The Villigers don't know what happened in the House of Secrets. My mom was only 18 when she had me, and even though everyone in the village told her to end the pregnancy, she decided to keep me. Whenever I asked about my dad, she would say, "You don't need a dad; I'm doing fine on my own. Now go play." I think the pain from our past makes it hard for us to talk about it.
My mom held onto this belief to protect me from the truth about my real father. But the house told a different story. While playing there, I noticed loose floorboards, as if someone had tried to fix them after pulling them up. On my 16th birthday, while looking for a lost toy in the attic, I found one of those loose boards. Underneath, I discovered a box filled with letters from before I was born and an old photo of a man I didn't know. When I opened it, I smelled old roses. Inside was a tarnished silver locket, and I realized my mom hadn't been honest with me. This started my journey to find my real father.
For five tough years, I searched for him until I finally found him. He was happily married with two daughters, seemingly forgetting me and my mom. When I knocked on their door, my heart sank when his wife said, "I'll pay you to never come back."
One night, I saw him leaving his house and made a desperate decision. I tied him up and took him to my basement. Sometimes I regret that choice, but I didn't know what else to do with him. As I sat there, listening to his soft pleas, I felt a mix of emotions. The tarnished locket symbolized my desire for a father and the sadness of being ignored. Each letter raised more questions, showing a life filled with laughter and siblings I could have had.
Instead, I was caught in a web of the truths my mom tried to hide from me,a protective shield that felt like chains. Looking at him, horrified, I felt torn between wanting to understand my past and feeling guilty for what I had done. I wondered if facing the past would heal our wounds or make them deeper, like an empty grave.