Samuel froze again, staring with hollow eyes at the woman before him. When he heard her say her daughter's nickname was Hopey, his heart felt like it was being torn open, as if countless ants were crawling and gnawing at the wound.

A devastating pain hit him that made it impossible to breathe, impossible to accept anything she said. But he clearly remembered, the child he had taken home was indeed called Hopey. A small, sweet, and incredibly smart little girl. That was Eliana's ...