Marco furrowed his brow, inquiring, “Are you implying that Loraine had a difficult past?”


    Before Henna could respond, Loraine lightly coughed to indicate it wasn’t necessary to delve into her


    past miseries. She attempted to steer the conversation away, stating, “It’s all history now. There’s no


    need to rehash it.”


    Indignant, Henna eximed, “Lorrie, how can we ignore it? The past wasn’t pleasant! Especially that


    girl, Judie Cooper. She went around spreading rumors that you had fallen pregnant and left to conceal


    it!”


    M 1


    Judie Cooper?


    Upon hearing that name after such a significant passage of time,


    Loraine felt as though she had been catapulted into another world.


    Judie was a girl from a rtively affluent family in the same rural area.


    In contrast, Loraine had spent her days at the orphanage, interacting minimally with Judie.


    However, the orphanage director harbored a deep affection for the children and was willing to make


    personal sacrifices to provide them an education. Consequently, Loraine, because of her superior


    academic performance, ended up in the same experimental ss as Judie at the town’s junior high


    school.


    The experimental ss wasposed of high-achieving students and those with influential family


    connections. Judie belonged to thetter, with the means and influence to secure her ce.


    Loraine was the lone orphan in the ss, and, unfortunately, Judie took on the role of the chief


    tormentor, berating Loraine for being an orphan.


    It was Loraine’s first exposure to the harsh reality of human cruelty.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Later, when she was found by the Torres family, Judie and the small vige faded into distant


    memories.


    Now, hearing Judie’s name from someone else stirred a surreal feeling in Loraine.


    Ang’s Library


    Lost in her recollections for a moment, Loraine abruptly sensed a chill in the air and snapped back to


    the present, only to see Marco’s eyes narrow, emanating a palpably hostile aura.


    Those were events from her past, and she would never cross paths with those individuals again. There


    was no justification for Marco to be riled up over such antiquated issues.


    Loraine quickly redirected the conversation, saying, “Mrs. Thatcher, let’s not dwell on them. Since


    leaving, have you kept in touch with the vige? How is the director of the orphanage?”


    Loraine felt a pang of guilt at the thought of the orphanage director.


    When she left the orphanage, she had proposed bringing the director to live in the city. However, the


    elderly woman had declined, so Loraine’s uncles decided to send regr donations to the orphanage.


    Knowing the selfless nature of the director, Loraine was convinced she wouldn’t spend the money on


    herself, but instead, distribute it amongst the children at the orphanage.


    After leaving the orphanage, Loraine experienced a period of unease and anxiety in her new


    environment. But she rapidly adapted, immersing herself in a rigorous academic regimen, eventually


    studying abroad.


    Sheter married into the Bryant family. Three years into her marriage, her former Life seemed like a


    distant memory.