Linda is the kind of woman who loves to present the image of a perfect family to the outside world, but underneath, she’s judgmental and, at times, cruel. And the worst part? Her attitude toward Tessa stems from the fact that Tessa isn’t Grant’s biological daughter.

For years, I tried to keep the peace. Grant often said, “She’s just old-fashioned. Give her time, she’ll come around.” But she never did. Linda constantly made little digs at Tessa, implying she didn’t belong.

Tessa, bless her heart, never complained. She kept her head down, thinking maybe she was the problem. But I saw it. I heard every passive-aggressive comment and every “accidental” slight. Grant didn’t see it the way I did. He loved his mom and chalked her behavior up to quirks. But I knew better.

Linda’s barbs were subtle but painful. She’d say things like, “Oh, Tessa, that dress looks a little too grown-up for someone like you, don’t you think?” Or she’d forget Tessa’s birthday, conveniently showering Sadie with gifts instead.

Tessa didn’t say anything, but I saw how it hurt her.

After my mother passed away unexpectedly, everything started to unravel. I was devastated: there was no time to prepare, no chance to say goodbye. It felt like the world had been pulled out from under me, and grief consumed me. I could barely function.

We had to fly out of state for the funeral. I was already overwhelmed with sorrow, and figuring out what to do with the girls was the last thing I could handle.

Linda offered to watch them while we were gone. Deep down, I hated the idea of leaving Tessa with her, knowing how she treated her. But I was drowning in grief, and it felt like we had no other choice.

I pushed my instincts aside and agreed, hoping that just maybe Linda would treat Tessa decently while we were away. But I was wrong.

When we returned home after three exhausting days, something felt off as soon as we stepped inside. The house was disturbingly quiet. There was a note on the counter: “Took Sadie to the park. Be back later.” No mention of Tessa. A knot formed in my stomach.

“Where’s Tessa?” I muttered, looking around the house. I called her name, but there was no answer. My heart began to race. I scanned the house, but nothing felt right. That’s when I noticed the faint light flickering from the basement window.

No one ever went into the basement. It was old, dusty, and packed with junk we hadn’t touched in years. I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew something was wrong.

My heart pounded as I made my way to the basement door. I grabbed my phone and turned on the camera, just in case I needed to capture evidence of whatever had happened down there. Slowly, I opened the door, a wave of musty air washing over me. Every creak of the stairs made my pulse race.

As I descended, the dim light became clearer, and then I saw her: Tessa, curled up on the cold, hard floor, wrapped in an old blanket. She was asleep, her face pale, her cheeks streaked with dried tears. My sweet girl, sleeping in the basement, like she’d been forgotten.

“Tessa?” I whispered, rushing to her side, kneeling down beside her. My heart shattered as I gently shook her awake. “What are you doing down here, honey?”

Tessa blinked up at me, her eyes puffy from crying. “Grandma told me to sleep here,” she murmured. Her voice was so small, it broke my heart. “She said Sadie is her real granddaughter, and I shouldn’t get in the way.”

I froze, the room spinning around me. “She said what?” My voice trembled with rage.

“She didn’t want me around,” Tessa whispered, her bottom lip trembling. “She said I could sleep here. She didn’t let me eat dinner with Sadie either. She said they needed ‘special time.’”