At first, I thought it was sweet that my future stepdaughter, Amila, woke up early to make breakfast and clean the house. But soon I realized there was something wrong.
Every morning before sunrise, this tiny seven-year-old was up, carefully handling hot appliances and tidying the kitchen alone. It didn’t feel right.
“You don’t have to do all this,” I told her gently. But she insisted, “I like doing it.”
Her eagerness masked a deeper fear.
One day, I finally asked why she worked so hard. She whispered, “I heard Daddy say no one would love or marry a woman unless she cooked and took care of the house. I’m scared he won’t love me if I don’t do these things.”
My heart broke. Despite progress in women’s rights, Ryan still held old beliefs, and his daughter was paying the price.
The next days, I made Ryan take on more chores—mowing the lawn, folding laundry—to show him what Amila was missing.
I confronted him directly. “Your daughter thinks your love depends on how much she serves you. She’s a child, not a maid.”
He was silent, then ashamed.
That night, Ryan finally spoke to Amila. I waited, hopeful that things would start to change.