Every Sunday evening, like clockwork, Olivia’s ten-year-old stepson, Josh, returned from his mother’s house—silent, sullen, and withdrawn. He used to be a bubbly, talkative boy who loved baking with Olivia and sharing stories about school. But lately, his joy had vanished the moment he stepped back into their home. Worried, Olivia asked her husband, Patrick, to talk to him. Patrick reassured her it was probably just stress from his biological mom, Linda,
who could be demanding. But Olivia knew in her gut that something deeper was wrong. Then one Sunday, everything changed. While waiting for Josh to come inside, Olivia saw the porch security camera feed appear on the TV. She watched as Linda handed Josh a container of cookies and then said something that made Olivia’s stomach drop: “You know what you have to do.” Josh resisted. “I hate lying to Dad,”