Chapter 98
He had lived in the orphanage there.
And it was there that he had seen Stella for the first time.
He would never forget the day the little girl in the frilly princess dress walked into the dilapidated orphanage. She had two little pigtails, and her eyes were more beautiful than diamonds. She looked like a porcelain doll from a shop window.
Unlike so many others, she didn’t look at the orphans with disdain, even though it was the dirtiest, most rundown orphanage in the city.
“Mommy, can I play with them for a little while?” the exquisite little girl asked, blinking her big eyes at an elegant, sophisticated woman.
The woman smiled. “Of course, Stella. Just be careful not to fall p>
She flitted among them like a cheerful little bird. The other children had never seen
a girl so beautiful, and they all clamored to play with her.
“Hey! Why are you lying on the ground?” The little princess, who had been the center of attention, walked over to him and asked in surprise. A hand, so pale it seemed to glow, reached out to him. “Let me help you up p>
Just before she had arrived, he had been getting beaten up by some of the bigger, stronger boys at the orphanage. They had pinned him to the ground, all because he wouldn’t give them his entire meal.
“Someone is coming to donate money to the orphanage. Stop fighting,” the director had said, and the boys had finally let him go. But he was too hungry, too weak to get up on his own.
“Don’t touch him, he’s dirty!” one of his bullies said, grabbing the little princess’s hand.
She turned and glared at him. “You don’t tell me what to do!” She had always been like that, defiant and independent.
The boy persisted. “He stinks. Come play with us. I can make paper airplanes p>
The little princess ignored him and extended her hand to the boy on the ground again. “Give me your hand p>
The bully, the little king of the orphanage, got angry and yanked her hand again. “I told you not to touch him p>
Smack!
The little princess slapped him across the face. “And I told you to leave me alone!” The boy, stunned, burst into tears. The sound drew the attention of the director, who was giving the little princess’s parents a tour.
“Director, she hit me!” the boy wailed.
The director frowned, glanced at the little princess, and then said to the bully, “I’m sure it was your fault. Go to the classroom p>
The little princess’s mother asked her, “Did you hit him p>
She nodded. “I did. He grabbed me twice p>
Her mother smiled. “Then you did nothing wrong. Go on, keep playing p>
Her father checked her hand. “It’s all red,” he said, his voice full of concern. “Don’t hit so hard next time p>
Her parents trusted and doted on her unconditionally, even if it made them look like arrogant rich people who thought their money gave them the right to do whatever they wanted. They clearly didn’t care.
Her hand was small and warm, and it easily pulled him up from the ground. He was all skin and bones back then.
“You’re so skinny,” she said before she left. “I’ll ask my mom to donate more money so you can eat more p>
He nodded, clenching his fists to stop them from shaking, and uttered a single word for the first time that day. “Okay p>
He vowed that the next time she came, she would see a different him.
But she never came back to the orphanage.
“That’s really impressive. The poor students there can only afford an education because of you,” the girl’s bright, lovely voice pulled George from his memories.
The little princess didn’t remember
him. It was only natural. She had
been six years old, her life a dazzling tapestry of privilege while he had been nothing but dirt beneath her feet.
But that was okay. Eventually, she had come to remember him.
“I also received help from others when I lived there,” George said, taking a sip of
water, his handsome throat moving as he swallowed.
Marguerite’s enchanting eyes crinkled. “Passing on the kindness. That’s so
heartwarming it gives my dead body goosebumps p>
A wave of drowsiness finally washed over her. She put down her glass. “I’m going to The source of this content ɪs ~net
head to bed. You should get some rest, too p>
“Goodnight,” George said.
“Goodnight, you amazing philanthropist,” she replied with a radiant smile.
The second-floor sitting area fell silent again, the air still holding the faint, pleasant scent of the girl. George put down his own glass
Then able to control hims
he
picked up hers and pressed his lips to the rim where hers had been, his eyes filling with a dark, clinging obsession.
See? He wasn’t some amazing philanthropist. He was just a despicable, shadowy pervert.