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
