At first, I thought it was sweet that my future stepdaughter, Amila, woke up early to cook and clean. But as I noticed her growing exhaustion and unease, I began to worry.
One morning, I caught her making coffee, cleaning the kitchen, and preparing breakfast before sunrise. When I asked why she did it, she explained that her father had said women wouldn’t be loved unless they did these chores. She believed that if she didn’t, he wouldn’t love her anymore.
I knew I had to act. Over the next few days, I gave Ryan more chores, pretending it was to ensure he stayed “useful” to me. When he asked why, I confronted him about the harmful message he’d unknowingly passed on to Amila.
That evening, Ryan apologized to Amila, assuring her that his love for her was unconditional, regardless of what she did. In the following weeks, he began taking on more household responsibilities and became more mindful of his words.
In the end, we broke the harmful cycle, and our family grew stronger. No one had to sacrifice their childhood or love to earn a place at the table.
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