Linda sat in stunned silence, struggling to accept the truth that had been callously thrown at her. "How? How could this be?" she cried out, more to herself than anyone else.

At just 12 years old, Lindani's world had been turned upside down. She had always believed that Georgina, the woman who had raised her, was her biological mother. But now, she was faced with the devastating reality that Georgina had adopted her at the age of one, after her biological mother's tragic death and her father's rejection.

The revelation came from the man she thought was her father, Charles, who delivered the news with heartless cruelty. "I'm not your father, and Georgina only kept you because she pitied you," he bellowed. "I only have two children, and you're not one of them. From now on, you'll have to fend for yourself. I'm not wasting my money on the likes of you."

Linda was torn between disbelief and grief. "Why is all this happening now?" she wondered. Her mind was reeling with questions and doubts. "Should I grieve for Georgina, or for a mother I never knew existed until now?"

With a heavy heart, Lindani gathered her meager belongings and cherished memories of her time with Georgina into a small bag. She slung it over her shoulder, taking a tentative step into an uncertain future, with no clear destination or prospect in sight.