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
