When my neighbor Thomas died in a car crash, his daughter Riley was left with her stepmother, Carmen. At first, Carmen seemed kind. But little by little, I noticed changes in Riley—she grew quiet, thin, and sad.

One day, I found her outside in the cold. Carmen had kicked her out to entertain a guest. I took Riley in, fed her, and saw how starved she was—for food and for love. Carmen no longer took her to clubs or played games. Riley now cleaned the house while Carmen spent time with a man named Roger.

Then, one night, I overheard Carmen telling Roger she was trying to steal Riley’s inheritance. “Once I find a loophole,” she said, “I’ll get rid of her.”

I contacted Mr. Davis, the lawyer who wrote Thomas’s will. He assured me Carmen couldn’t touch the money—it was all Riley’s. But still, Riley needed protection.

She began coming to my home daily. I gave her warmth, meals, and safety. Slowly, the light returned to her eyes. I knew then—I didn’t just want to help Riley.

I wanted to adopt her.