THE MISSING SECRET

The next morning, the estate was shrouded in a thick fog, the kind that clung to the ground and muffled sound. Katherine sat in the study, staring at Emmeline Beaulieu's journal spread open on the desk in front of her. Every page revealed more about the woman who had risked her life to help others, and yet so much of her story remained a mystery.

Lucien entered the room carrying a tray with coffee and pastries. He set it down carefully, his eyes scanning the journal before meeting Katherine's gaze.

"You've been quiet all morning," he said. "What's on your mind?"

Katherine sighed, her fingers tracing the edge of the journal. "I keep thinking about Emmeline. She did so much to fight against the injustice in her own family, but no one knows her story. It's like she's been erased from history."

"Maybe that's what she wanted," Lucien said gently. "If her involvement had been discovered, she would've paid the price. Maybe keeping her secrets hidden was the only way to protect herself—and the people she helped."

"Maybe," Katherine agreed. "But now that we know the truth, we can't let her story stay hidden. People deserve to know what she did."

Lucien nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You're right. Emmeline deserves to be remembered."

The next step in their investigation was clear: they needed to find out what had happened to Celeste's child after she escaped the estate. Emmeline's journal provided clues, mentioning a network of allies who had helped ferry Celeste and her child to safety. One name stood out: Marguerite Dupree, a midwife who had lived on the outskirts of Downtown.

Katherine and Lucien set off for the old Dupree property, a small cottage at the edge of the forest. The house was abandoned now, its roof caved in and its garden overrun with weeds, but it still held traces of the life that had once thrived there.

Inside, they found a trunk filled with old medical tools, yellowed letters, and faded photographs. Among the letters was one addressed to Emmeline, written in Marguerite's hand.

Dear Emmeline,Celeste and her child arrived safely. They are staying with a trusted family in the northern hills. The child is strong, and Celeste is determined to build a new life for them. Your courage and kindness have given them a second chance, and for that, I am forever grateful.

The letter confirmed what Katherine had suspected: Celeste and her child had survived and found refuge far from the Beaulieu estate. But the question remained—what had become of them in the years that followed?

Back at the estate,Katherine and Lucien worked late into the night, piecing together the fragments of information they had gathered. Their research led them to a family tree that traced the lineage of Celeste's child through several generations.

The realization hit Katherine like a lightning bolt. "They stayed in Downtown," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucien looked up from the family tree, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "You're saying Celeste's descendants are still here?"

Katherine nodded, her heart racing. "It makes sense. They might have changed their name to avoid detection, but they never left. They built a life here, right under the shadow of the estate."

Their discovery was monumental, but it also brought a new set of challenges. If Celeste's descendants were still in Downtown, how would they react to the truth? Would they want to confront the past, or would they prefer to leave it buried?

The following day,Katherine and Lucien set out to meet one of the descendants listed on the family tree: Claire Dubois, a local schoolteacher in her forties. They found her in the village square, overseeing a group of children painting murals on the walls of the community center.

Claire was a striking woman with warm brown eyes and an air of quiet strength. When Katherine and Lucien approached her, she greeted them with a cautious smile.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her tone polite but guarded.

Katherine hesitated, unsure of how to begin. "We are not here to harm or do anything funny, we just want to talk"so she said. "We've been researching the history of the Beaulieu estate for several weeks now," she said carefully. "And we believe you might be connected to one of the families who worked there in the 1800s."

Immediately claire's smile faded, her expression turning wary. "Why are you digging into things that is not of your business? I don't even know what you are talking about, pls leave' so she said fearfully.

Lucien stepped forward, his voice calm and reassuring. "We're trying to reveal the truth about what happened to the people who lived and worked on the estate—especially those who were enslaved. We've found evidence that suggests you might be a descendant of Celeste Duval."

Claire's eyes widened, and for a moment, she said nothing. Then she shook her head, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Celeste Duval? I've heard that name before. My grandmother used to tell stories about a woman named Celeste—but she always said they were just stories."

"They're not just stories,"Katherine said gently. "Celeste was real. She was your ancestor, and her story deserves to be told."

Claire sank onto a nearby bench, her hands trembling. "Why are you telling me this now? Why dig up something that's been buried for so long?"

"Because it matters," Katherine said, her voice filled with conviction. "Celeste's life, her courage, her legacy—they matter. And so do you. You're part of her story, and you have the right to know the truth."

Over the next several hours,Katherine and Lucien shared everything they had discovered about Celeste and Emmeline. Claire listened in silence, her emotions flickering across her face—disbelief, sorrow, pride.

When they finished, she took a deep breath and met their gaze. "I need time to process this," she said. "But thank you—for bringing me the truth. I never knew where I came from, and now I do."

As they left the village square,Katherine felt a sense of hope she hadn't felt in weeks. For the first time, it felt like they were making progress—not just in uncovering the past, but in healing the wounds it had left behind.

That night, as Katherine and Lucien sat together in the study, Lucien reached for her hand. "You did something incredible today," he said softly. "You gave Claire a piece of herself she didn't even know was missing."

Katherine smiled, her heart swelling with gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without you. This journey—it's changed me. And it's brought us closer than I ever thought possible."

Lucien leaned closer, his eyes searching hers. "I don't know what the future holds, but I do know this: I don't want to face it without you."

Their lips met in a tender kiss, a promise of love and partnership in the face of uncertainty.

But even as they found solace in each other, they knew their work wasn't finished. The secrets of the Beaulieu estate still cast a long shadow, and the road ahead was fraught with challenges.

Together, they would face whatever came next, determined to honor the past, embrace the present, and build a future filled with hope and redemption.