2 / He Was Everyone’s Favorite Teacher until One Student’s Drawing Exposed His Hidden Past

under a tree, was Mr. Mitchels with Ellie, smiling over ice cream. Furious and scared, Prue confronted him. That’s when he confessed: he was Ellie’s biological uncle. He hadn’t stepped in after the accident, ashamed and unprepared. But when he saw her name on his class list, he wanted to quietly make sure she was okay. Prue was torn—angry at his secrecy,

but moved by his remorse. After careful thought, she agreed to let him be part of Ellie’s life, on her terms—with honesty, boundaries, and transparency. For Ellie’s sake, she left the door open—not wide, but just enough to start again.