Veiled Realities

Sofia, shocked and happy simultaneously, heard her mother's name after a long time. Surprised by the connection, she nodded slowly. "Yes, I am. How do you know my mom?"

The woman, with a warm smile, revealed, "I used to be Clara's hairstylist for years. She was a wonderful person. I remember you coming along with her. She always wanted to do new things, explore the world, always wanted to do something new. It's been a while now, but I still can't believe that a girl like her could ever commit suicide. She was a girl who found solutions every time in every difficult situation. She can't do that. That accident destroyed everything. She just disappeared, and after some days, her dead body was found in the lake at the forest site. The police were confused. The woman might be murdered, but it turned out to be a suicide."

Sofia, now knowing the truth, found herself transported back to the past. During that month when her mother died, two accidents happened: one where the policeman shot her mother, and the other where the woman committed suicide. Both bodies' faces were ruined and could not be recognized. The police declared her mother's dead body as a terrorist, and the other woman remained unidentified.

The woman noticed Sofia lost in her world and clapped to bring her back to reality. "I'm really sorry if it hurt you, Sofia."

Sofia, shaking her head, replied, "No, no, it's okay. But I think you all are misguided. There were two accidents that month."

The woman, confused, asked, "What do you mean? I didn't understand."

Sofia proceeded to tell the whole story of how the policeman shot her mother, falsely labeled her as a terrorist, and how she recognized her. However, she admitted that she was just a kid at that time and didn't have the senses to understand everything. Now, she lacked any proof to prove that the woman was her mother.

The woman listened carefully and said, "I know you want to get justice for your mother, but no one will believe you. You should think, why would anyone do that to your mother."

Sofia, feeling a weight on her shoulders, headed downwards, thinking, like everyone else, they would say it's not right. She thanked the woman and walked towards the changing room, contemplating the complexity of her mother's past.

Unbeknownst to Sofia, every word she spoke resonated in Lily's mind like a haunting melody. As Sofia moved towards the changing room, shadows of doubt danced in Lily's eyes, a silent storm of worry swirling within her. Little did Sofia realize that her past held secrets that had now stirred an unsettling curiosity in her closest friend.