Facade of Love

Chapter 354 She’s Not Like Me

“You know, she wasn’t always alone. Director Williams told me she had been dropped off at the orphanage four or five times before they finally took her in. Her parents had a baby boy six months ago,

and with everything getting too much for them, they decided they could not look after her anymore. They tried to abandon her somewhere unfamiliar, but some kind–hearted soul kept bringing her back. Somehow, her folks found out that the orphanage would take in kids with nowhere to go, so they bent over backward trying to leave her there. Since her parents were still around, the orphanage could not really keep her. She ended up on their doorstep a bunch of times. But there was a twist of fate, though. Her parents were so set on dumping her at the orphanage that they never saw what was coming. Three months back, while they were on their way to another city, planning to leave her and just take her little brother back, they got hit by this huge truck. All three of them were gone. Just like that, she was truly on her own and got into the orphanage without any more fuss.”

Yesterday, when Maxwell was handing out presents, Ariel picked out a Spiderman backpack. I could not help but watch her a little closer. Director Williams caught me looking and filled me in on her story.

My heart just sank. She did not even care about Spiderman. She just kept gazing at that backpack, probably thinking she would save it for her little brother. Perhaps in her mind, she believed that by giving him the best present, her parents would not leave her behind again.

“So, you came all this way today because you feel sorry for her and wanted to throw her a birthday party?” Charlie asked, his voice as calm as still water.

I bit my lip and shook my head. “Yeah. She’s so understanding and never did anything wrong, yet she’s been tossed aside over and over again. She still can’t figure out why her parents don’t like her and why they don’t want her. She’s just waiting patiently and hopefully in the orphanage, dreaming that maybe her parents will come back for her one day.”

icy, his voice detached as he

under my skin. “You…” I started, but then I clamped my mouth shut. I almost forgot what Inch had told

His cool front was because he was the one who had been ditched, and sometimes, when people tried to

lips together. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to be there for Ariel from now on. My

me a sidelong glance, a frown creasing his forehead.

if I can’t adopt her and bring her into my family, I can still be there for her. I’ll do everything I can to help her grow up to be an amazing person. I won’t abandon her, and neither, will Director Williams. Moreover, there are plenty of others

could muster, Charlie’s lips twitched into a

Not Like Me

think you’re some kind of

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