Chapter 3

Following yet another long sigh, the officer opened a packet of cookies for me. He even got me a cup of milk.

After gently comforting me, he drove me to the police station near my adoptive parents' place, so that they could follow the proper procedures to place me in an orphanage.

As the car traveled down the road, we passed the old house where I had once lived with my adoptive parents. I looked through the car window and spotted a teenage boy outside the house. He stood at the side of the road, his gaze sweeping his surroundings as though searching for someone.

It was Shane.

This meant that, by this point in time, the Garners had already tracked me down and sent him to look for me.

Gripped with panic, I shrank away and curled up in a corner of the car seat, trying to make myself as inconspicuous as possible. My heart pounded wildly.

Thankfully, the car just swept right past the house and continued down the road.

Not long afterward, I was taken to an orphanage. Most of the children there were only three or four years old.

At eight years old, I was already past the ideal age for adoption. The couples who came to the orphanage to meet the children preferred younger ones who had fewer memories and were easier to bond with. No one showed any interest in me, and I was perfectly happy to keep to myself.

I was quiet and well-behaved. I often helped Ms. White, the orphanage director, organize the picture books and feed the younger children. I also helped the other staff check on everyone at night. I never fought over toys or snacks. I was so thoughtful and sensible it almost broke Ms. White's heart.

About two weeks later, a couple arrived at the orphanage. They introduced themselves as Hugo Shaw and Yvonne Adams.

Mr. Shaw wore a neatly ironed outfit and gold-rimmed glasses that made him look like a refined gentleman. Mrs. Shaw had shoulder-length hair and two dimples that appeared whenever she smiled.

Each time they visited, they brought a trunk full of snacks and picture books. They spent the entire afternoon playing with the children and never seemed to favor anyone in particular. They were always more than happy to hug any child who ran into their arms.

Ms. White secretly told us that Mr. and Mrs. Shaw had been married for many years but had no children of their own, so they wanted to adopt one. They were making these frequent visits to observe everyone.

As a result, every time they showed up, the children at the orphanage crowded around them, eager to win their favor. Meanwhile, I stayed off to the side, tidying things up and never approaching them.

I knew I was too old, and that no one would want to adopt me. I had long since prepared myself to stay at the orphanage until I came of age.

But that changed one fateful afternoon.

Mrs. Shaw arrived carrying a bag of cookies she'd made by herself. Just as she entered the compound, the paper bag broke, scattering the cookies all over the ground.

Benny, who'd been running around, didn't see the cookies. He happened to slip and almost fell right into the small pile of them.

I was watering the flowers nearby, so I rushed over to catch Benny before he fell. Then I crouched down and gathered the cookies that still looked clean. I wiped them clean and distributed them to the kids nearby.

Only then did I take one of the cookies that had been crushed beyond recognition and stand off to the side to eat it myself. Once I was done, I swept up the crumbs from the ground and threw them away.

I didn't think much of this incident. But later that evening, Ms. White called me into her office.

She smiled and gently patted my head. "Nessa, Mr. and Mrs. Shaw want to adopt you. Would you like that?"

I froze in shock, unable to wrap my head around the situation.

Ms. White's smile grew even gentler as she continued, "They told me they've been observing you for quite a while now. Every time they visit, they see how you help us care for the younger children.

"Remember when Dora went missing? You spent two hours searching under the blazing sun before you found her. You even suffered heatstroke because of it, but you never said a word about it. They said you were mature for your age and had a kind heart. They really like you."

My nose began to sting.

I quietly asked why they'd chosen me over all the other kids. I was considered old for an orphan, and it wouldn't be easy for them to bond with me.

"They said they feel a special connection to you," Ms. White explained with a warm smile. "They're convinced you're the one for them."

After quietly observing them over the past few days, I could also tell that Mr. and Mrs. Shaw were genuinely good people. They treated others with kindness and warmth, and they were comfortably well-off.