On that day, Emma came home from school earlier than usual, but as soon as she stepped inside, she heard voices indicating guests in their apartment. Curious, she peeked into the kitchen, but it was empty. The noise and voices were coming from her mom’s bedroom. Knowing she shouldn’t, Emma still opened the door. Startled, a young man quickly jumped off the bed and began dressing, while her mom, lying under the blanket, grumbled irritably:
— What kind of child are you? Don’t they teach you to knock? James, don’t take it personally, next time it’ll work out, I’ll make sure of it. We’ll talk later, stay in touch.
Emma stood in the doorway, not moving. She realized a serious conversation was coming.
Once the young man left, her mom exploded:
— What’s wrong with you?! What kind of person are you?! Sneaking around like a ghost! I’m trying to build my personal life, and you’re getting in the way! Why are you back from school so early? Skipping classes?
Emma shook her head:
— No, the geography teacher got sick, so they let us go early. I’m sorry, Mom, it won’t happen again…
Emma started crying, and to calm her, Sarah softened:
— Alright, I’m not mad at you, but from now on, knock or don’t come in unless it’s something important!
Emma nodded and left the room, sighing with relief that it hadn’t escalated into a full-blown fight.
That terrifying day when she caught her mom with a man at the most awkward moment still lingered in her memory. It had been tough for Emma, who faced her mother’s wrath for barging into the room. She’d never forget it, especially since her mom punished her by withholding lunch and dinner. This time, it passed without incident, but who knew what would happen if another man came to the house?
Emma hadn’t seen her dad in a long time. Two years ago, he vanished without a trace. Emma missed her father terribly; he loved her more than life itself. He always asked about her day and worried when he heard Sarah scolding her over every little thing. He tried talking to his wife, but Sarah would throw tantrums, accusing both him and Emma of being ungrateful, claiming everything rested on her shoulders and no one appreciated it. Though Sarah’s husband was still officially listed as alive, she had already thrown herself into reckless behavior. Ever since Emma’s father disappeared, her mother brought men home, each time a different one.
Emma refused to believe her father was dead. Every day, she hoped he’d show up, and life in their home would change. He’d play with her again, love her, and comfort her, and she wouldn’t have to fear her mother’s scolding or slaps. Sarah allowed herself such “discipline” as a preventative measure. Emma endured it because there was no one to stand up for her. Her dad’s mother, Grandma Eleanor, lived in another city and wasn’t allowed to visit. Eleanor longed for her granddaughter, but Sarah strictly forbade her from coming, saying she wouldn’t let her in. Emma barely knew her other grandmother, Grandma Clara.
Sarah often threatened Emma that if she didn’t behave, she’d be sent to Grandma Clara, who would “teach her how to act.” Emma clung to the hope of seeing her father again and thought it wouldn’t be so bad to visit Grandma Eleanor, but she didn’t know her address. She was sure her mom had letters from Eleanor, who wrote regularly, but Sarah never let Emma read them and hid them carefully.
One day, when Emma came home and her mom wasn’t there, she found a note on the table:
“Daughter, I’ll be back soon. Stepped out to a friend’s place.”
In reality, Sarah had gone on a date and hadn’t even bothered to make lunch. Emma, who didn’t yet know how to cook, made herself some sandwiches. After a quick bite, she went to her mom’s bedroom and pulled a folder of documents from the nightstand. Among the many papers, she couldn’t find the letters with Grandma Eleanor’s address. Emma was so engrossed in her search that she didn’t hear the front door open. Sarah walked into the bedroom and caught Emma by the nightstand:
— What are you doing, and who gave you permission to go through my papers?
Emma trembled but managed to respond:
— I wanted to look at my baby pictures to show my friend.
Sarah snatched the folder from her:
— What you’re looking for isn’t here. All the photos are in the album. I’ll let you look at them later. Why does your friend need them?
Emma had to lie:
— She wants to make a story out of them. It’s trendy now. Alright, I’ll go do my homework.
It seemed Emma had managed to throw off her mom’s suspicions. Sarah didn’t suspect anything or get angry, which likely meant her date had gone well.
That day, Sarah not only cooked a full meal but even baked a pie, though it turned out tasteless, clearly made without care. Emma ate without much appetite, but just before her mom entered the room, she had spotted a slip of paper among the documents with Grandma Eleanor’s phone number.
…In her pocket was the prize she’d risked so much and lied to her mother for, lifting her spirits considerably. Sarah gave her a stern look:
— Emily, why are you grinning like a fool? You seem in a good mood. Go clean your room instead of annoying me.
Realizing it wasn’t the time for jokes, Emma bolted out of the kitchen to avoid angering her mom further. While moving books around on her shelf, she dreamed of her upcoming meeting with her grandmother. All that was left was to call and arrange a visit with her dear relative.
Emma couldn’t and wouldn’t tolerate her mother’s constant criticism anymore, especially since Sarah often threatened to kick her out, as she’d promised.
…School holidays began. After some thought, Sarah decided to send Emma to her own mother, Grandma Clara. The news upset Emma, but she didn’t dare argue, knowing her mom would do whatever she wanted anyway. To avoid sparking another fight, Emma complied.
She thought staying with Grandma Clara would feel lonely and was terrified of her, as Sarah had said Clara couldn’t stand children. Sarah had instilled so much fear in Emma’s heart that she set off on the trip with anxiety, but everything turned out differently.
Grandma Clara welcomed her granddaughter with warm hospitality, and it turned out that all the rumors about her harsh personality were nothing more than Sarah’s scare tactics. It seemed Sarah had deliberately badmouthed her to make Emma afraid.
In one of their conversations, Emma confessed to Clara that she wanted to find her father. Clara looked at her granddaughter and sighed sadly:
— I don’t know what happened to him myself. Your mom said he went to work on a construction site. He used to call and text, but then it all stopped abruptly.
Noticing a piece of paper in Emma’s hands, Clara asked:
— What’s that you’re hiding? Not a love note from a classmate, is it? — she smiled kindly.
Emma handed her the crumpled paper.
— I found this in Mom’s documents, — Emma said, tearing up and starting to walk away, but Clara stopped her:
— Wait, it says Eleanor’s name—that’s your dad’s mom. Why do you need her number?
Emma confessed:
— I thought Grandma Eleanor might know where Dad is. I’m sorry, but living with Mom is so hard. She’s always bringing strange men home and yells at me for no reason. Grandma, I want to be with Dad, — Emma sobbed.
Clara hugged her tightly and said:
— You know, I think we should call Grandma Eleanor. We haven’t been on good terms since an incident, but for your sake, I’m sure she’ll agree to reconcile.
Clara didn’t elaborate on what the incident was. She dialed the number herself and handed the phone to Emma.
— Hi, Grandma! It’s me, Emma.
A joyful voice immediately responded:
— Oh, my goodness, what a blessing! My dear granddaughter, how are you, sweetheart? I miss you so much! Is everything okay?
The flood of questions left Emma a bit overwhelmed.
— Everything’s mostly fine, except Mom’s driving me crazy with her nagging. She keeps bringing men home and makes me go out so I don’t get in the way.
Eleanor started crying. She was heartbroken for her granddaughter but tried not to show it.
— Emma, darling, don’t worry, everything will be okay, — she soothed.
They agreed that Eleanor would come visit. Since Sarah wouldn’t let her into the apartment, they decided she’d stay with Clara for a while. Clara herself suggested the idea:
— I like the plan—it’ll keep things lively. But, Emma, you mustn’t tell your mom anything!
Emma promised to keep quiet:
— I won’t say a word about Grandma Eleanor coming, but I’m scared of what’ll happen if Mom finds out.
Her fears came true. A week later, when the holidays ended and Emma returned home, Sarah was waiting with a clear intent to scold her. Sarah sat in the kitchen with some man standing nearby.
— Did you enjoy staying with your grandma? Well, I’m going to give you a piece of my mind for snooping through my things! — Sarah lashed out at Emma.
The man sat calmly, smirking at the scene. Emma couldn’t take it anymore and shouted:
— You’re a bad mom! You’re with all these random men and forgot all about Dad! Why do you hate me so much? What did I do to you?
Furious, Sarah screamed back:
— Get out of my house!
She threw Emma’s documents at her. Emma burst into tears, while Sarah’s boyfriend laughed and said:
— Why bother with her? She stayed with her grandma, let her go back there.
Sarah called a taxi, put Emma in it, and said:
— You’ll be better off there. I’ll call, and someone will meet you.
Whether it was good or bad, Emma was secretly thrilled to leave home and end the nightmare of her life there.
When the taxi arrived, Grandma Clara hugged Emma tightly, and Emma clung to her, wrapping her arms around her neck as if afraid she’d disappear.
— Your mom was yelling so much on the phone I could barely understand her. Come now, sweetheart, dry your tears. Let’s go to the kitchen, and you can tell me everything.
Emma explained how she’d told her mom everything she felt. Only then did she notice Grandma Eleanor wasn’t there.
— What happened? Why did Grandma leave? I was so happy thinking I’d live with both of you.
Clara took her hand and calmly replied:
— Your grandma got a call from a neighbor saying some stranger was lurking around her house. She went to check, worried something bad might’ve happened.
A smile spread across Emma’s face—her child’s heart couldn’t be fooled. In her mind, she was already imagining a reunion with her dad.
— Grandma, maybe it’s Dad coming back! — Emma jumped with joy.
— God willing, darling, God willing, — Clara said softly.
For several days, there was no word from Eleanor. Then she called to say she’d be back soon.
During that time, Sarah didn’t once check on her daughter. She was too busy with her personal life, finally having the apartment to herself without anyone bothering her.
Emma waited for Grandma Eleanor but hoped most of all that her dream would come true—that her dad would be found. After school, she headed straight to Clara’s, but near the entrance, she stopped. A man was standing there. She could only see his back, but something about him felt familiar. As she got closer and saw his face, Emma screamed:
— Daddy, my dear Daddy, you’re back!
Daniel scooped her up and spun her around:
— My little girl, you can’t imagine what I’ve been through—it’s beyond comprehension. I can’t tell you everything now. But I’m so happy to be free and back with you. No one will ever hurt you again!
At Clara’s house, over tea, Daniel explained he’d been forced to work in a restricted area. They’d taken his passport and phone, which is why he couldn’t contact anyone. Recently, he’d managed to escape and reach the nearest police station. The authorities were now investigating his employers.
When it was Emma’s turn to speak, she broke down in tears. Daniel hugged her and asked:
— What’s wrong, my little angel? You have nothing to fear anymore. Daddy’s here.
Understanding her distress, Clara told him the whole truth:
— That’s how it was, son-in-law. After you disappeared, Sarah lost her mind. I didn’t even try to reason with her—it was pointless.
A month passed with Emma staying at Clara’s. Daniel recovered from his ordeal and made a decision. Calling a taxi, he took Emma with him:
— Let’s go get your things and sort out the school transfer.
At the entrance to their old home, Daniel paused, looked at his frightened daughter, and smiled:
— Come on, princess, chin up.
He winked, took her hand, and headed to Sarah’s apartment.
Meanwhile, Sarah was entertaining yet another man when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and froze in shock. Standing there were her husband and daughter. Daniel didn’t argue. He walked into the bedroom, grabbed Sarah’s lover by the collar, and threw him out. Then he began packing Emma’s things.
— Emma’s going to live with me. I’ll take care of her. I’m filing for divorce tomorrow.
Sarah sobbed bitterly, realizing she’d never expected to see her husband alive and well. She knew she’d lost her chance at happiness, and Daniel would never forgive her.
A month later, they were officially divorced. Daniel collected Emma’s school documents and moved her to his mother’s house. There, Emma quickly adjusted to her new life and transformed. Grandma Clara became a frequent visitor at her former son-in-law’s home, and Daniel treated her with respect and gratitude. Emma made many friends and no longer felt alone. Instead of a mother who never loved her, she now had two loving grandmothers.
Emma grew up surrounded by kindness and love, truly happy. She never thought of her mother again, except once, when she wrote a letter to Santa Claus before New Year’s, asking that her mom never find her or take her back.
As for Sarah, she sank to rock bottom, living a reckless life and never once checking on her daughter.
In time, Daniel found work at a sawmill built by a local businessman near the village. Soon after, he met a wonderful woman named Laura, who was raising her son alone. At first, Emma was cautious and wary of a stranger in their home, but her fears were unfounded. Laura proved to be a kind person, an excellent homemaker, and a devoted wife. She earned Emma’s trust and fully stepped into the role of a mother. Emma’s stepbrother, Michael, became a true friend, always protecting her, sharing everything, and never hurting her.
Laura created a warm, cozy home, loving and caring for the children without favoritism. Daniel thanked God for his family, and Emma finally understood what a real, happy family felt like, certain that no one would ever hurt, betray, or cast her out again.
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