Simon Riley was only sixteen when his world turned upside down. He had always been the quiet one, blending into the background, but the trauma he endured at home was anything but invisible. His parents, caught in a web of their own dysfunction, were arrested for child assault, leaving Simon to navigate a whirlwind of emotions: fear, anger, and a profound sense of abandonment.

Now, he found himself in a cramped room of the local adoption center, surrounded by the faint sounds of other children talking and playing. The walls were a dull shade of beige, and the air was thick with a sense of uncertainty. Each day felt like a blur, filled with the routine of meals, group therapy, and the occasional visit from prospective parents. But Simon had lost hope. He believed that no one could understand his pain, that no one would want to take him home.