Chapter 179: Angels Without Wings 2

Suddenly, Isobel realized just how lucky she had been.

Even in the orphanage, where she had once believed herself completely alone, there was always someone who stood between her and the worst of it.

Richard.

Whenever the older children bullied her, whenever they cornered her or made her cry, Richard had always been there.

He was the one to step forward. The one to take the blame.

The one to wipe her tears afterward and tell her not to be afraid.

She was abandoned once. She had known loneliness.

She had known what it was like to wonder why her mother had left her in a bamboo basket beneath a tree.

But at least, when the world became cruel, someone had protected her.

Randy hadn’t been so lucky.

And somehow, that realization hurt more than the sight of the bruises.

Her hands curled slowly into fists.

"Who did that to you?"

Her voice was trembled with suppressed anger.

Randy looked at her. He was surprised by the question.

Before, nobody cared about him except his grandfather. But his grandpa was not with them.

But now... this beautiful lady who looked like an angel, she asked...

So, an adult finally noticed.

For so long, he simply learned not to expect anyone to care. He believed no one cared.

But maybe he was wrong.

"The man from earlier." His voice trembled.

"We worked for him for three days."

Isobel’s eyes hardened.

"We asked him if we could go home. To Grandpa."

Randy’s lower lip quivered.

His words nearly broke her.

Grandpa.

The children had somewhere they wanted to go. Someone they wanted to return to. Someone they were still hoping was waiting for them.

"But he got angry," Randy continued.

His voice became smaller.

"He hit me."

"And he made Yana kneel on the broken pieces."

Isobel’s heart lurched.

She looked at the back of the little girl in the inner room where the doctor was chatting to her.

Yana looked back when she heard her brother’s voice.

She quickly wiped her tears with the back of her dirty hand, as though crying was something she needed to apologize for.

That was when Isobel saw it.

Not the dirt nor the bruises. Not even the wounds.

She saw two children who had been taught that suffering was something they simply had to endure. Something they couldn’t escape and shouldn’t complain about.

Isobel swallowed the rage burning in her throat.

"That bastard."

The words escaped before she could stop them.

The nurse merely sighed. She had worked in the hospital for too many years.

She had seen children brought in with even serious injuries. Broken bones. Burns. Bruises. Empty stomachs, even knife wounds.

She had heard stories no child should ever have to tell.

Yet every time, a small part of her still wished she could be surprised.

She looked at Randy.

"Go inside now. The doctor will examine both of you."

Randy hesitated.

Isobel reached for his hand.

His small fingers were cold, and for a moment, he simply stared at her as though he couldn’t understand why she was touching him so gently.

Then he looked at Yana.

Slowly, he reached for his sister’s hand.

Their fingers intertwined.

Something warm stirred in Isobel’s heart.

She watched them for a moment before stepping back so the doctor can talk to Randy.

The two frightened children stood in the examination room hand in hand.

Brother and sister.

Two sibling holding on to each other because there was no one else to hold on to.

Isobel stood there watching them, her chest aching at the sight.

She knew that kind of loneliness.

The kind where the only person you could count on was the one standing beside you, just as frightened and helpless as you were.

And suddenly, Isobel remembered a bamboo basket.

A tiny infant.

A tree.

And the unbearable loneliness of a child who had been left behind before she had even learned to speak.

She looked at Randy and Yana.

Maybe that was why she couldn’t walk away.

Because once, someone had walked away from her.

And she would be damned if she allowed history to do the same to them.

...

The doctor prescribed medicine for Yana’s wounds and nutritional supplements for both children.

Isobel paid the consultation fee without a second thought. Then she took them to the pharmacy and bought everything the doctor had prescribed.

Afterward, she led them to a children’s clothing shop nearby.

Randy stopped at the entrance.

Isobel noticed immediately.

"Is there something you want to say?"

He looked down at his worn clothes, then at the neatly arranged shirts and little dresses displayed inside the shop.

"Ma’am Isobel..."

His voice was so soft that she almost didn’t hear him.

"Yes?"

Randy hesitated.

"If you want to buy us clothes..." He swallowed. "Can you buy food and medicine for Grandpa instead?"

Isobel froze.

For a moment, she simply stared at him.

"Your Grandpa?"

Randy nodded.

"Is he here in Novare?"

The question left her mouth before she could think.

The instant she heard herself say it, she felt foolish.

Of course he was.

Why else would two young children have been trying so desperately to get home?

Their grandfather was waiting for them somewhere.

Perhaps alone. Perhaps sick. Perhaps wondering why his grandchildren hadn’t come home.

Isobel’s heart tightened.

She crouched in front of Randy and gently brushed a strand of dirty hair away from his forehead.

"Let’s go inside first."

Randy looked uncertain.

"The clothes here are inexpensive," she assured him. "We can buy you both something to wear, and we’ll still get food and medicine for your Grandpa."

His eyes widened.

"Really?" Yana’s soft voice reached her.

"Really."

Yana’s face suddenly brightened.

The little girl looked at Isobel as though she had just been handed the whole world.

"You really are an angel, Ma’am."

Isobel couldn’t help but smile.

"How about you just call me Aunt Bel?"

The two children exchanged a glance.

Then Yana smiled.

"Aunt Bel."

Something inside Isobel softened at the sound of it.

It was such a small thing.

Just two words.

But for reasons she couldn’t explain, hearing them made her heart ache.