####CHAPTER THREE

10 YEARS LATER

Vivian

I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, lost in my thoughts when I heard the familiar creak of the floorboards.

Before I could sit up, I felt the gentle touch of a hand on my shoulder.

I didn’t need to look to know who it was- Clara, my only friend here at the orphanage. She always had this way of sneaking up on me when I was deep in thought.

“Vivian,” she whispered, giving me a gentle nudge.

I turned to look at her, forcing a smile. “Hey, Clara. What’s up?”

“What’s up?” she repeated with a soft laugh.

“Viv, tomorrow’s the big day! You’re turning 18! Can you believe it? You’re finally going to be free of this place.”

I sat up, crossing my legs beneath me as I played with the edge of my blanket. “Yeah… tomorrow,” I repeated, trying to sound as excited as she did.

Clara’s smile faltered for a moment as she leaned closer. “Viv, are you okay? I mean, I know you’ve been counting down the days, but now that it’s here… it’s okay to be scared, you know.”

Her words hit me, and I felt a lump forming in my throat. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “It’s just… I’ve dreamed about leaving for so long, but now that it’s happening, I don’t know what to feel. What if I’m not ready? What if I fail out there?”

Clara reached out and took my hand in hers, squeezing it gently. “Vivian, you’re the strongest person I know. You’ve survived everything this place has thrown at you, and you’ve come out stronger. So don't worry, babe.”

Her words weighed on me, reminding me of everything I’ve endured here.

When I first arrived here, everything felt so devastating, so hostile but then I had no choice but to adapt, to learn quickly, or face the consequences.

The harsh treatment from the other kids, the stern discipline from the matron, it all felt unbearable at times.

My charm and quick thinking often got me out of trouble, and soon enough, I found myself in the matron's good graces.

She began to rely on me, trusting me with more responsibilities around the orphanage and it wasn’t long before I became her favorite.

But even with the matron’s favour, there was one thing I could never seem to get…..adoption.

Year after year, couples would come through, looking for a child to complete their family.

They’d smile at me, ask questions, and sometimes even compliment me on how pretty and smart I was. But that’s where it always ended.

They’d choose someone else…..always someone else.

So yeah, I was ready to leave. I had been ready for a long time.

The outside world couldn’t be any worse than this place, could it? I had nothing left to lose.

“Vivian!”

I snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of a familiar voice calling my name.

I turned to see the matron standing at the entrance, with a wide smile spread across her face.

She didn’t smile often, and when she did, it usually meant something was about to change.

“Come with me, dear. There’s someone here who wants to meet you,” she said, her voice surprisingly gentle.

My heart skipped a beat, and a rush of adrenaline surged through me. I glanced at Clara, who gave me an encouraging nod.

This had happened before, but something about the matron’s demeanour made this time feel different.

Maybe it was the way she looked at me, almost as if she believed this could really be it.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Alright,” I whispered, standing up with shaky legs as I followed the matron out of the room.

We reached the entrance, where a couple stood waiting. Well, perhaps not exactly a couple…..the woman looked far more elegant than the man.

She was well-dressed, the kind of woman who looked like she belonged in a magazine…perfectly polished and poised, everything about her screamed wealth.

The man, in contrast, appeared more like an escort, because of the way he appeared.

The woman smiled warmly at me, and the man extended his hand in greeting.

“Vivian, this is Mrs. Anderson and her good friend,” the matron introduced. “They’ve come all the way from the city to meet you.”

I said it, he wasn't the husband.

Mrs. Anderson placed her hands gently on my shoulders and said softly, “Hello, Vivian. The matron has spoken so highly of you. I can’t wait to spend more time with you.”

I felt a warm sensation in my chest. For the first time in years, someone wanted to spend time with me, someone who might actually see me as… family.

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face, my earlier fears and doubts temporarily pushed aside.

Maybe, just maybe, this was it. Maybe I was finally getting the family I had always dreamed of.

“Why don’t you go pack up your things, Vivian? We can leave as soon as you’re ready.” she continued.

A small smirk formed on my lips as I thought about my lack of personal belongings. “I don’t really have anything to pack. We…”

“We don’t keep personal belongings here, Mrs. Anderson. Everything is shared among the children. Vivian has nothing of her own to take.” the matron interjected.

Mrs. Anderson’s expression shifted slightly, but she quickly masked it with a warm smile. “That’s alright,” she said, calmly.

“We’ll take care of everything you need from now on, Vivian. Let’s not worry about anything else.”

“Errmh…let me go say goodbye to my friend first, and then we leave,” I said, running a hand through my hair as I headed towards the room.

As I walked down the corridor, my heart felt like it was about to burst from excitement.

This was really happening. I was finally going to have a family.

I barely noticed Clara until she practically jumped in front of me, her eyes wide with excitement.

“Vivian!” Clara squealed, dancing with joy.

“Oh my God, Clara, keep your voice down.” I cautioned, dragging her playfully inside the room.

“Oh my gosh, do you know who that is?” she asked, trying to keep her voice down but failing miserably.

I blinked at her, still dazed. “What? Who?”

Clara grabbed my arm. “That’s Mrs. Anderson! The Anderson family! They own StellarTech and a bunch of other companies. They’re like super billionaires!”

I froze, the pieces suddenly clicking together in my mind. Anderson.

The matron had introduced the woman as Mrs. Anderson.

OH My God!

How had I not noticed? The woman who might be taking me home… was Jack’s mother.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Jack. The boy who had been my best friend, the one who had given me that bracelet, was now connected to the family that might become my new life.