We sat in the study, the same room where I had found the vases.
The air was thick with tension, each of us aware of the unspoken words hanging between us.
My aunt spoke first, her voice steady but lacking warmth.
“The estate has been in our family for generations,” she began, her eyes fixed on the faded photographs lining the walls.
“Selling it would mean losing a part of who we are.”
Her words echoed my own fears, yet there was a hint of resignation in her voice.
I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully.
“I know the vases mean something,” I said, watching her reaction closely.
“I just want to understand.”
For a moment, she seemed to soften, her eyes meeting mine with a flicker of something I couldn’t quite place.
