Chapter 25. The Envelope

Amanda, grappling with her own intuition, reached for her handbag. "I can't shake off this feeling of skepticism," she admitted, her fingers securing a firm grip on the bag. "I sensed something was off a few days after your wedding announcement. He was acting strangely. Pier mentioned something to me, said I should give this to you if something happened. I didn't quite grasp what he meant then, but perhaps this is what he meant." With a delicate movement, she withdrew a weathered brown envelope, its creases hinting at the passage of time. Placing it in my open palm, she regarded me with a mixture of apprehension and trust.

"I won't surrender this to anyone else, Isla," she asserted, her voice quivering. "You were meant to be a part of his life. There's something inside, perhaps a letter or a clue. If there's anything that could aid in finding Pier, promise me you'll let me know?" Her plea hung in the air, a