One afternoon, George sat with his grandparents in the study. They had promised to share more about his mother's past, and though he had always been curious, a sense of dread settled in his chest as they began to speak.
"Your mother wasn't just a loving wife and mother," his grandfather said, his voice steady. "She was a brilliant woman with a heart full of purpose. There was a side to her life that James never saw. She was an architect, a philanthropist, and a fighter for those who had no voice."
George listened, rapt but overwhelmed. His mother, the gentle woman he remembered, had been so much more than he ever knew. She wasn't just someone who loved him—she had spent her life building a future for others, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. The more his grandparents spoke, the more George understood the depth of her strength. It wasn't just the love she had given him—it was the life she had built for those around her.
"I need to know everything," George said quietly. "I need to understand what happened to her."
The response from his grandparents was somber but supportive. They promised to help him uncover the truth.