CHAPTER088 JULIANSPOV You…boughtanorphanage?sherepeatedslowlylikethewordsdidntquiteregister inherbrain.
Yes,Iconfirmed,firmbutcalm.AndIneedyoutosendmethefundsbeforetheendoftoday.
Yup,youheardright.Iwasbuyinganorphanageforonemilliondollars.Obviously,IdidnthavethatkindofcashjustlyingaroundinmybankaccountImwealthy,notstupidrich.Butfortunately,Iknewsomeonewhowas.
Sothatwaswhyyoucalled…shesaid,hertonesuddenlylacedwithsuspicion.IknewsomethingwasupwhenIsawyournameonthescreen.Younevercall unlessyouwantsomething.
Comeon,Mom.Itsnotlikethat,Itriedto explain,keepingmyvoiceasnonchalantaspossible.Imjust…inabitofatightspot,thatsall.Imdoingthistohelpsomeone.Afriend.
Icouldalreadytellwherethisconversationwasgoing,andIwasntinthemoodforalecture.Butwithmymom,thatwasalmostimpossibletoavoid.Shehadatalentforflippingthescriptandmakingmefeellikethevillainnomatterthesituation.
Yourealwaystryingtohelpothers,sheshotback,clearlynotbuyingmyexplanation.Whydontyouevertryhelpingyourfamily? Isighedandrubbedmytemples.Ishouldveseenthatcoming.
Youguysdontneedhelp,Isaid.Youhaveeverything.ThatswhyImtheonecallingyouforhelpnottheotherwayaround.
Theresmoretohelpthanjustmoney,Julian.Notallhelpisfinancial.Theresemotionalsupport,physicalpresence,andmoralresponsibility.Youvebeenmissingfromthisfamily,andyouknowit.
Andjustlikethat,Iwas backinhighschoolagaingettinglecturedforbeinglatetodinner.

Mom,Imsorry,butIdonthavealotoftime right now,Icutin,gentlybutfirmly.Thisisimportant.
Therewasapauseontheline.Along,tensesilence.Iheldmybreath,wonderingifIhadjustblownitifshe wasabouttohangupandthrowPlanBoutthewindow.
Finally,shespokeagain,hervoicelowerandmoreserious.Andhowmucharewetalkingabouthere? Onemillion,Isaid.
JesusChrist,Julian.Hervoicedroppedtoawhisper,clearlytryingtokeepmydad CHARTERDES fromoverhearing.Onemillion?Foranorphanage?Haveyoulostyourmind? Herewego.
Itoldyou… No,shecutmeoffsharply.Dontsayanything.Dontgivemesomeromanticizedexcuse.ThereisnoreasonanyoneshouldspendthatkindofmoneyonabuildingfullofchildrenImnottryingtosoundcruel,butberealistictheresnobusinessinanorphanage.
Ididntbuyitasabusiness,Mom,Isaid,myvoiceabitmoreforcefulnow.Iboughtitforsomeonewhomatters.Imdoingitforher.
Silenceagain.Then,along,slowsighechoedthroughtheline.
Ijusthope…shestarted,andthenhervoiceshiftedquieter,firmer.Ijusthopethispersonisworthit.
Herwordsstrucksomethinginmebecausedeepdown,Iwaswonderingthesame thing.
WasOliviareallywortheverythingIwas risking? Andsomehow,withoutneedingtosayitoutloud,Ialreadyknewtheanswer.
Atlast,Imanagedtoconvincehertosendthemoney.Butofcourse,nothingevercamethateasilywithmymothersheaddeda condition.Aconditionsherefusedtotellme overthephone.Thatwasthescarypart.

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Itwasunlikehertostayquietaboutanything,letalonesomethingtiedtoonemilliondollars.Whateveritwas,itdidntbodewell,butIcouldntaffordtodwellonitrightnow.Ihadmorepressingmatters.
Afterthepaymentwasinitiated,Iimmediatelyinformedtheformerdirector.SheconfirmeditfasterthanIexpected.Thefundshadhitheraccount,andtheorphanagewasofficiallymine.
Withoutwastingasinglesecond,IcalledinmyprivateinvestigatorsthesameteamthathelpedmetrackdowntwoofAdrianshiddenassetswithinhours.ImighthavestretchedthetruthalittlewhenItoldOliviathiswouldtaketime.Butthetruth? Theseguyswerethebestinthegame.Ifanyonecoulduncoverthemysteryofherpast,itwasthem.
Iwantedto dothisright.Iwantedtosurpriseherwithanswers,realones,notfalsehope.Whenshewalkedintomorrowmorning,shewouldntbeleftguessinganymore.Shedfinallystartgettingclosure.
Withinminutes,twoblackSUVsrolledintotheorphanagecompound.Theteamfiledoutinaseamlesswaveofefficiencynotimewasted,noquestionsasked.Igreetedthembrieflyandledtheminside.
OnlyonepersonremainedformetotrackdowntofullyreleaseOliviafromAdrians CHAPTER058 manipulativegrip,butthatmissionwouldhavetowait.Fornow,all focuswasonuncoveringherpast.
Theybegansettinguptheir equipmentinwhatwasnowmyofficetheformerdirectorsoldspace.Shehadntevenhadtimetoclearitout.Hermugstillsatontheedgeofthedesk,apenholderoverflowingwithforgottenpensbesideit.Butthiswasmyspacenow,anditwasthenervecenterofthisoperation.
Iexplainedeverythingto theteamthegapsinOliviasmemories,theorphanagesshadyrecordkeeping,andthedesperationtouncoverherbiologicalroots.OnceIlaiditallout,Isteppedbackandletthemworktheirmagic.
Wevegotthevideofootage,oneoftheagentssaid,callingmeover.
Imovedtowardhim,eyeslockedonthescreenashepulleduptheoldsecurity.recording.Itflickeredslightlybeforestabilizing,andthefootagebegantoplay.

Inthevideo,awomansteppedthroughtheorphanagegates,holdingthehandofaltinygirl.IknewimmediatelyithadtobeOlivia.
Thevideowasfrustratinglyblurry,thefootagesograinyIcouldbarelymakeoutdetails.ofwhatlittleOlivia waswearing.Herfacewasavagueblurofmotion,butsomethingaboutherpostureunsure,screamedOlivia.
Butwhatreallycaughtmyattentionwasnttheimage.Itwasthedateatthecornerofthescreen.
July3rd.
Mychesttightened.Thatdate…itwasntjustfamiliar.Itwasburiedinmymemory.
Thatwastheexactdaymysisterwentmissing.
Iblinkedatthescreen,stunned.Aweird chillsweptoverme,whatacoincidencethatshewasbroughtintheexactsameday Ishookitoff,butthethoughtrefusedtoleave.Irefocusedonthevideo.
Arethereanyothercameraangles?Iasked,my voicelower,roughernow.
Theagentnodded.Wereworkingonaccessingthefrontgateangleandtrafficcamerafootage.Ifwerelucky,wecantracewheretheycamefrombeforearrivinghere.
Doit,Isaidsharply,myhandscurlingintofistsbehindmyback.
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