Adrian took the silver locket from the little girl's small, trembling hand.
His fingers shook as he pressed the tiny latch to open the metal casing.
Inside was a tiny, faded photograph of himself and his late wife Clara smiling together.
Adrian felt the air leave his lungs as he stared down at the cherished photograph.
He looked back up at the little girl standing right in front of him.
Her bright blue eyes and soft blonde hair looked painfully familiar to him.
"Where did you get this?" Adrian asked, his voice cracking with intense emotion.
"Mommy told me to keep it safe," the girl replied softly, looking down at the floor.
Nora stepped up quickly and tried to grab the child's arm angrily.
"She is lying, Adrian!" Nora barked, her eyes wide with desperation and anger.
"She is just a stray child from the nearby village trying to steal from us!"
Adrian gently pushed Nora's hand away and pulled the girl closer to his side.
As the girl shifted her dress slightly, Adrian noticed something on her skin.
Right near her collarbone was a very distinct, curved scar shaped like a crescent moon.
Adrian's mind raced back to the day his daughter was born in the hospital.
The doctor had pointed out that exact same birthmark on the newborn baby's collarbone.
Nora had told him five years ago that the baby did not survive the terrible accident.
Adrian looked up from the little girl to his sister with total disbelief and horror.
"This locket... that mark... You told me she was gone!" Adrian shouted out loud.
Nora took a step back, her face turning pale as she stammered for words.
"Adrian, I don't know what you're talking about!" Nora claimed, raising her hands defensive.
"This is a misunderstanding! Someone is trying to set me up and confuse you!"
The little girl reached into her other dress pocket and pulled out a folded paper.
The paper was old, yellowed, and covered in neat, handwritten blue ink handwriting.
"Mommy told me to give you this when I saw you..." the girl said softly.
Adrian took the yellowed letter and slowly unfolded the fragile paper with his hands.
He recognized his wife Clara's distinct handwriting on the very first line of text.
His eyes widened in complete shock as he began to read the urgent message.