My 10-year-old daughter always rushed to the bathroom as soon as she came home from school. When I asked, “Why do you always take a bath right away?” she smiled and said, “I just like to be clean.” However, one day while cleaning the drain, I found something. The moment I saw it, my whole body started trembling, and I immediately…

too quiet. I stood outside the front door for a moment, taking a deep breath. I had no idea what I was walking into, but I knew I had to be strong for Lily.

I opened the door slowly, the familiar creak of the hinges sounding loud in the stillness. I found Lily sitting on the couch, her book abandoned on the coffee table. She looked up at me, her eyes continue reading …