The majority of my life was spent in an orphanage, and I had no idea who my biological parents were. They were unknown to me at the time. The administrator of the orphanage talked to me like I was one of her own daughters. She was a very admirable person who was also very kind to all of us. She told me that after an investigation, the police found me lost near the airport and thought that my parents were foreigners because they thought they were from another country.

But they came up empty-handed and never even saw either of my parents.

When I came to my senses, I discovered that my parents had abandoned me on purpose. Why? I was unaware of it, and it was never something that interested me. Perhaps it's because I've finally given in to my dreary karma.

Not until that night did it become dark. It was my 18th birthday last night, and my friends from the orphanage, as well as the manager and some of the teachers, surprised me with a fantastic birthday party. It was very kind of them to do that. We celebrated with cake, laughter, and dancing.

Except for me, we all finally dozed off due to exhaustion. The manager beckoned me to accompany her to her office and requested that I do so. She appeared upset, as if she were about to break some bad news to me about something.

I started to feel a little panicked, and my mind started racing with all kinds of terrible scenarios, but it never occurred to me to wonder what she might one day reveal to me.

When she noticed that I was yawning, she gave me a stern look over her shoulder and repeated, "I told you to follow me, Celine. Now, let's go to my office."

I blinked, feeling confused, and asked, "Could we please talk first thing in the morning?" I asked her in a courteous manner while frowning.

But she rubbed her head and said, "no, now."

I let out a sigh and followed close behind her heels. When we arrived at her office, I politely lowered my gaze and placed my hands next to my side. She sighed and dozed off on her chair as she sat there in a daze "Celine. You're eighteen now. What exactly are your plans?"

I took a step closer to her desk and smiled in an awkward manner "plans for what exactly? Please excuse me, but I don't get it."

Absolutely nothing made sense to me! I couldn't get used to her scary face or her stern tone, and she was acting very strangely. She was even more kind and gentle than an angel.

She seemed uncertain about how to begin what she was about to say, so she fidgeted nervously with her fingers until she finally exhaled deeply, stood up, and came closer to where I was standing. The distance between them is only a few inches "Celine said. You are required to leave the orphanage by morning in accordance with the policies of the facility."

I was flabbergasted and let out a gasp "leave? How? Where? To what end, then? You're kidding, right?" I made an effort to smile, persuading myself that she was joking or that perhaps she had found a job for me or something.

She lowered her hands and began to mumble while she spoke "You have to get out of this place and learn to rely on yourself. For many years, we looked after your needs. Now is the time for you to find the things that will make you happy, such as a job, a house, and a family to start. You can't continue to reside here indefinitely."

My heart was thumping in my sternum. The nervousness caused me to start sweating. I had a panic attack, "No, I beg you not to evict me from this establishment. Since I was a child, I haven't ventured beyond these four walls. I have no friends and nowhere to go because I am homeless. Please." I begged her. But very quickly, I found that tears were streaming down my cheeks in copious amounts. It broke my heart to see it happen.

Where exactly should I go?

She moved in closer and cupped my cheeks as she comforted me, and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes as well "I'm very sorry. Unfortunately, I am unable to be of assistance to you. Except. —"

She consoled me by giving me a few dollars and wiping my tears away "I don't have a lot of money, but you already know that. That is the very best I can do for you. Please accept my sincere apologies, but the time has come for you to pack up your belongings and depart in a few hours. You have my sincere best wishes for success."

When I tried to speak, the words just wouldn't come out. Before I had even left the building, I already had the impression that I was living on the streets and began to shiver. I didn't leave the house unless we had a joint outing planned, like a picnic or a doctor's appointment. Once every year!

I immediately got on my knees and grabbed hold of the bottom of her dress "I beg you to please hear me out. If you need a maid, I'm available. Please let me remain here. I haven't even completed the minimum requirements to get a job anywhere."

That was correct to some extent. I was awarded a high school diploma that was specifically for homeschoolers. Which, in the end, is not something that should be done?

She helped me stand up and told me in a firm voice this time, as if she was also trying to hide the weakness and the pain in her chest: "Could you please leave now? Leave my office immediately. And by the time you get here in the morning, I don't want to see you."

Even she had the nerve to turn her back on me! I dealt with her as if she were my actual mother!

I could hear the ground shaking as I walked across it. I found that I was unable to breathe normally. My vision was getting blurry. But I didn't have a choice. I sobbed uncontrollably and dragged my feet crazily while waiting for the sun to rise. I had just made up my mind to leave at that very moment.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that I enjoyed saying my goodbyes, and I certainly didn't want to see any of my friends crying.

I prepared my bag for the trip and dressed appropriately in jeans and a shirt. When it came down to it, I didn't have very many clothes. I fled into the shadowy streets and toward the fate that awaited me there.

I walked and walked, shaking with fear the entire time. No one had stirred from their slumber yet, so the place appeared desolate and deserted.

I turned my attention to the moon as I silently pleaded with God to deliver me. I was in a bind. Just a few dollars, but for that amount, I could never rent a room!

And all of a sudden, as I was walking down the street, pondering what I ought to do next, I had an idea... I narrowly avoided getting hit by a car.

I was so terrified that I screamed and covered my face with my hands. But, thank goodness, whoever was behind the wheel noticed me and brought the car to a stop millimeters away from me at precisely the right time to avoid hitting me and breaking all of my bones.

A man who was absolutely stunning to look at got out of the car and ran over to me "are you okay? Has anything happened to you recently?"

I slowly raised my head to look into his wide hazel eyes while he had blonde hair. I was intrigued by the contrast. I heaved a nervous sigh, "Not at all, I'm afraid. I believe that it is due to my actions."

He gave me a friendly smile while gently inclining my head with his hand "it's okay. Don't freak out. Why are you venturing out into these deserted streets all by yourself? This location poses a significant risk. I am available to drive you anywhere." he extended his hand to me gently.

I swallowed hard and refrained from spitting out any words.

He asked me with a sway of the head, "What's your name?"

I made an effort to put on a smile "I'm Celine. And I'm eighteen."

It's true; I'd never been that close to a guy in all of my life before. I was acting so awkwardly, and I was flushing like a fucking fool.

He nodded, joking, "But I didn't ask to see your identification at any point. It's not my job to enforce the law."

I quickly averted my gaze and uttered the word "excuse me."

He went to the passenger door and opened it, then he made a hand signal to me and said, "Oh, come on. I'll give you a ride home in my car."

In a fit of irritability, I blurted out, "I do not have my own place to live. I didn't have a parent. Just recently, I turned eighteen, which meant it was time for me to leave the orphanage, and—"

And he cut me off without delay and with generosity, "I'll take you up on your offer—come live with me. I have no objections."

When I was a kid, I'll never forget... When we were kids, our teachers always drilled into our heads not to trust strangers. I gave a little shake of the head and leaned down to pick up my bag "I appreciate your help. It's time for me to leave."

However, as soon as I set foot on the pavement, his strong hands grabbed my arm and ripped the bag away from me. He stated in a clear and resonant tone, "You won't end up in my stomach. I'm not a killer. I am an orphan as well."

I slowly turned my head so that I could gaze into his dazzling hazel eyes. It was impossible for me to tell if he was telling the truth or not. On the other hand, based on the way he was dressed and the car he drove, I was able to tell that he was not a dangerous person but rather someone who came from a typical middle-class family.

I heaved a sigh, "Okay, but only for the next few days. until I was able to locate a job and a suitable residence."

He petted my head affectionately as if I were a young girl "I'll do what I can to find you work. Don't give it much thought. Let's get out of here as soon as possible because, in all honesty, this area is crawling with criminals. You can't rely on me to keep you safe."