When my stepmom destroyed my college acceptance letter, I thought my future was ruined. But a stranger’s unexpected arrival brought a message from my late mother that changed everything.
At 18, I was determined to escape the pain of my home life. After losing my mom at a young age and my dad just before my 17th birthday, I was left with Kelly, my stepmom, who treated me with cold disdain. My dream of college had been my guiding light—until that fateful day.
I came home from volunteering to find Kelly burning papers in the fireplace. Smirking, she revealed it was my college acceptance letter. “You’re staying here to work at my café,” she declared. Her words crushed me, but before I could react, the doorbell rang.
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