Mother's True Love.

The Truth Within Reach.

Emily sat across from Nathan, the room dimly lit, casting soft shadows on the walls. She had promised Amy that it would just be the two of them—no distractions, no pressure. It was the only way Nathan could speak freely, without feeling overwhelmed. Emily took a deep breath, her voice soft, trying to ease the tension in the room.

"Nathan," she began, "I'm here for Jules, and I know how much she meant to you. I'm not here to make things harder; I just want to understand. I need to know what happened."

Nathan's eyes flickered, still haunted, but he seemed to relax ever so slightly at the gentleness in Emily's tone. He stared at his hands, which were shaking slightly, before speaking.

"I... I met Jules online. It wasn't anything serious at first, you know? We just... connected. She was always so bright, so alive when we talked. Especially with me. We'd call each other, sometimes just to see each other's faces." His voice cracked a little, but he continued. "No matter what was happening, whenever we spoke, it's like she became this... brighter version of herself. But I knew."

Emily frowned softly. "Knew what?"

"Everything," Nathan muttered. "About the bullying. About how much it destroyed her. And... about Linda, too." He looked up at Emily now, his eyes filled with an anger and sadness that had been eating at him for so long. "Jules told me everything. She said her mom... she didn't get it. Linda would push her to 'toughen up,' like the bullying was something she was making up or overreacting about. It made everything worse. Her mom had her own problems—Emily, your mom was drowning in them, especially after you left."

Emily felt a pang in her chest, guilt seeping in. "I didn't know. I had no idea..."

Nathan shook his head. "Jules felt like nowhere was safe for her. School was hell, but home was suffocating too. And all she wanted was to be with me, physically... for us to be together, away from everything."

Emily nodded, understanding now how deep their connection had been. "Did you... see her before... before it happened?"

Nathan swallowed hard, his face tense. "She came to me. Right before the end. Not far from my house. She didn't say much... just hugged me, cried in my arms. She was so broken, Emily. And then she gave me something."

"What did she give you?" Emily asked gently.

Nathan hesitated, clearly struggling to get the words out. "Her diary."

Emily's eyes widened. "Her diary?"

"Yeah... she made me promise not to open it until... until she was gone. She always knew, Emily. She knew she wasn't going to make it through this. She said one day, she'd be gone, one way or another. Sooner or later."

Emily felt a lump form in her throat. She could barely breathe. Jules had been fighting a battle no one else could see, and it had already been too late. Nathan reached into his bag and pulled out a small, leather-bound book, Jules' diary. His hands trembled as he held it out to Emily.

"I haven't touched it," Nathan said quietly. "I couldn't. I just... I couldn't bear to see what she wrote. But I think you should."

Emily gently took the diary from him, feeling the weight of it, both physically and emotionally. She didn't open it yet, but just holding it in her hands made everything feel more real. This was the key to understanding Jules—her pain, her thoughts, everything.

"Thank you, Nathan," Emily whispered, her voice breaking slightly. "I promise I'll read it, and I'll do everything I can to uncover the truth. Jules deserves that. And so do you."

Nathan's voice was shaky but filled with a quiet determination. "I just want justice for her. I want the truth to come out. Even if it wasn't the bullies who killed her, they need to know what they did. They need to come to terms with it. It may not be blood on their hands, but they destroyed her."

Emily nodded, standing up and placing a comforting hand on Nathan's shoulder. "We'll get to the truth. Whatever it is, we'll find it."

She stepped back, taking a deep breath, knowing what needed to be done next. She had to open that diary, but only with Alex. It was too sensitive to involve too many people, and even though she trusted her dad to help, this was something she and Alex had to handle on their own first.

As Emily turned to leave, Nathan stopped her with one last plea. "Just... make sure her story gets heard. Don't let anyone bury it."

"I won't," Emily promised, her heart heavy with the weight of everything she had just learned. "We'll make sure Jules is never forgotten."

With that, she left Nathan, knowing exactly what her next steps had to be.