A month after adopting 4-year-old Ioana, she quietly told me, “Mommy, you

shouldn’t put your faith in Daddy.” Ioana, who had been reserved but showed promise,

seemed to adjust slowly, but I began noticing her anxiety around Mihai.

One day, she told me, “He’s not who he says he is” and spoke about a man from

the orphanage who had been angry and made cruel remarks about her. Her words

confused me, as Mihai and I had gone through every adoption step together.That

evening, I discovered concerning emails from Mihai regarding Ioana’s adoption,

suggesting doubts about her suitability, despite his apparent enthusiasm.

When Mihai slept, I whispered to Ioana that I would protect her. I now felt

a deep need to uncover the truth behind Mihai’s actions and Ioana’s fear of him