Chapter 3

Two years later, we were at the back-to-school assembly.

Zara had finished elementary school and started middle school. I was entering fourth grade.

Zara held my hand and said seriously, "Fiora, remember, if anyone bullies you while I'm not around, find Ms. Vera. She likes you. She'll definitely help you..."

Mom and Dad walked behind us, smiling, carrying our backpacks.

I'd been so happy these past two years.

Genevieve loved taking pictures. I had three albums of my own now, plus more family photos than I could count.

Sebastian had enrolled me in this private school so Zara and I could go to and from school together.

When a group of kids ganged up on me, Zara beat their ringleader so badly his head was bleeding.

My adoptive parents and Zara gave me back the love my birth parents had denied me, a thousand times over.

Like today. I'd told them over and over that I knew how registration worked and could sign up by myself, but they'd still taken the day off so the whole family could see me off to school.

They didn't want to miss a single important moment in my life.

In my heart, Genevieve and Sebastian were my mom and dad, and no one else was.

I smiled and promised Zara I would, then followed her to greet Ms. Vera.

The next moment, someone grabbed my hand.

When I saw who it was, I went rigid. It was my birth mother, Elara.

She had a pink backpack in one hand and Vesper's hand in the other.

It hit me that Vesper was six now, old enough to start school.

"Livia... is that you?"

Elara stared at me in disbelief, looking me up and down.

She studied me until she recognized the girl she remembered. Joy lit up her face, and she reached toward my cheek with trembling hands.

"Livia... my daughter! You're alive! Why didn't you come find Mommy?!"

Fat tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on the back of my hand.

I said nothing. My eyes stayed on the backpack in her hand. So she did know how to take a first grader to school after all.

When I'd started school, she'd said she and Dad had something important to do. They'd told me to enroll myself at the nearby public school.

I'd been scared of the new place, and that morning I'd begged Mom and Dad to take me. Just once.

But they'd pulled their hands from mine, tossed me my backpack, said, "Do it yourself," and walked away with Vesper.

Later I found out that the important thing they had to do that day was take Vesper to the amusement park.

Her tears were hot, but they didn't stir a single feeling in me.

I pulled my hand away and looked at her like a stranger.

"I don't know you, ma'am."

Ignoring her stunned look, I turned and ran to my adoptive parents, held their hands tight, and didn't look at her again.

People stared as she pleaded through her tears. "Livia, I really am your mom! You went missing in the wildfire two years ago! Don't you remember?"

I cut her off firmly. "Ma'am, you must have the wrong person. I have a mom and dad. They're right here."

Elara crumpled to the ground, her face twisted in pain.

"No, that can't be. How could I get it wrong? Livia, my baby..."

My adoptive parents exchanged a look and immediately guessed who she was. They pulled Zara and me behind them.

I pressed a finger into Genevieve's palm and shook my head.

She crouched down, hugged me, and gave me a reassuring smile.

Then she turned to Elara.

"Ma'am, I understand how it feels to lose a child, but you really do have the wrong girl. She's my daughter, Fiora, not the Livia you're talking about."

My birth father, Theodore, came over just then. When he realized what was happening, he looked devastated but forced a polite smile.

"I'm sorry. My wife has been like this ever since we lost our child..."

As he spoke, his eyes drifted to my face. "Can two people really look this much alike?" he murmured.

Ms. Vera cut in with a smile. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. Fiora has been coming here to meet her sister after school for the past two years. They really are family."

After the teacher said that, the kids around us started whispering. Embarrassed, Vesper called out, "Mom, stop it!"

Finally, Elara stood, took Vesper's hand, and quietly agreed.

When it looked like she'd given up, I let myself relax.

But as I turned to leave with my adoptive parents, Elara lunged at me and tugged hard at my clothes.

"No! You're Livia! Let me see! Livia has a little blue birthmark on her back, no bigger than a sesame seed!"

I screamed and tried to get away.

Zara jumped in front of me, but Elara knocked her to the ground, and Zara's knee got scraped and started bleeding.

My adoptive parents rushed over to shield us. "Ma'am, stop! You've harassed my daughter again and again, and now you're pulling at her clothes in public. I've called the police!"

Elara was out of control. She wouldn't listen and kept trying to grab me. Chaos broke out.

Then the sirens sounded, and just as I turned, a gust of wind lifted the hem of my shirt.

At that moment, Elara screamed. "There's the birthmark! She's my daughter!"

My heart stopped, and I froze where I stood.

She'd seen it!