Metanoia

Six years ago, Darcy Russo vanished from her luxurious life, leaving behind a powerful family and a future of privilege. Now, an orphan hardened by abuse, she clings to a fragile existence, her only solace a loyal dog named Bear. But a brutal attack lands her in the hospital, and a DNA test threatens to unravel the carefully constructed walls around her past. Will her true identity be revealed, forcing her to confront a world she was stolen from, or will she remain lost in the shadows, forever bound by the choices of others?

Metanoia

Six years ago, Darcy Russo vanished from her luxurious life, leaving behind a powerful family and a future of privilege. Now, an orphan hardened by abuse, she clings to a fragile existence, her only solace a loyal dog named Bear. But a brutal attack lands her in the hospital, and a DNA test threatens to unravel the carefully constructed walls around her past. Will her true identity be revealed, forcing her to confront a world she was stolen from, or will she remain lost in the shadows, forever bound by the choices of others?

Laughter once filled the Russo household, a distant echo from a life Darcy couldn't remember. Now, silence was her constant companion, broken only by the creaking floors of the orphanage and the distant shouts of her 'carers'. The moon, a solitary beacon, cast long shadows as she contemplated her meager options.

The cool night air brushed against her skin, a fleeting whisper of freedom. She stood at the edge of the beach, the vast ocean stretching out before her, a symbol of the world beyond these suffocating walls. Bear, her scruffy, loyal companion, was off chasing some unseen prey in the thicket, oblivious to the dread tightening in her chest.

"Come on," she called out, her voice barely a whisper, as she brushed sand from her overalls. The trek back was a familiar one, through dimly lit alleys and shortcuts, each step bringing her closer to the place she couldn't even call home.