Carolyn’s face turned ghostly pale.

“My parents wanted to raise her,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “But I refused. I insisted she be placed for adoption.”

I kept my voice calm. “And after that?”

She swallowed hard. “I left the country after she was born. My parents never forgave me. We haven’t spoken since.”

After a restless night and hours of consideration, we decided to visit her parents the next day.

The moment we arrived, Carolyn didn’t hesitate. “Did you adopt my daughter?” she asked.

Her father turned away before finally nodding. “We found her in an orphanage three months after you left. We couldn’t let her grow up without family. She knows she was adopted… and she knows you’re her biological mother.”

Tears streamed down Carolyn’s face. “I want to make this right. Please… can I see her?”

Her father hesitated before sighing. “This will take time. We can’t rush it.”

A meeting was arranged for the following afternoon.

The next day, Emma arrived at our house with Carolyn’s parents.