Lilly reached for her hand, her grip warm, reassuring. “I mean it. Whenever you need me—whenever the past feels too heavy—come to me. Talk to me. Share the weight. I wasn’t there for you before, but I am now. You’re not alone anymore.”

Sarah let out a shaky breath, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her coat. For years, she had buried everything—her pain, her loneliness, the countless nights spent yearning for her family.

“Life without parents is a curse,” she ...