- 3.
I snapped out of it, and squeezed Carol’s
hand.
We walked towards Richard Enterprises.
The media were already swarming the
entrance.
My parents were waiting for me too.
Mark wasn’t back from Europe yet.
Carol and I got to the front of the building,
and the Richard Enterprises employees made
a path for us.
The reporters rushed towards us.
Richard and Susan hurried to meet me, tears
in their eyes.
Susan opened her arms. “Maggie, we finally
found you, sweetheart!”
This time, I didn’t cry.
I sidestepped her hug.
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They looked surprised.
Richard covered it up. “Maggie, you’ve
suffered enough. Come home. We’ll make it
up to you.”
I spotted Lily in the crowd, wearing Chanel.
She was glaring at me.
I looked away.
I cleared my throat and told my parents, “I’m
here to tell you that I’m not coming home with
you.”
I looped my arm through Carol’s and said to
my real parents, “My foster mom worked hard
to raise me. I’m going to take care of her. I
owe her everything.”
Richard and Susan looked stunned.
They weren’t expecting that.
Richard said, “Maggie, don’t be silly. We
appreciate your foster mother, we’ll compensate her. Here’s a million dollars.”
Dieberd Enterprises employees started
Ine Richard Enterprises employees started
whispering. “Does she even know how much
Richard Enterprises is worth?”
“If she goes home with the CEO and his wife,
she’ll have more money than she could spend
in ten lifetimes. Only an idiot would pass that
up.”
“Her foster mom looks like a hick. She
probably doesn’t make as much in a year as
the CEO’s wife spends on handbags.”
A reporter asked, “Maggie, your parents are
one of the richest families in the state. I hear
they have a fancy car and a house waiting for
you. Don’t make a mistake.”
I said calmly, “I’m an adult. I can choose my
own life. I choose to stay with my foster
mom.”
I handed Susan the scrapbook. “You missed
me growing up. These pictures can show you
how I turned out. It’s my gift to you.
く
Goodbye.”
I took Carol’s hand, pushed through the
crowd, and walked out of Richard Enterprises.
Behind me, I heard Lily sneering, “Give me a
break. She wants to come back. Playing hard
to get. It’s disgusting.”
