“Aliska!” her stepfather’s voice bellowed. She sighed, grabbed a hoodie, and slipped outside.

“If only Mom were still here,” she thought, recalling her mother’s tragic death in a car crash. After the funeral, her grandparents refused custody, and her stepfather Dmitry—who had adopted her but never saw her as his own—took her in. He ignored her, made her do housework, and grumbled about spending money on her.

One morning, Alisa found an unlocked phone outside a store. She called the contact labeled “Wife.” Soon, both the phone’s owner—Roman—and his wife arrived. Roman was kind, but froze when he saw Alisa’s pendant. “Where did you get this?” he asked. It was a gift from her mother.

Haunted by the pendant, Roman followed Alisa home. Hearing her stepfather yelling, he rushed upstairs and intervened. Alisa, shaken, took Roman’s hand and left.

He brought her to his home—beautiful, warm, and welcoming. But his wife, Irina, coolly said, “This will be your temporary home.” The word stung.