She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew)

Chapter 105

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Maria raised her hand to wipe her tears and smiled at Athena. "That day, I secretly swore that in this life. I would be a member of the Donovan family as long as I lived and a ghost of the Donovan family if I died." Athena nodded gently and used the towel to lightly wipe the tears from Maria's face.

Maria sniffled and said in a low voice, "I didn't intend to talk about my biological parents ever again.

"But you're Mom and Dad's biological daughter. You're their precious child. I don't want you to misunderstand or for anyone to sow discord between us in the future, so I think I should tell you this."

"Well, thank you for telling me this. Athena caressed her head again and said firmly, "Believe me, you're already grown up and can decide your fate."

"No one can control your life anymore. Don't feel hurt because of what happened in the past."

"Athena, you are just as nice as your adoptive parents and brothers." Maria sniffled again and smiled. "I have been thinking that I must live a very happy life to be worthy of the kindness your family has shown me." Athena nodded and looked at her. "Your feet must be numb by now, right? Can you get up?"

However, Maria shook her head. "There is one more thing I think I should tell you."

"Alright, go ahead," Athena said.

Maria glanced at the door and, after confirming it was closed, said in a low voice, Josie... is also adopted."

"I... begged our family to adopt her.

Athena was somewhat surprised, though not entirely caught off guard.

She had already suspected that Josie was not her parents' biological child, but she had not expected that there might be more to the story.

Maria sniffled in embarrassment. "You are so smart. You must have noticed Josie is not Mom and Dad's biological daughter

during the summer vacation, Maria performed poorly on her SATS, failing to meet the standards for a decent

repeat year, hoping she would work hard to pass the

an orphanage. Maria found the work meaningful and

there that

a cardboard box at the entrance of the orphanage. There was an umbrella

kittens or puppies inside. I ran over, and to my surprise, it was agute little girl who looked like an

girl in the cardboard box be Josie? Was someone heartless enough to abandon such a young, adorable child at the orphanage?" Maria's eyes grew wet again. "The little girl looked like two or three years old,

Sat, Oct 12

Chapter 105

Athena sighed inwardly

this world

a note inside the box It read: Alina, two years and eight months old, born on December

face was fair and clean. The person who raised her did not seem to lack money. I cannot understand why someone with means would abandon such a

her into the orphanage, and after a checkup, we discovered that she had polio and a slight limp in her right

that she had been abandoned. She did everything the adults asked of her. When no one cared for or played with her, she would carry her Hello Kitty doll and hide in a

could not understand what she was singing, but her

talkative and was shy around strangers, every time she saw me, it was as if she had wings. Her eyes would light up, and she smiled like a

saw her, I thought of myself when I was younger. I remembered how I pounced on our parents when they came to find

more tears than when she

not

to the orphanage to see

answer...

home, but... but the family had already adopted me. At that time, something had happened to the family, and everyone was struggling. Il could not bring myselfto ask the

been two years ago! Had my family

"School was about to start, and once it did, I could not visit the orphanage. L.. I fell ill... Her illness was quite severe. She had a fever and was vomiting. She

crawl out of bed, crying

her condition and had