Chapter 76 The Girl in the Princess Dress
Chapter 76 The Girl in the Princess Dress
Stella took another sip of warm water and looked up at him.
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The tall man stood near the balcony, bathed in soft moonlight. His silver–gray pajamas outlined his lean, elegant frame. His face was shrouded in shadow, but the faint tea–colored mole on the tip of his nose flickered in and out of view- unintentionally alluring.
“I guess that’s part of it,” she said softly. “He’s young, and I worry about him.”
What she didn’t say was that the other part of her insomnia was due to guilt–guilt over lying to the man standing in front of her.
It was a small selfish instinct: to wait until Louis was found before properly apologizing. If she came clean now, Nathan might get upset and back out of helping..
Fine, so maybe she wasn’t a perfect angel after all.
“Searches take time. Don’t worry too much. We’ll hear something soon,” Nathan reassured her, voice calm and warm.
“I hope so.” Stella smiled lightly.
Earlier that day, before he’d made any calls, she had already explained the whole story about how Louis had gone missing. It had made it easier for Nathan to know where to start looking.
Now, recalling something Nancy had said, she tilted her head. “I heard today that you used to live in the slums. Is that true?”
There wasn’t any sleep in her eyes–just curiosity. And the quiet of the night brought a kind of intimacy, like the two of them were simply old friends chatting under a blanket of stars.
Nathan held the transparent glass in his hand. The water was cold–ice cold. Just enough to keep his thoughts in check.
He took a sip but still couldn’t hide the faint stir of emotion in his eyes.
Was she… interested in him?
“It’s true,” he said, voice still gentle, his tone rising ever so slightly, carrying a subtle huskiness.
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He had stayed in one of the worst orphanages in that district.
And it was there–there–that he had seen her for the very first time.
He would never forget the little girl in a princess dress who stepped into that broken–down hellhole of a building.
Hair in two pigtails, eyes brighter than gemstones, skin like porcelain. She looked just like a doll from behind a display window.
But what struck him most was how she didn’t look at any of them with pity or revulsion.
Even though that orphanage was the dirtiest, most run–down one in the entire city.
“Mommy, can I play with them for a bit?” she had asked, tilting her head toward a woman who looked elegant and poised.
Her mother smiled. “Of course, Sparkle. Just be careful not to fall.”
Like a happy little bird, she fluttered into their midst.
None of them had ever seen a girl like her before. Naturally, all the kids fought to play with her.
“Hey! Why are you lying on the floor?” the little princess had said, walking over to him in concern. “Here, I’ll help you up.”
She reached out a pale, glowing hand.
At the time, he’d just been beaten up by some older, stronger boys. They’d pinned him down and hit him–just because he
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Chapter 76 The Girl in the Princess Dress
refused to give them his food.
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Right before she’d arrived, the orphanage director had told the boys, “We’re having visitors. Stop messing around.”
Only then did they let him go.
But he couldn’t get up. He was too hungry, too weak.
“Don’t touch him! He’s filthy!” one of the bullies had yelled, grabbing her hand.
The little princess turned and glared at him. “Mind your own business.”
That was just how she was. Fierce. Unbending. No one could tell her what to do.
The boy tried again. “He stinks. Come play with us instead. I can make paper planes.”
She ignored him and stretched her hand out further toward Nathan. “Give me your hand.”
The boy, infuriated, yanked on her arm. “I said don’t!”
She slapped him. Hard.
“Don’t tell me what to do!” she snapped.
The kid froze in shock.
The slap echoed so loudly that even the orphanage director–who had been showing her parents around—heard it.
The bully ran to complain. “She hit me! Waaaah!”
The director frowned, glanced at the girl, then turned to the boy. “You must’ve done something. Go sit in the classroom.”
The little girl’s mother came over and gently asked, “Did you hit him?”
The little girl nodded. “Yes. Because he grabbed me. Twice!”
Her mom smiled. “Then you’re not wrong. Go on and keep playing.”
Her dad checked her hand and said, “It’s all red now. Next time, don’t slap so hard.”
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