. It was old and weathered, with a faded label that read "Memories."
• Intrigued, Liana moved the box closer and opened it. Inside, she noticed a set of photographs that were yellowed with age. She picked up one of the photos, handled carefully by her since her eyes grew wide in seeing the recognizable face of her mother, Amara, beside a man whom she did not know. He was dark-haired and smiled graciously, his eyes filled to the brim with laughter.