Williams,
If you're reading this, then the choice I dreaded most has already been made. I'm gone. I don't know when—or if—you'll ever truly understand why, but please know this wasn't abandonment. It was protection.
There are things I can't explain, not in this letter… not yet. What I carry—what I am—is no longer safe to keep near either of you. The closer I remain, the more danger shadows your steps.
I know Dashley just celebrated her birthday. I watched her that night, so bright and full of life. She looked so much like me it scared me… but she's stronger. She'll need to be.
When she comes looking for me, please don't tell her the truth. Let her hate me if she must—let her believe I left without reason. That pain will shield her better than any words I could offer.
I love you, Williams. That truth has never wavered. I wish I could've looked you in the eyes one last time, but time is no longer a luxury I possess.
Take care of our daughter. Guide her gently, but prepare her. One day, she'll start to see things—feel them—and when that happens, remind her that some truths sleep for a reason.
If fate is kind, perhaps we'll meet again in a place where names and bloodlines no longer bind us. But if we don't… remember that I loved you with everything I was.
Always watching,
E.