Finally, she took a deep breath, broke the seal, and unfolded the letter.
Liliette,
I’m writing this letter in the hope that it reaches you.
I’m sorry. The truth is, I turned a blind eye to the torment you endured from your ex-husbands because of me. I convinced myself it wasn’t my fault—that it was Father and our brothers who were to blame, not me. I told myself I wasn’t responsible.
But deep down, I wanted you to suffer. I hated and resented you.
I don’t know when it all began. Maybe it was when I found myself lying on the cold stone floor after being beaten until I could barely breathe. In that moment, I thought to myself: she shouldn’t have made Father angry. She shouldn’t have dragged Mother away. She should have just endured it. If she had done everything right, none of this would have happened. Everything would have been fine if it weren’t for her.
