Chapter 18
Where could she be?
Rico sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel, his thoughts spinning in circles. Besides the orphanage, where else could Maddie go?
A bitter smile crept onto his face. Nowhere, he thought. The orphanage had always been her sanctuary–the only place she might feel safe after leaving him.
He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found the number for Mr. Walker, the head of the orphanage. His thumb hovered over the call button before he hesitated.
Mr. Walker adored Maddie. If she‘ d confided in him, he would never betray her
trust.
Rico sighed and slipped the phone back into his pocket. It would be better to go there in person, he decided. He would
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hapter 18
show up early, catch her off guard and
ring her home.
***
Determined to make a good impression, ingico woke up at dawn. Before heading out, there te stopped by the convenience store near is apartment, filling his trunk with boxes f snacks and drinks for the children.
histo
gehat he drive to the orphanage was filled with onlinemories of Maddie, her small hand in his
ems they walked through the same gates ears ago. Now, as he pulled into the andamiliar driveway, he felt a pang of
ostalgia and dread.
1 heftil
he hithe
over the children had just finished breakfast
itates then Rico arrived. Mr. Walker greeted him
armly and led him to distribute the
hacks.
“You‘ re popular as always,” Mr. Walker aid with a chuckle as the kids flocked bedound Rico.
buld hel
addico smiled but couldn’t shake his
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Chapter 181
nerves. He needed to see Maddie, to explain everything.
“So,” Mr. Walker began as they moved to the office, “I spoke with Maddie two days ago. She mentioned you were too busy to visit. And now here you are–what‘ s the occasion? Did she ask you to come?”
Rico’s heart raced. If Mr. Walker
mentioned Maddie, it meant she was here.
al “No,” Rico lied smoothly, forcing a smile.
“I’ve been swamped with work lately, so
I asked Maddie to visit ahead of me. I‘ here to make up for it.”
Mr. Walker raised an eyebrow, a playful dh grin on his face. “Ah, I see. Too busy
JU
falling in love, huh?”
Rico froze. “What?”
m
“Come now,” Mr. Walker teased. “I saw you trending on social media this morning. That actress, Jane–isn‘ t she your girlfriend? You two look like quite the pair!”
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Chapter 18
recognized the photos–they were taken by a staff member during a publicity stunt, not him. Jane had played her cards well, spinning a narrative that suited her agenda.
He glanced at Mr. Walker, who was still smiling. If even someone as removed from the entertainment world as Mr. Walker had seen this, then Maddie must have too.
“Mr. Walker, you‘ ve got it all wrong,” Rico said, his voice tinged with desperation. “Jane and I aren’t together. It’s all for publicity–a game.”
Mr. Walker frowned, his playful demeanor shifting. “A game? Rico, you‘ re a grown man. You can’t just ‘play games‘ with someone’s feelings. Do you think it’s responsible to kiss her in public? Or bring her to your home overnight?”
Rico‘ s face burned with shame. “It’s
not like that,” he muttered, his words. faltering.
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Chapter 18
As Mr. Walker’s words sank in, Rico felt the weight of his choices bearing down on him. The staged romance with Jane had spiraled beyond his control and now it was destroying the only real relationship he
cared about.
He looked at the smiling children playing outside, their laughter echoing in the courtyard. For a brief moment, he saw himself and Maddie as kids, finding solace
in each other when the world felt too
harsh.
How had he let things get so bad?
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