She Outshines 105


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    Maria raised her hand to wipe her tears and smiled at Athena. “That day, I secretly swore that in


    this life. I would be a member of the Donovan family as long as I lived and a ghost of the Donovan


    family if I died.”


    Athena nodded gently and used the towel to lightly wipe the tears from Maria’s face.


    Maria sniffled and said in a low voice, “I didn’t intend to talk about my biological parents ever again.


    “But you’re Mom and Dad’s biological daughter. You’re their precious child. I don’t want you to


    misunderstand or for anyone to sow discord between us in the future, so I think I should tell you


    this.”


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    “Well, thank you for telling me this. Athena caressed her head again and said firmly, “Believe me,


    you’re already grown up and can decide your fate.”


    “No one can control your life anymore. Don’t feel hurt because of what happened in the past.”


    “Athena, you are just as nice as your adoptive parents and brothers.” Maria sniffled again and


    smiled. “I have been thinking that I must live a very happy life to be worthy of the kindness your


    family has shown me.”


    Athena nodded and looked at her. “Your feet must be numb by now, right? Can you get up?”


    However, Maria shook her head. “There is one more thing I think I should tell you.”


    “Alright, go ahead,” Athena said.


    Maria nced at the door and, after confirming it was closed, said in a low voice, Josie… is also


    adopted.”


    “I… begged our family to adopt her.


    Athena was somewhat surprised, though not entirely caught off guard.


    She had already suspected that Josie was not her parents‘ biological child, but she had not


    expected that there might be more to the story.


    Maria sniffled in embarrassment. “You are so smart. You must have noticed Josie is not Mom and


    Dad’s biological daughter


    Two years ago, during the summer vacation, Maria performed poorly on her SATs, failing to meet


    the standards for a decent college.


    Her family enrolled her for a repeat year, hoping she would work hard to pass the test.


    That summer, her teacher organized the students to volunteer at an orphanage. Maria found the


    work meaningful and went to help almost every day.


    It was there that she met Josie.


    “It was a windy and rainy morning, but I arrived very early. At a nce, I saw a cardboard box at the


    entrance of the orphanage. There was an umbre ced on top of the box.


    “I thought there were kittens or puppies inside. I ran over, and to my surprise, it was agute little girl


    who looked like an angel


    Athena’s pupils dted, and her fingertips began to tremble slightly. She thought, “Could the little girl


    in the cardboard box be Josie? Was someone heartless enough to abandon such a young, adorable


    child at the orphanage?”


    Maria’s eyes grew wet again. “The little girl looked like two or three years old, sleeping soundly.


    She was covered with a small nket, holding a Hello Kitty doll in her arms, unaware she had been


    abandoned.”


    GU·


    Athena sighed inwardly


    The tragedies of this world never seem to end.


    Marta continued in a low voice, “There was a note inside the box It read: Alina, two years and eight


    months old, born on December 26th.”


    “She was dressed well, and her face was fair and clean. The person who raised her did not seem to


    lack money. I cannot understand why someone with means would abandon such a sweet child.”


    “I took her into the orphanage, and after a checkup, we discovered that she had polio and a slight


    limp in her right leg


    The child was very obedient. She did not cry after realizing that she had been abandoned. She did


    everything the adults asked of her. When no one cared for or yed with her, she would carry her


    Hello Kitty doll and hide in a corner, singing


    softly.”


    “I could not understand what she was singing, but her voice was beautiful, like an angel’s


    “She was very attached to me. Although she was not talkative and was shy around strangers, every


    time she saw me, it was as if she had wings. Her eyes would light up, and she smiled like a


    blooming flower as she ran towards me.”


    Every time I saw her, I thought of myself when I was younger. I remembered how I pounced on our


    parents when they came to find me.”


    Maria cried harder this time, shedding more tears than when she had talked about herself.


    Athena listened silently, not interrupting her thoughts.


    “I really liked this child and missed her. Every day before dawn, I would bring the snacks I made at


    home and run to the orphanage to see her.”


    “When I was about to leave, the child would often hold my hand and ask if she coulde home


    with me. I… I could not


    answer…


    “I wanted to bring her home, but… but the family had already adopted me. At that time, something


    had happened to the family, and everyone was struggling. II could not bring myselfto ask the


    family…”


    Athena’s heart thudded once again. She wondered, “Could this have been two years ago! Had my


    family fallen on hard times again?”


    “But I really could not let go of that child. I could not leave her in the orphanage, Maria said,


    struggling to control her emotions and prevent herself from crying. “School was about to start, and


    once it did, I could not visit the orphanage. L.. I fell ill…


    Her illness was quite severe. She had a fever and was vomiting. She was constantly shedding


    tears.


    She would vomit out any medicine she took. Despite being barely conscious, she would crawl out of


    bed, crying and insisting on going to the orphanage to see the child.


    Her father noticed her condition and had a lengthy discussion with her.


    Finally, she expressed her heartache and tearfully asked, “Daddy can our family adopt that child? I


    understand that our family is struggling, and it might be difficult to care for another sick child, but I


    am willing to take on the responsibility”


    “I would go out to work, rent a small house, and care for her myself


    To her surprise, their father responded decisively, “Alright! Make sure you take your medicine


    properly. Once you have taken your medicine, your mother and I will apany you to the


    orphanage to see that child ourselves.”


    This decision brought her a renewed sense of hope.


    After their parents visited the child, they were very fond of her and inquired about the adoption


    process immediately. Their parents brought the older brothers to see the child the next day. The


    older brothers liked her very much and unanimously supported the family’s decision to adopt her as


    a younger sister,


    Maria looked up, took the towel from Athena’s hand, wiped her tears, and smiled gently. “Mom and


    Dad went to great lengths toplete the adoption procedures and bring the child home. They


    named her Josie.”


    “Even though the family was facing financial difficulties at that time, our parents and brothers still


    made every effort to raise money for Josie’s medical treatment.”


    I decided to stop my studies and work instead. I would earn money to support the family while also


    taking time to care for Josie.”


    She did not exin why Josie was named “Josie.”


    However, Athena knew it was because Josie was the ninth child in the family.


    In this family, she had a twin who was either a sister or a brother


    One of the changes in the family must have been rted to this twin.