Indeed, this is the moment she’ll exact vengeance on her spouse. A week ago, she overheard his conversation with his mistress, and that’s when her plan took shape…

I managed to obtain your number from the clinic you’re affiliated with. Since when do they distribute numbers there? Miranda was unpleasantly surprised. And why are you calling me? It’s a lengthy conversation and not suitable for the phone, Angelina replied.

Let’s meet, and I’ll explain everything to you. Well, let’s do that, Miranda said with skepticism. Has Kevin come up with something again? The woman thought, but immediately dismissed the idea.

Perhaps the children’s home found out that she used to be a photographer and decided to request a photoshoot for their children, as a pro bono assistance? Miranda decided not to speculate and would find out everything once they met. They agreed to meet at a small cafe in the city center in a couple of hours. As Miranda entered the cafe, she froze in her tracks.

She immediately recognized the woman whom Kevin had met just over a week ago in the park. In her hands, she held a folded newspaper, just as she had mentioned during their phone conversation when Miranda asked how to identify her during the meeting. Miranda’s heart pounded anxiously.

Could it be that Kevin had come up with something else? Angelina? Miranda approached the woman. The fair-haired, pleasant-looking woman raised her head and nodded cautiously in response. You’re Miranda? Yes, I’m listening, Miranda replied, sat down, and stared directly at the woman whom she had considered a homewrecker just a week ago.

Now, of course, she understood that she had been mistaken back then, but clearly, this conversation didn’t promise anything good. At least, that’s how Miranda felt, and she was prepared for the worst. She was as tense as a spring and could retaliate at any second if this girl accused her of something or talked about Kevin.

Let her take him and share him with Andrea as she pleased. Miranda’s love for her husband had diminished to nothing over the past week. She felt a deep hatred towards him.

But first, clarify the question of who gave you my phone number. As I said, I received help at your clinic, but it was truly out of good intentions. Please don’t be angry.

Angelina pleaded, looking at Miranda with her huge blue eyes. It’s just that the situation has unfolded in a way that I don’t know who else to turn to. I’ve been in contact with your husband before, trying to explain everything to him, but he probably didn’t understand the seriousness of the situation.

He gave me ten thousand, and that’s it. But it’s not enough. Stop.

Miranda raised her hand to stop her interlocutor. I don’t understand anything. What ten thousand? What situation are you talking about? What? Angelina gasped.

He didn’t tell you anything? Angelina, what should he have told me? Miranda was starting to get angry. What kind of act was this girl putting on in front of her? Miranda, your daughter needs a serious operation. Otherwise, she may permanently lose her eyesight.

Vivian is in line for a free operation, but I’m afraid we might be running out of time. The doctors said we should look for sponsors. But where do we find them? They’re all generous only on TV, but in reality? That’s when I remembered that Vivian has her own parents.

I looked into it and found out that you live quite well off. Why not help your own child? Miranda was stunned as she listened to her. What was she even saying? Aren’t you ashamed? She finally spoke, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Miranda blinked frequently. You’re heartless and despicable. How can you say such things? My daughter died in the maternity ward six years ago, and here you are sitting and talking to me about some child.

According to you, it means I abandoned my own daughter. I buried her six years ago. Now Angelina looked at her with astonishment.

I’m sorry, is your husband Kevin Simon, the editor of Our City magazine? She spoke hesitantly. Yes, he’s my husband, Miranda replied, raising her head, and then she lowered it and covered her face with her hands. Our daughter died, she was born at 22 weeks, the doctors couldn’t save her.

The baby’s heart stopped. If needed, I have a death certificate. What certificate are you talking about when I saw the statement of abandonment, signed by you? Angelina blinked frequently, not understanding anything.

No, your girl is alive. Vivian Vivian Simon I started searching by the last name, thinking she was abandoned, and then the head nurse told me that her parents had abandoned her because she was born severely premature. They supposedly feared that the child would be disabled.

I saw the documents of abandonment myself. Your surname, name, patronymic, and your signature were there. I didn’t sign anything, Miranda whispered.

So, my girl is alive? Alive, alive, Angelina nodded happily. She’s a very good and clever girl, and everything is fine with her. She walks, talks, and even sings songs so beautifully that you could listen forever.

She reads poems well. There’s just one problem with her eyes. She has already had two surgeries, but it’s not enough.

She needs another operation, but you can’t get it for free. Vivian He finally called her Vivian, just as I asked, Miranda grabbed her head. Oh God, did Kevin orchestrate all of this? What did he say when you told him about the child? He wasn’t surprised that she was alive, Angelina cautiously chose her words as she explained.

Rather, he was just bewildered that the past had resurfaced in his life. He only scolded me for finding out about him, his address. But why should I have to find him out when he’s a well-known figure in our city? I called him for the first time, asked to meet, and he refused.

So I explained everything over the phone, and he promised to think about what he could do, and then fell silent. It was only later that some benefactor brought sweets to the orphanage, most likely your husband, I suppose. After some time, I called again, arranged a meeting in the park, wanting to explain everything to him in person, tell him about Vivian, and he came, handed me an envelope, and left, saying he helped as much as he could.

When I opened the envelope, I was shocked, only 10,000, when the operation costs million. I don’t believe what’s happening. Is my child alive? But the doctor told me she had died.

Kevin cried with me. Ms. Caroline. So she knew too, or was she the one who orchestrated it all? Miranda spoke feverishly.

Yes, I remember how she said we needed to write the refusal, and then that doctor. He said the child died, and the grave. Kevin even took me to the grave.

Now I visit it every year, clean it up, bring flowers, light candles in the church for the repose of my little daughter. And she’s alive. Oh God, it’s horrifying.

If you don’t believe me, I can show you the documents of the refusal. Angelina took out her phone from her bag. I took photos of the papers.

There are signatures there. She handed the phone to Miranda. The woman stared at the image on the screen.

Yes, without a doubt, those were their surnames, Kevin’s signature. Yes, that’s how he signs. His signature hasn’t changed at all over the years.

But her signature. This is not my signature, Miranda said astonished. It looks similar, but it’s not mine, not my handwriting.

Now everything falls into place. They lied to you. Angelina looked sympathetically at Miranda.

I’m so sorry. Damn it, Miranda exclaimed. I’ll deal with them later.

Right now, I want to see my girl. Can that be arranged? I think so, Angelina nodded. And now they were in a taxi, heading to the orphanage.

Upon arriving, they went straight to the office of the head nurse. Initially, Ms. Barbara was on guard, not recognizing the unfamiliar woman. I know you, you cuckoos, she declared.

First, you refuse, run away from the problems, and then you sit here in my office, shedding tears. Yes, Vivian Simon is in our orphanage. Yes, the child has eye problems.

And when they abandoned her, did they not understand that premature babies often have serious illnesses? What do you want from me now? To show you the girl? I’ll show her to you, but from a distance, no more. Do you want to help the child? Then help, I’ll give you the details, but I won’t allow you to interact with the child. And you, Angelina, are no better.

You’ve been working here for just a week, and you’re already making decisions on your own. Who asked you to inform the Simons about their daughter? But I’ll have a talk with you later. Wait, Miranda interrupted the angry speech.

Angelina did the right thing. I’ve believed all these years that my girl was dead. She even has a grave.

What nonsense. Ms. Barbara was perplexed. Your daughter is alive.

Or is she not yours? Angelina, why did you confuse everyone? These are different Simons. Yes, they are the ones, Angelina replied softly. They just lied to the woman.

She didn’t abandon her daughter. And Miranda stumbled through her explanation. So, this is not your signature? Ms. Barbara skeptically looked at Vivian’s personal file, which she eventually retrieved from the safe.

It’s not mine, Miranda assured her. Well, that changes things. But your husband…