After her husband's funeral, the woman took her mute stepdaughter to a forest swamp and left her there. But a year later, she was in for an unpleasant surprise...

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When Emily was very young, she had a deep love for fairy tales. Each time, she believed that these enchanting stories could become a reality in her own life.
However, it turned out that dreams can come true in unexpected and frightening ways. First, her mother passed away, leaving young Emily feeling devastated.
At that time, Emily couldn't accept the fact that her mother would no longer enter their home, prepare delicious breakfasts, or engage in playful pillow fights in their bed. The girl convinced herself that everyone around her was pretending, hiding the truth that her mother had merely fallen under the spell of an evil sorceress and was now trapped in a deep slumber within a fairy tale dream.
Desperate for her mother's return, Emily pleaded with her father to wake her up. However, all her father could do was weep. And a year later, another woman entered their lives – Annabel.
"This is Annabel," Emily's dad explained. "She will be your new mom."
"No," Emily firmly replied, stepping back from the fake smile of her new woman. "I don't need a new mom!"
"Of course you do!" her father insisted, grabbing Emily and pulling her closer. "Annabel knows how to take care of kids; she's a teacher. I'm sure you two will become friends!"
"No way," Emily declared, resisting her father's grip. "We don't need her!"
For the first time in her life, Emily received a spanking from her father. Although it wasn't physically painful, it was deeply hurtful, and she spent the rest of the day alone in her room, shedding tears.
When hunger finally drove her out of her hiding place, Annabel informed her that she would only receive food if she referred to her as "mother." That evening, Emily went to bed hungry, sobbing uncontrollably.
Contrary to her hopes, her father did not remove the wicked stepmother from their lives. In fact, she gradually became the dominant figure in their household. Their lives began to resemble the fairy tales of stepmothers and unfortunate stepdaughters, even to the extent that Emily's father fell ill. He suffered for a long time, his illness consuming him from within. Twelve-year-old Emily couldn't bear to see her father in that state – emaciated, pale, with a drip in his arm.
"I won't live much longer," her father admitted one day, in a simple and matter-of-fact manner. "You see, my first wife is calling me to her. I thought I could cope, I could live without her, but it didn't work. I'm sorry, Annabel, I guess I'm a one-woman man! Go on living, but I beg you, don't leave Emily!"
"I love you. Of course, I won't," the new wife assured him, holding his hand. But Emily sensed that it was all a lie.
After her father's passing, Emily discovered that he had left all his money to her. Annabel became her legal guardian. At first, she took the girl's funds with a cautious eye, and then, feeling complete impunity, she became increasingly reckless. Less than six months later, the widow found herself a new husband – a young, audacious man with the physique of a fitness trainer.
Emily started isolating herself more and more in her room, avoiding hearing or seeing them. She would often wander around the city aimlessly. Although she excelled academically and maintained a tidy appearance, she never participated in any class activities. Most people assumed she was just naturally reserved, so no one questioned her further. However, the truth was that Emily had no money at all, not even an allowance.
The girl patiently waited for the day when she could inherit her father's money and escape from the house that no longer felt like her own.

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