Cynthia, who had fled in haste, held herself tightly as she dashed out of the hotel and then wandered aimlessly along the wide street. Her mind was a tangled mess of chaotic emotions.
Eventually, she hailed a cab to the orphanage—a place that, to her, was a refuge, a warm harbor to rest in. Although she had a home and was part of the powerful Lancaster empire, a family renowned for its wealth and influence, it was, for her, nothing more than an empty facade.
When she was five, her mother had taken her own life, and Cynthia was sent to the orphanage for three years. There, she met Marc and many other children whose fates were even more tragic than her own. Together, they supported one another, bound by shared hardships and companionship. Though life was difficult, it was warm, and those three years shaped her, tempering her spirit to be as resilient as iron.