Chapter 1

In Smith's home, a recently concluded funeral left behind an atmosphere tinged with sorrow. Their two-story, semi-old house was filled with relatives and close neighbors on the first floor. Unlike the heated exchanges among relatives, the neighbors seemed to show more genuine emotions.

"At times like this, you can tell who's got a conscience and who hasn't. Not a single one of them willing to take in Isabella," remarked one person.

"The child's just 15, with good grades. College tuition will be expensive in the future. Ordinary relatives wouldn't want to take her in," another person expressed understanding.

"What about the person who ran over Smith and his wife? Didn't they pay any compensation?" asked someone who lived further away.

"They scraped together ten thousand dollars, I heard they borrowed it. That family's really poor, the wife's sick, the husband works at the factory from dawn till dusk, drives fast, and ended up killing someone," sighed another person. 

"What rotten luck..."

As one group lamented life's unpredictability, the other group, as expected by the spectators, saw that none of the relatives were willing to temporarily adopt Isabella; instead, they urged others to do so.

Someone spoke up: "We're just next door neighbors. You're her aunt and uncle, aren't you? How can you not take her in?"

One aunt added, "What's Isabella's last name? What's yours? What's mine? She's family, why won't you take her in?!"

Her uncle ran a hand through his hair, "Well, how about each family takes her in for a few years?" His wife immediately rejected, and he fell silent as well.

Hearing this, her other uncle said, "Honestly, it's not worth the trouble. Isabella will graduate from high school soon. Once she's done, she can just work in any factory. We'll just support her living expenses for these two years."

This seems like the most convenient way, "but her parents still want her to study and go to college, don't they?" Her uncle couldn't bear it. Isabella's grades are excellent.

Her aunt interjected, "Can't live without studying? I didn't even finish junior high and still can work and earn money..."

As soon as she said this, it was met with several people's approval, as if there were examples like this everywhere around them. Just as things were about to be settled, a young relative suddenly asked, "Hasn't Nancy come back yet? What does she mean by that?"

Everyone suddenly realized, especially the relatives on Isabella's mother's side were anxious, "Yeah! Can't she, being her aunt, do something?"

Isabella's uncle sighed, "I asked someone to pass the message to her, but I don't know if she received it or not?"

Without even a contact, it seems like she won't be coming back. Now it's just a matter of where Isabella will go; whoever takes the money will be the one. Finally, they thought of asking Isabella's opinion. The little girl sat in the corner, burying her head and not saying a word, tears streaming down her face. The white bow on her head trembled slightly, fragile and helpless.

Just as everyone was pressuring Isabella to choose a place to stay, the sound of an unfamiliar car horn came from outside. A well-dressed woman stepped in wearing high heels, her heels clacking on the floor. Everyone was stunned. She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, her cold eyes scanning the room before letting out a cold laugh and saying, "have you decided?"

Isabella's uncle suddenly came to his senses and shouted, "Nancy!"

The woman shot him a fierce look, then asked, "where's Isabella?" Isabella stood up, staring dumbfoundedly at this rumored aunt, softly calling out, "Auntie." 

Seeing Nancy's assertive manner, everyone thought she might contribute more money. But they were taken aback when she declared she would take Isabella away and they needn't worry. While it seemed like a good thing for someone to willingly adopt Isabella, but...

"How can you raise Isabella when you're being someone's mistress? What about her reputation?"

Nancy smirked, "Don't act like I don't see through your little schemes. Aren't you all just waiting for her to grow up so you can fetch a good price? Why don't you make your own kids drop out after middle school and work?"

Several exchanged glances, silent but not relenting on letting Isabella go. Her aunt seemed to have foreseen this, "The compensation they gave Isabella won't take it away."

 With that, she tacitly agreed to let this group of "contributors" have their way, and that was that.

As relatives left, there were neighbors asking Isabella if they could use her ground floor for storage, saying nobody's there anyway.

Her aunt grabbed Isabella's arm, coldly saying, "Might as well take Isabella your home, then you'll have someone to work for you."

"Oh, no need, just kidding," the person hastily waved it off.

After the dispute subsided, Nancy turned to Isabella, "Pack up your valuable things and come with me. Bring only two sets of clothes; I'll get you new ones in Manhattan."

Isabella complied timidly, locking the front door and grabbing a cloth bag, following her aunt to a new world.