In this photo, I smiled in the arms of my stepfather… For years, my mother thought he loved me like his own daughter, but I had no idea what was really happening behind closed doors — or why I would carry that secret with me for so many years

For many years,s. I couldn’t even look at this photo.

Now I’m 29 years old, but every time I see that little girl smiling, I still remember exactly what I was thinking at the time.

Smile, Emily. Mom’s watching.

I was nine when my mother, Sarah, married Mark.

My biological father had disappeared from our lives when I was still very young. For years, Mom worked in two jobs just to pay rent, cover my school expenses and give me something that looked like a normal childhood.

When Mark came into our lives, it was the first time I saw my mother really happy.

He carried flowers.

He was buying me little presents.

When I was picking me up from school, I wondered how my day had gone.

Whenever Mom was around, I used to put a hand on my shoulder and say,