When my gold necklace went missing, I found it under my foster daughter Sophie’s mattress, raising suspicions of theft. But the truth I uncovered was far more heartbreaking than I expected.

After fostering Sophie, our biological daughter, Lacey, struggled with jealousy, and things began disappearing—first Lacey’s doll, then my necklace. Sophie denied taking them, but Lacey accused her of stealing. I doubted Sophie, until one evening I overheard Lacey threatening Sophie, revealing she was setting her up. Lacey had been angry and felt replaced by Sophie.

I realized I’d misunderstood the situation and talked to Lacey, reassuring her that love isn’t finite. She admitted she felt unloved, but eventually understood that love grows. I apologized to Sophie, and we began family therapy. Slowly, Lacey and Sophie started bonding, and one night, Lacey handed Sophie her doll, saying “Goodnight, sis.” Our family wasn’t perfect, but we were learning and growing together.