Maria stood in the corner of the kitchen, crying quietly as she held a mop that was almost taller than she was. Her small arms were shaking badly. She was only six years old, and the mop felt heavy in her hands. Veronica, the woman who was supposed to be her new mother, stood over her with hard, angry eyes. “If you don’t clean this floor right now,” Veronica shouted, “I’ll get rid of you the same way I got rid of your useless mother!”
Maria cried harder. She didn’t understand why this woman hated her so much. Her real mother, Grace, had been gentle and loving. She never yelled, never hit, never frightened her. But Grace was gone now, and Maria didn’t know the full truth yet. She only knew that life had become very different—and very frightening.
Years before Maria was born, two little girls had grown up together in the same neighborhood. Their names were Grace and Veronica. They were like sisters. They walked to school together, played together after school, and shared secrets under the….Read Full Story Here………….
