Eliana stood frozen in front of the woman who claimed to be her mother. Her eyes were sharp, filled with unanswered questions. She stared at Evalina’s face—a face so unfamiliar, bearing no resemblance to any childhood memory she held.

“You said… you’re my mother?” Eliana’s voice was flat.

Evalina—or rather, Olivia—tried to smile, though her eyes were already brimming with tears. “Yes, sweetheart… I—”

“Why does your face look like someone else’s?” Eliana cut in coldly. “My mother… she had a soft face. Warm. I still remember her smile when she used to sing me to sleep.”

Olivia bit her lip. It hurt—deeply—to hear that rejection from the daughter she...