“He could understand why back then,” Warren said with a smile. “You were really beautiful. It made sense that Beth was worried about you and didn’t let anyone adopt you. There are a lot of perverts out there these days.”

Abigail was the prettiest girl at the orphanage. Talent scouts often came around, hoping to bring her into the entertainment industry, but Beth always turned them down.

Beth had explained that, without a background or parents to protect her, Abigail would be vulnerable in that cutthroat world.

If something went wrong, the orphanage wouldn’t have the power to help her. And Abigail had always listened to Beth.

When Abigail arrived at Sebastian’s place, she found him lying on the couch with cats curled up beside him, quietly keeping him company while he watched TV.

“I’m home,” Abigail announced, surprising herself with the words.

Sebastian sat up, still holding one of the cats. “Ren told me the Gibson family members were all taken away. You’re not planning to let them attend Mr. Wyatt Gibson’s funeral?”

“They’re probably just being questioned. As for the funeral, I’ll check with the police department when the time comes.” Abigail settled onto the couch, and a cat immediately snuggled up against her.

Abigail picked up the cat curled beside her and watched the TV for a moment before speaking. “Thank you for supporting me all those years. It allowed me to stay with Beth for so long.”

Sebastian froze, his grip on the cat tightening involuntarily. The cat kicked at him in protest, and he quickly loosened his hold.

He cleared his throat softly. “How did you find out?”

“That’s not what matters,” Abigail said, looking directly into his eyes.

Sebastian nodded. “You’re right.”

His gaze wandered everywhere except to her face.

“You started supporting me when I was three years old,” Abigail continued, watching his profile intently. “Nine whole years. Without you, I wouldn’t have even made it to middle school.”

Sebastian’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. His hands busied themselves petting the cats around them.

“When I was six, it was the first year after Mom left. My separation anxiety was severe. Grandpa showed me photos from lots of orphanages, but you were the only one who caught my eye.”

“Because I was pretty?” Abigail asked.

Hearing the teasing note in her voice, Sebastian turned to face her. “Making fun of me now?”

“Warren told me I was very pretty back then,” Abigail said with a hint of pride.

At the orphanage, Beth had often told her she was beautiful too. She remembered when it was time to leave Beth and go home, Beth had said that someone as pretty as her would surely be loved by her mother.

Abigail had held onto those words, filled with anticipation when she finally met Bianca.

But reality was nothing like Beth had promised.

Bianca didn’t like her. She looked down on her and constantly put her down. To Bianca, there was only one princess, and that was Daniella.

Slowly, Abigail began to believe she wasn’t pretty at all. She didn’t deserve beautiful things.

Whenever she bought pretty accessories, they always ended up on Daniella’s head while Bianca fussed over her, praising her and taking photos.

Abigail would sit on the villa steps, watching from a distance as Bianca and Daniella shared their warm moments and happy laughter.

She gradually understood the truth. Everyone who said she was pretty had been lying to her. If she were really pretty, Bianca would love her, too.

Even now, remembering those days still hurt.

Sebastian looked into her eyes with complete honesty. “Back then, I didn’t know what pretty meant. I just knew you were like a star in the sky, glowing even in photographs.”

A small smile tugged at Abigail’s lips. “Are you Clark?”

Sebastian’s heart jolted. He was about to deny it when Abigail cut him off. “If you lie to me and I find out later, I’ll never speak to you again.”

“I came to see you,” he said, changing the subject. But he didn’t deny it.

Abigail didn’t push further. Everyone had their secrets.

“When was that?” Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“The day after you refused to come to the orphanage,” Sebastian said. “I begged Grandpa to take me to see you. I watched you through the classroom window.”

It had been a spring day with gentle rain falling. Dorian stood beside him outside the window as they watched her sitting in class, listening intently to the teacher.

Abigail wore simple clothes, her hair in two small braids held by cheap pink butterfly clips.

He thought she looked like a little star, someone who naturally drew people in. But she didn’t want to come to the Robinson family to be his sister.

Back in the car, Dorian suggested they could sponsor her instead. It would be another way of staying connected.

So Sebastian began supporting her quietly from afar.

Beth would occasionally send him photos of Abigail. He watched her grow from a little girl into a young woman, from pigtails to a high ponytail.

Even after she went to live with the Gibson family, she still sent Beth selfies to let her know she was okay.

Sebastian would push James to ask Beth for more photos of her.

By high school, she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman.