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**Chapter 22: Beneath the Surface**
The locket glinted in the sunlight as Elena turned it over in her hands, its intricate design now both a comfort and a mystery. She sat on the porch, the warm breeze carrying the faint scent of lavender, but her thoughts were anything but serene. Marco's words lingered, as if etched into her mind: *"You don't have to face it alone."*
Her moment of quiet was interrupted by Matteo, who burst out of the house with a mix of excitement and frustration. "I think I've found something," he said, holding up a torn sheet of paper.
"What is it?" Elena asked, standing quickly.
"It was tucked between the pages of the ledger," Matteo explained, handing it to her. The paper was old and fragile, the edges frayed with time. The handwriting was faint, but one word stood out—*vineyard.*
Before Elena could respond, a shadow fell over them. She turned to see a figure standing at the edge of the lavender fields. The sun obscured their face, but their posture was unmistakable—watchful, waiting.
Matteo stiffened, his grip tightening on the paper. "Who's that?"
Elena's heart raced as she stared at the figure, the breeze suddenly feeling colder. "I don't know," she whispered.
And then, without a word, the figure turned and walked away, disappearing into the rows of lavender as if they had never been there at all.
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