Chapter 5: Whispers of the Past
The soft golden hues of dawn filtered through Cherry Crystal's curtains, casting elongated shadows across her bedroom. She stirred slightly, the remnants of sleep clinging to her mind before she fully woke. The weight of the previous night lingered, a mix of emotions swirling in her chest as she sat up, pushing her blanket aside.
Her gaze instinctively flickered to the bedside table, where her mother's diary rested—unread beyond those first few pages.
For a fleeting moment, she considered picking it up again, but she pushed the thought aside. Not yet.
With a deep breath, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. The day had barely begun, but the responsibilities of her new role as CEO of Crystal Enterprises loomed over her.
The weight of a legacy she wasn't sure she wanted.
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Morning Routine & Business Meeting
After a quick shower, Cherry slipped into a tailored black suit, her hair neatly tied into a low ponytail. The professional attire felt like armor—something to separate Cherry Crystal, the woman who had spent last night unraveling the pieces of her mother's past, from Cherry Crystal, the CEO of a multi-million-dollar empire.
By the time she stepped into the grand dining hall, breakfast was already set. A plate of toast, eggs, and freshly brewed coffee awaited her, but her appetite was faint. Across from her, her father's usual seat remained empty—not an unusual sight.
Ethan Crystal was a man of routine, and part of that routine included avoiding mornings at the dining table whenever possible.
As Cherry took a few bites of toast, she mentally prepared herself for the day ahead. Today marked her first major board meeting since officially taking over the company. The senior executives would be watching her closely, waiting to see if she would crumble under pressure or rise to the occasion.
It was a test.
And failure was not an option.
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Hours Later – Crystal Enterprises
The meeting room was filled with men and women in sharp suits, the air thick with anticipation. Cherry sat at the head of the table, her posture poised and unwavering. The moment she spoke, the room fell silent.
She delivered her reports, addressed concerns, and answered questions with a level of confidence that surprised even herself.
By the time the meeting ended, murmurs of approval followed her out the door.
She had passed the first test.
But even as she left the company building, the satisfaction of her success was overshadowed by the image that had been playing in her mind all morning.
Her father.
Sitting beneath the cherry blossom tree.
Humming that same old song.
The same song he always hummed when the weight of the past crept upon him.
And Cherry, for the first time in her life, wanted to understand why.
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A Familiar Sight
The moment Cherry arrived home, she didn't go to her room. Instead, she took a slow, deliberate walk toward the garden—toward the cherry blossom tree that stood like a silent witness to the years of love and loss their family had endured.
There, beneath its delicate pink petals, sat Ethan Crystal.
Just like the night before.
Just like every year on this day.
His back was slightly hunched, his hands folded in his lap. And once again, that song drifted from his lips—soft, almost mournful.
"Love like a fire, burn everything it desires."
Cherry stood at a distance, watching.
Her father, the man she had spent her entire life trying to understand, had always been an enigma. He had never been cruel, yet he had never been warm either. He had never denied her anything material, yet there had always been something missing—something he had never been able to give her.
She followed his gaze, and her eyes landed on the tombstone.
Anaya Crystal.
Beloved daughter, cherished sister, devoted mother.
No mention of 'beloved wife.'
Cherry exhaled quietly, a tightness forming in her chest.
She wasn't ready to speak to him.
Not yet.
Without making a sound, she turned and walked back toward the house, her heart beating just a little too fast.
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The Chest of Forgotten Memories
Back in her room, Cherry closed the door behind her and took a moment to compose herself. Then, with careful steps, she walked toward the antique wooden chest that had been waiting for her since the night before.
She knelt before it, running her fingers over its aged surface before slowly lifting the lid.
The scent of old paper and faded ink greeted her as she dug deeper, shifting through the contents with gentle hands. Her fingers brushed against something soft, and she pulled out a bundle of neatly folded papers—letters.
She unfolded one, her breath catching the moment she recognized the handwriting.
Her mother's.
The ink had faded slightly with time, but the words were still clear.
> To Ethan,
"I don't know if you'll ever read this, but I need to say it anyway.
I love you. I have always loved you. But I don't think you ever truly saw me, did you?
I wish I could hate you. I wish I could stop wanting you. But how does one unlove something so deeply ingrained in their soul?
I wonder, if I had met you first, before her, before everything—would it have made a difference?
It doesn't matter now. I just wanted to write this somewhere, even if I never send it."
Love, Anaya.
Cherry's fingers trembled.
There were more letters. Dozens of them. All unsent.
All filled with words her mother had never dared to say aloud.
She swallowed back the lump in her throat and set them aside, reaching deeper into the chest.
This time, her hand closed around something solid.
She pulled it out, and her breath caught.
A painting.
No—several paintings.
Each one a portrait of the same man.
Ethan.
Her mother had painted him over and over again.
Some depicted him smiling, others deep in thought, and some… some carried an expression Cherry had never seen on his face before.
A kind of sadness he had never let anyone see.
Cherry traced her fingers over the strokes of color, trying to understand.
How could a man who had been loved this much… never truly love her back?
Her eyes flickered back to the chest, where the diary still lay untouched.
For a moment, she hesitated.
Then, with a deep breath, she reached for it.
This time, she wouldn't stop.
This time, she would read everything.
No matter what truth awaited her.