Five years ago, my life was turned upside down: I found out that my sister was dating my husband. It was a betrayal that hurt me to the core. I left, deciding to start over.

That day, as usual, I was drinking my morning coffee and sorting through my mail. Suddenly, the phone rang, and my sister’s name appeared on the screen. My heart sank – we hadn’t spoken all this time.

Jenna’s voice was shaking; she was worried.

“I need your help,” she said. “It’s about my child.”

It turned out that she had a little daughter, but due to the circumstances, she could no longer take care of her. Tears and hasty speech prevented me from understanding everything to the end, but in the end, we agreed to meet the next day in a small cafe where we used to go often.

I arrived early and waited nervously. When Jenna appeared, I hardly recognized her. She told me how the last few years had passed, mentioned the child’s father, but did not name him. Then she told me about her illness and how hard it was for her to cope alone.

“This is Emily,” she said, handing me a photograph. Her hands were visibly shaking. “When he found out I was sick, he left.”

After a pause, she said the most important thing:

“I want you to take Emily in.”

I asked about her condition, and she admitted that the doctors had given her only a few months. “I told Emily about you; she knows who you are,” the sister added. We agreed that the next day, I would come to their home.

When I opened the door, I saw a little girl of about five with huge, curious eyes. Her timid “hello” and slight smile melted the tension. I introduced myself as an aunt and tried to be as friendly as possible.

That day, I helped around the house, cooked, washed, and spent time with Emily. In the evening, I put her to bed, and then Jenna and I drank tea and for the first time in many years talked without hostility. She asked for forgiveness for the past, and even though it was painful, I answered: “I forgive you.”

When I asked if Emily’s father was my ex-husband, Jenna nodded. He left before the girl was born and has not appeared since.

Since then, I have been living with them, helping my sister, and becoming more and more attached to my niece. We completed the paperwork for my adoption of Emily. Jenna’s illness progressed, and on one of her last bright days, we hugged, and she whispered:

– Thank you … I love you.

After her death, I knew that I would keep my promise – Emily would grow up in a house where she was loved and cherished.