The Missing Gift

Emily sat quietly on the edge of her small bed, her hands clenched in her lap. The colorful paper she had spent hours decorating was gone. Inside it had been her gift for her fatherâa handmade scrapbook filled with drawings, memories, and little notes that said things like âI love you, Daddyâ and âYouâre my hero.â
She had hidden it carefully in the living room cabinet, waiting for the perfect moment to surprise him.
But now⊠it was gone.
Downstairs, her stepmother, Vanessa, sipped her coffee with a cold expression, flipping through her phone as if nothing had happened.
âDid you touch my things again?â Vanessa snapped when she noticed Emily standing nearby.
âIâI was just looking for somethingâŠâ Emily whispered, her voice trembling.
Vanessa rolled her eyes. âWhatever trash you made, I threw it out. The house isnât a daycare for your silly crafts.â
May you like
Those words hit harder than anything.
Emily didnât cryânot out loud. She just nodded slowly and walked away, carrying a heartbreak too heavy for a child.