OLIVIASPOV Withthat,Mrs.Lambertstoodupfromherchair,thesharp clickofherheelsechoingsoftlythroughthequietoffice,arhythmthatoddlymirroredthepoundingofmyheart.
JulianandIstoodupwithoutaword.Icastaquickglanceat him,andheofferedmeasubtlenodofencouragement.Itwassmall,butitwaseverythingIneededinthatmoment.Wefollowedcloselybehindher,thesilencebetweenusfilledwithunspoken.thoughtsandanticipation.Eachstepwetookdownthe hallwayfeltlikeastepclosertosomethingIhaddreadlywaitedlifeforanswers.Closure.Truth.
Andhope.
Weenteredanotherroomamuchsmalleronecomparedtoherofficebutitwasfilledwalltowallwithfilingcabinets,a fewdesks,andglowingcomputerscreens.Thismustbetheadministrativerecordsroom.Theairwascoolerhere,andthehumofthecomputerserversmadetheatmospherefeelalittlemoreserious,alittlemorereal.
Thiswaswheresecretswerestored.Whereidentitiesweredocumented.
Mrs.Lamberttookaseatinfrontofoneofthecomputers,herfingersmovingquickly.overthekeyboard,clearlyfamiliar withthesystem.JulianandItookourseatsonthechairsnearby,quietlyobserving.Myhandsrestedtenselyonmyknees,andIrealizedIhadbeenholdingmybreaththe entire time.
Afterwhatfeltlikehoursbutwasprobablyjustafewminutes,Mrs.Lambertturnedslightlytowardmeandsaid,Mrs.Westwood,pleasecomeoverhere.

Mybreathhitched.Istoodupslowlyandwalkedtowardher.Julianremainedseated,thoughIcouldfeelhiseyesonme,silentlysupportingmefromafar.
Alright,shebegan,hereyesstillfocusedonthescreen,youroriginallastname? Originallastname?Iblinked,completelythrown.
IfIknewthat,Iwouldntbehere,Isaidsoftly,aslightquiverinmyvoice.I…Idont.knowit.ThatswhyIcame.
Sheletoutalowsigh,andIimmediatelyfeltmystomachdrop.
Well,shesaid,adjustingherglassesslightly,thatsgoingtobeanissue.Yourlastnameiswhatweusetoseparate identities.Imsurewevehadplentyofchildren.namedOliviahere.Without/asurname,itsgoingtobeverydifficultandIdonthave thattime.
Justlikethat,thetinythreadofhopeIhadbeenclingingtobegantounravel.Ihadcomesofar.Ihadtakensuchar IftobelievethatIwas finallySuccessfullyunlocked!gettingsomewhere.Andnowitfewpingthroughmyfingers.
Istoodtheresilently,myhandscurlingintofistsatmysides,notinanger,butinfrustrationandhelplessness.
1/3 CHAPTER04 Butthen,asiftheuniversedecidedtothrowmeabone,shesquintedatthescreenandsaid,Well…lookslikelucksonyoursidetoday.

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Myheadsnappedup.What? ThereareonlythreeentriesunderthenameOliviawhowereregisteredasorphanshere.Thatssurprisinglyfew.IguessIcanspareafewmoreminutestolookintoeach ofthem.
Icouldnthelpthegaspthatescapedmylips.Reliefwentthroughmelikeawave.Julianstoodupandjoinedus,pullingoutasmallnotepadandapenfromhispocketlikehehadbeenpreparingforthisallalong.
Hestoodbesideme,readytojotdownanythinguseful OliviaIvanof.Description:Russian,redhead,sixfeettall.Mrs.Lambertreadaloud,hereyesskimmingthescreenwhileherfingershoveredoverthemouse.Thenshepaused,turningtolookdirectlyatme.Icouldalreadysensethedoubtinherexpressionbeforesheevensaidthewords.
Shegavemeapointedglanceandadded,Thisclearlydoesntfityourdescription.
Andshewasntwrong.IdefinitelywasntRussianmydarkbrowncurlsandmedium-lightskinmadethatclear.Ihadneverdyedmyhair,Anditwasfarfromred.Asforheight,Icouldonlylaughinternally.Sixfeettall?IdbeluckyifIevenscrapedfive-sevenonmybestday.
Mrs.Lambertclickedagain,hereyesscanningthenextfile.OliviaNkutu.Desion: Black,African.Shestoppedrightthere,notbotheringtoreadon.Itwasobviousfromhertoneandthequickdismissalthatitdidntmatchmeeither.
Shemovedontothethirdandfinalname,andthistime,herexpressionchanged,Itwassmall,butIsawittheslightnarrowingofher eyes,thetensioninherjaw.Somethingaboutthislastfilehadhermorefocusedthanbefore.

Whatisit?Iasked,steppingforward,anxietywrappingaroundme.Whatswrong? ThislastOlivia…itstheclosestmatchtoyourdescription,shesaid,soundingabituncertain.Buttheresoneissuetheresnolastnamelisted.
Iblinked,confused.Whatdoyoumeantheresnolastname?Howisthatevenpossible? Mrs.Lambertadjustedherglasses,hergazefixedonthescreen.Accordingtothisfile,youwerebroughttotheorphanagebyastaffmember.Itsays hereyouwerefound.wanderingaloneataboutfiveyearsold.Noidentification,noguardians,andnoinformationonwhereyoucamefrom.WhoeverbroughtyouinlabeledyousimplyasOliviabecausethatsthenameyoukeptrepeating.
IturnedmyheadtolookatJulian,whoseeyeswerewithsurprise probablymirroringmyownexpression.Theroomfelt suddenlycolderlikethewallshadcomecloserandtheceilinghaddroppedalittlelower.
2/3 CHAPTER004 So…youresayingmyparentsdidntbringmehere?Iwasntabandoned?Myvoice.wasbarelyawhisper,butevery wordfeltheavyonmytongue.
Mrs.Lambert gaveasmallshakeofherhead.No,youwerentabandonedhere,notinthetraditionalsense.Yougotlost.Oratleast,thatswhatweassume.Youwerefoundandthenbroughthere.Nooneknowswhoyourparentsare,whethertheyrealiveor not.
Awaveofemotionssurgedthroughmeconfusion,relief,sadness.Reliefthatmaybe,justmaybe,Ihadntbeencastaside.ThatIwasntsomeonesunwantedmistake.But alsoheartbreak,becausethismeantthetrailtofindingmyfamilyhadgoneicecold.Ifnooneknewwhomyparentswere…thenhowcouldIeverfindthem? Ipressedmypalmstogetherandtookastepclosertoherdesk,desperationthickinmyvoice.Please,Isthereanythingelseyoucancheck?Anyclue,anydetailnomatterhowsmall.Anote?AnitemImightvehadwithmewhenIwasfound? Mrs.Lambertsighedgently.Imsorry.Butthis
isasfarasIcangowiththesystem.Theresnothingmorehereinyourfile.
HerwordshitmeharderthanIexpected.Afterallthe effort,theendlessquestions,thehopethathadslowlystartedtobuilditallseemedtocollapseundertheweight asingletruth:Imight neverknowwhereIcamefrom.ImightneverknowwhoIreally of