Little Sovanna had been through more than any baby monkey should ever endure. Abandoned shortly after birth, she had no one to cling to—until Daddy Lin came into her life. Lin wasn’t her real father, but he was her rescuer, her protector, and the only warmth she’d known since being found helpless in the wild.
On this day, Lin was busy tidying up the feeding area in the early morning when Sovanna spotted him walking away. Her eyes widened with fear. To her, even a few steps away meant he might disappear forever.
Letting out a heartbreaking cry, Sovanna ran with her wobbly legs and flung her little arms around Lin’s leg. She clung tightly, her tiny face pressed against his knee, sobbing in soft whimpers as if begging, “Don’t leave me again.”
Lin paused, feeling the gentle weight of Sovanna on his leg. He looked down and saw her teary eyes staring up with desperation. Her thin arms trembled from the effort, and her breath was ragged with emotion. The scene was overwhelming—one of pure innocence and heartbreak.
Kneeling down slowly, Lin scooped her up into his arms. Sovanna immediately buried her face into his chest, still sniffling, her small fingers gripping his shirt. Lin held her close, whispering soft words of comfort while gently rocking her back and forth.
She wasn’t just scared—she was afraid of being left behind again.
The other monkeys watched quietly as Sovanna finally calmed in Lin’s embrace. Though the day had just begun, for Sovanna, the worst part was already over. She wasn’t alone anymore. She had found someone who wouldn’t let her go—and for the first time in her little life, she started to believe she was truly safe.
