While reading aloud to her blind grandfather, a young girl

I. A Routine With Hidden Meaning
Every afternoon, 12-year-old Sophie would read to her blind grandfather, Walter, in a cozy room filled with peppermint tea and the scent of old books. This daily tradition was more than reading—it was a bridge between generations. “Always ready for an adventure, my little bookworm,” Walter would say, smiling as Sophie brought stories to life for him.

II. A Surprise Between the Pages
One day, while reading The Count of Monte Cristo, Sophie found something unexpected—a sealed envelope hidden in the book’s pages. Curious and cautious, she handed it to her grandfather. “Grandpa, there’s a letter hidden in the book,” she said. Walter was stunned. “That… that can’t be,” he whispered.

III. A Voice From the Past
The letter, untouched for 60 years, was from a woman named Margaret—Walter’s first love. Sophie read aloud: “My dearest Walter, I hope you can forgive me for being such a coward, for not telling you the whole truth when I left you.” Margaret had left not because she stopped loving him, but because she was losing her vision and didn’t want to burden him.

IV. Love That Time Couldn’t Erase
As Sophie continued reading, Margaret’s words revealed years of silent love and regret. “I wonder if you still read those poetry books we loved,” she wrote. Walter, overwhelmed, finally understood why she had left. “I never knew… I never knew why she had to leave,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. Sophie gently squeezed his hand and replied, “Maybe now, we can finally learn the truth.”