At the age of 13, she gave birth to a child, and 18 years later, on her daughter’s birthday, she received a letter from the hospital, after which the girl’s father confessed for the first time that he was hiding the truth

Emma had always assumed that everyone connected to Lucas wanted nothing to do with Sophie.

Now she was reading that one of them had asked to see her.

I told Helena that Sophie was your daughter.

I told her that neither I nor anyone else could make decisions about your child's future without your involvement.

She gave me a photograph, her address, and a written message asking that I contact her if you ever wanted to speak with her.

I kept everything.

At first, I believed that showing you those things would bring unnecessary pain.

You were beginning to regain your confidence, and I wanted to protect that progress.

Later, when Sophie was older, I kept telling myself there would be a better time.

After another year, I said the same thing.

And then another.

Eventually, so much time had passed that I did not know how to explain why I had remained silent.