Chapter 6

Before Lindsay could get any further, her phone started ringing. She pulled it out and saw it was a call from Harry.

A wave of inexplicable irritation surged up inside her. For the first time, she didn't feel like taking the call. The shrill ringtone went on and on, though. She had no choice but to answer.

Harry gasped in pain on the other end of the line. "Lindsay, I twisted my ankle. It really hurts…"

Lindsay's grip on the phone tightened. "Don't panic. Text me the address. I'll come get you right now."

She hung up and started to leave. Then, she stopped, turned back, and pulled a check from her pocket, handing it to Mason.

"Take this as compensation for any damage I caused you and your newspaper. If there's anything else that you're upset about, we'll deal with it when I get back."

Mason glanced at the number on the check—ten million, just to buy one of his articles. She sure was generous.

But that afternoon, he still walked out the door with nothing but a simple duffel bag.

His superiors at the newspaper had taken good care of him over the years. Since he'd promised to do one last piece for them before leaving, he wasn't about to go back on his word.

He'd already set up an interview with Marie White, the director of the orphanage where he'd grown up. He was doing a special feature on the kids' mental health that afternoon.

When he arrived at the orphanage, he unloaded all the supplies he'd brought for the children with the driver's help. Then, he headed in with his arms full of bags and boxes.

The kids spotted him and immediately swarmed over, shouting his name in excitement. It was where he'd grown up, after all, and walking back through the gates felt like coming home.

He handed out notebooks and pens with a smile, while Marie came out and invited him inside.

Right then, a harsh male voice suddenly came from outside the gate, shouting, "Mason Lakeworth!"

Mason turned around and saw Harry charging toward him, fury written all over his face. His stride was strong and steady—there was no trace of the agonizing ankle injury he'd complained about on the phone.

Mason frowned. He had no idea how Harry had tracked him down here, and he definitely didn't want to cause a scene at the orphanage.

But before he could say a word, Harry rushed up and punched him square in the face. The sound of a fist connecting with a face echoed through the courtyard, and everything went silent.

Helen and Stuart hurried in right behind Harry. One grabbed him, telling him not to be reckless, while the other shook out a jacket and draped it over his shoulders as if afraid he might catch a cold.

Only after fussing over him did they finally look at Mason, who'd just been punched.

Marie stepped in front of Mason, looking furious. "Who are you people? How can you just barge in here and attack someone?"

Helen forced a smile and apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry. My son has been spoiled since he was little and doesn't know any better. We do have something urgent to discuss with Mr. Lakeworth, though. We wouldn't have tracked him down here otherwise."

As she spoke, she turned to Mason and bowed her head. "Mr. Lakeworth, allow me to apologize on Harry's behalf. Could we talk somewhere else? This really is about something important."

The commotion and these strangers barging in had already scared a few of the more timid kids. They were huddled by the wall and wiping tears from their eyes.

Mason's jaw was still throbbing from being punched, and he wanted nothing more than to tell them all to get out. However, he couldn't just let them stir up chaos in the orphanage.

He gently patted Marie's hand, giving her a reassuring look. Then, he turned to Helen and said, "I can go with you, but get your crazy son out of here."

Right before getting into the car, Helen finally thought to glance back at the orphanage. Something about the place seemed to get to her, and a flicker of guilt crossed her face.

She suddenly turned to ask Mason, "Did you… grow up in a place like this?"

He faltered for a heartbeat, but he didn't answer. He just got in and slid into the furthest corner of the backseat.