"I found another letter," I said, my voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and revelation. 

The room seemed to shrink around us as the weight of the new information settled. Florian's gaze locked onto mine, a silent acknowledgment of the unraveling complexities of our intertwined histories.

"Mr. Wakanda threatened Maria to leave the country after the wedding of your parents," I continued, the words heavy with the sinister undertones of manipulation.

 Florian's expression darkened, his jaw clenched in response to the malevolent force that had influenced the lives of our loved ones.

"She left, then my mum gave birth to me, but she died five years later because of a stroke," Florian revealed, his eyes carrying a burden of sorrow. 

The room seemed to echo with the haunting echoes of a tragic past, each revelation pulling us deeper into the abyss of our shared legacy.

"Then my dad married my stepmum to take care of me as he was busy with the King," he added, a complex mix of emotions playing across his face.

I nodded, absorbing the gravity of his words. The threads of our stories were woven together with secrets and sacrifices, creating a tapestry of intrigue that neither of us could have foreseen. The air crackled with the unspoken understanding that our fates were intricately linked.

"Maria wrote a letter to your dad again, but it was not delivered," I said, my hands trembling slightly as I handed him the last letter.

 Florian's eyes scanned the words on the aged parchment, and a shocked expression washed over both of our faces.

"My stepmum is the sister of Maria who was in love with your dad," he read, the revelation hanging in the air like a heavy fog. 

The room seemed to pulsate with the intensity of the revelation, and for a moment, silence reigned as we processed the intricate web of relationships that had shaped our destinies.

"This is getting more complicated," I finally uttered, a sense of bewilderment and urgency coloring my words. 

The mystery that had seemed inscrutable had taken on new dimensions, and the shadows that surrounded us deepened, leaving us standing on the precipice of a truth that could shatter the fragile semblance of normalcy we clung to.

"But something else is mentioned in the letter, my stepmum planned to kill my dad," Florian said, his voice laced with anger. 

The revelation hit me like a shockwave, the room suddenly charged with an unsettling energy. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, revealing a web of deceit and betrayal.

"So, my stepmum killed Maria because she knew her secret. She killed my dad and your mum because she wanted to be with the King," Florian declared, connecting the dots with a grim determination. 

The gravity of the revelation hung in the air, casting a dark shadow over our shared history.

"But why was I attacked? And you said you have a stepdad too," I questioned, my voice cutting through the charged atmosphere. 

The mystery seemed to deepen even as we unearthed the truth, leaving us with more questions than answers.

Florian's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. "There's more to this than we know," he mused, the weight of the unknown pressing upon us. 

The room seemed to close in as the implications of our discoveries sank in. As we grappled with the revelations, the urgency to unravel the remaining mysteries intensified. The shadows that clung to our pasts were beginning to lift, revealing a more sinister truth that demanded confrontation. The air was thick with tension, and the next steps we took could determine whether we emerged from the darkness or succumbed to the sinister forces that sought to control our destinies.

"My mum is dead, your dad is dead, Maria is dead," I said, the weight of loss heavy in my words.

"The king, Mr. Wakanda, your stepmum are still alive," I pointed out, my voice tinged with a mix of frustration and realization. 

"I don't know why, but I believe we are missing a point here," I finally said, my brows furrowed in contemplation.

Florian nodded in agreement, a shared understanding passing between us. 

"Your birthday is on the 10th, mine is on the 15th, your dad on the 23rd, my stepmum on the 8th," he said, tracing the pattern of dates in the air.

 "Aishi's on the 11th, Mr. Wakanda on the 5th, Mrs. Wakanda on the 2nd," I added, the numbers hanging in the air like a cryptic code.

"Justin," we exclaimed at the same time, a sudden realization dawning upon us. The name echoed in the room, carrying with it a sense of urgency and unease.

"But how is Justin connected to all of this despite his birthday being on the 12th?" I asked, shock and confusion etched across my face.

Florian's expression mirrored my bewilderment, the pieces of the puzzle now rearranging themselves in a way we hadn't anticipated. The room seemed to close in, the air thick with the weight of revelation. As we grappled with the newfound realization, the specter of Justin loomed over our investigation, leaving us with a sense of impending danger. The unknown connections and the hidden agendas behind the birthdays created an intricate web that we were only beginning to untangle.

"My dad and your dad were close friends since childhood, and they both had their weddings on the same day," Florian suddenly revealed, a new layer of connection adding to the complexity of our shared history. 

The revelation sent a shiver down my spine as the pieces of the puzzle continued to fall into place.

"Mr. Wakanda was the security in charge at that time," he continued, his voice carrying a weight of implication. The room seemed to hold its breath as the gravity of his words settled upon us.

"Do you think Mr. Wakanda planned the murders? If yes, then why?" I asked, my mind racing to make sense of the intricate web of relationships and motives that had entwined our families.

 The missing puzzle piece still eluded us, and the prospect of betrayal from someone so close was both unsettling and perplexing.

Florian's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. 

"It's a possibility," he admitted, his voice laced with uncertainty. "But the 'why' remains the key. What could drive someone to betray their closest friends, to orchestrate such a sinister series of events?"

As we grappled with this new revelation, the room seemed to close in, shadows pressing against the edges of our understanding. The truth we sought felt elusive, hiding in the shadows of hidden motives and buried secrets. The journey to uncover the final piece of the puzzle became more urgent, and the answers we sought held the power to either free us from the haunting mysteries of our past or plunge us further into the depths of a darkness we were only beginning to fathom.

I raised an eyebrow, throwing a hypothetical situation into the conversation. 

"What if Mr. Wakanda did something punishable, and to hide it, he had to resort to more drastic measures, like eliminating those who knew too much?"

Florian's eyes widened at the suggestion, and he chuckled nervously. 

"That sounds like something out of a crime novel. You've got quite the imagination. Maybe you should consider becoming a detective."

I took the comment in stride and shifted the focus.

 "You mentioned having a stepfather. What's the story?"

Florian's expression turned somber as he recounted a troubled past. 

"He's a drunkard. I ran away from home when I was 12. I don't have any contact with them, but five years ago, he found me and comes around asking for money."

As we delved into Florian's personal history, the conversation took an unexpected turn. 

"What if your stepdad and Mr. Wakanda are connected?" I asked, throwing out a speculative idea.

Before Florian could respond, his phone interrupted the conversation with a sudden beep. He reached for it, and a message appeared on the screen.

 "I know you're looking for an answer, meet me behind the alley at 14:00."

The atmosphere shifted, and a sense of mystery hung in the air. Florian's expression became a mixture of surprise and suspicion, adding an unforeseen layer to our conversation. It seemed like the answers we were seeking might be closer than we thought, and the intrigue surrounding Florian's past and Mr. Wakanda's actions was deepening.

The weight of the revelations lingered in the air as I acknowledged Florian's exhaustion. 

"Well, at least we have an idea of what happened," I remarked, trying to bring some closure to the intense conversation.

Florian nodded in agreement. 

"True, get some rest. It's already 7 in the morning. We did not sleep," he said, punctuating his statement with a tired yawn.

"Wake me up; I'll come with you," I offered, determined to stay involved in the unfolding mystery.

"Sure," Florian replied, and though his agreement seemed casual, a flicker of doubt crossed my mind. 

It was as if he had reservations about involving me further in the potentially dangerous situation. Sensing his hesitancy, I took matters into my own hands. Knowing he might not wake me up willingly, I set an alarm for 13:00, ensuring I'd be up in time to join him behind the alley as per the mysterious message. As I closed my eyes, the anticipation of what the meeting might reveal and the underlying dangers at play weighed on my mind, making the prospect of restful sleep elusive.