In 1990, their daughter went missing during her prom night, and after 22 years, her father discovered an ancient yearbook that left him in shock upon spotting something astonishing inside. …

Samuel’s expression contorted. «I never knew how I felt about her,» he admitted, his voice strained. «She should have taken better care of herself, stayed away from me.

And if you loved your daughter, you’d have protected her better.» «What are you talking about?» John asked, horrified. «You don’t understand.

You never knew her like I did,» Samuel said, his words now spilling faster. He gripped the shovel tightly, knuckles white. «You didn’t see how she looked at me.

She kept coming back.» «Then why didn’t you say anything when she went missing?» John demanded. «Why bury all this here like a grave? She betrayed me in the end,» Samuel spat, his eyes flashing with undefined emotion.

Suddenly, Samuel lunged again, this time knocking John down with the shovel and grabbing him by the throat. John, older and physically weaker, couldn’t break free from Samuel’s grip. He gasped for air as the younger man’s fingers tightened around his neck.

As spots danced before John’s eyes, the distant wail of police sirens cut through the air. Samuel’s grip loosened slightly as he looked toward the sound in panic. Several police cars raced up the private driveway, their sirens shattering the silence.

John gulped air as Samuel’s hold on his throat slackened in surprise. Moments later, they were surrounded by officers with weapons drawn. «Let him go and step back with your hands up,» an officer commanded…

Samuel released John and slowly raised his hands, the shovel clattering to the ground. Two officers approached, cuffing Samuel’s wrists and reading him his rights. John slumped to the ground, coughing and rubbing his throat.

«Are you okay?» A female officer helped John to his feet. «Yes,» John rasped. «Thank you.»

As officers led Samuel to a squad car, John pointed to the freshly dug earth. «There?» «He just buried something there.» «He mentioned my daughter’s name, Mary Peterson.

She disappeared 22 years ago.» The officer’s expression turned serious. «Peterson? I remember that case.

I’ll call Detective Doran.» While several officers cordoned off the area, Detective Doran approached John and returned his phone. «John Peterson, I’m Detective Doran.

Tell me what happened here.» John explained everything. How he found the yearbook, visited Liv, the strange encounter with Samuel at his home, and how he followed Samuel to this cliff.

«I know I shouldn’t have tailed him,» John admitted. «But when I saw him buy a shovel and white hyacinths, Mary’s favorite flowers, something felt wrong.» Doran nodded.

«You said he buried something here.» John pointed to the fresh mound of dirt. He buried a wooden box and the flowers.

Before that, the wind scattered some papers from the box, and he gathered them. And he said something about Mary being able to keep this now. The detective called over the arriving forensics team.

«Let’s see what we have here.» As the forensics team carefully excavated the site, John watched with mounting anxiety. First, they uncovered the bouquet of white hyacinths, still fresh and pristine.

Beneath it lay the wooden box. The lead forensic cautiously opened the box, revealing its contents to the detective. Inside was a stack of papers, handwritten notes, photos, and what appeared to be printed text messages, slightly yellowed with age.

There was also a small handmade wool doll, like those kids make in craft class. «Samuel just buried this,» John explained, but said Mary could keep these memories now, meaning he’d kept these things at his home all this time. Doran donned gloves and began examining the box’s contents.

First were printouts of text messages between Samuel and Mary, dated from their school years. As the detective read them, his expression grew increasingly concerned. «John, these messages indicate Samuel and Mary had a secret relationship in school,» he said gently.

«It seems complicated.» John stepped closer to look. The messages revealed a relationship neither he nor Nancy had known about.

According to the texts, Samuel and Mary once went out with a group of friends, with Samuel specifically asking Mary not to bring Liv. At some point during that outing, Samuel kissed Mary without her consent. The messages showed Mary’s initial upset, followed by a gradual shift.

She seemed drawn to Samuel despite her doubts, convinced he just needed love and belief in him. Mary repeatedly texted Samuel that she believed he could change and be better. But Samuel’s responses were manipulative, using her affection without reciprocating.

«This went on for almost a year,» the detective noted, flipping through the messages. Then Mary tried to end it. Later messages showed Mary’s growing frustration with the toxic dynamic.

When she finally broke it off and started openly dating Daniel Sokolov, Samuel’s messages became increasingly desperate, then angry. Among the photos in the box were ones that made John turn away in horror. Explicit shots of Mary, taken when she appeared bound.

The background showed a rustic interior matching the cabin Samuel had just exited, as well as various spots in the surrounding woods. Detective Doran quickly covered those photos but flipped them to examine the backs. On each photo was handwriting, presumably Samuel’s…