Chapter 118 Little Girl Adalia
Selina walked away with anger. She wanted to see what Maggie was capable of dealing with Lily.
Jones also learned about Lily's difficult behavior towards Maggie and immediately reported it to Fiorello.
Fiorello responded calmly, "You don't need to interfere with what Maggie wants to do. As long as Maggie is happy, she can do anything."
Jones was speechless.
That sounded a bit like an indifferent ruler's decree.
Jones only knew that Fiorello was Maggie's backer, but he didn't know the specifics of their relationship. But now he had a vague idea.
He thought, 'I have to perform well in front of the future Mrs. Flores.'
After hanging up the phone, Fiorello decided to pay a visit to the Flores Manor.
He asked the driver to wait at the entrance of the community and then walked outside the community.
Fiorello walked out of the building and when passing by the children's playground inside the community, a little girl suddenly grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Fiorello looked down at the little girl. She was about four years old, with delicate features that even gave him a sense of familiarity.
The little girl was very thin, with no flesh on her little face, giving off a sense of malnutrition. Her clothes were washed to a pale color. Her short hair was cut unevenly. It was clear that someone had randomly cut her hair, not a professional hairdresser.
The little girl didn't speak. She just kept staring at Fiorello, and then pointed to a tree with her finger.
Fiorello looked up and saw a kite in the tree.
Fiorello asked, "Do you want me to help you get the kite down?"
The little girl still didn't speak, she just nodded to express her meaning.
Fiorello gazed at the little girl. Her clear yet timid eyes made him feel an indescribable sense of pain and familiarity.
Seeing Fiorello hesitating, the little girl tugged at his clothes, looking a bit coquettish yet urgent, afraid that he wouldn't help.
"Alright, I'll help you get the kite," Fiorello said.
Fiorello looked at the girl and found himself unable to refuse her.
Upon hearing this, the little girl smiled happily, a smile that was particularly beautiful.
Fiorello felt a moment of trance. From the girl in front of him, he seemed to see Maggie's shadow.
Quickly looking away, Fiorello forced a smile at the girl.
The girl was momentarily stunned. She felt warmth from this unfamiliar uncle, just like her dad.
The kite was stuck up high. Fiorello found a stick and struggled to reach it.
As he took down the kite, it accidentally got ripped by the stick. The girl looked at the torn kite and tears welled up in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Fiorello had never dealt with such a young child before and didn't know how to comfort her, so he felt a bit helpless.
The girl shook her head, clutching the kite tightly to her chest. After bowing deeply to Fiorello, she turned and ran away.
Fiorello was puzzled and instinctively followed the girl with his gaze.
When the girl had run ten feet away, she encountered a woman pushing a baby stroller.
Upon seeing the girl, the woman cruelly pinched her arm, cursing under her breath.
The girl kept her head down. Even though it hurt, she didn't cry. She didn't say a word and left with the woman.
Seeing the girl being mistreated by that woman, Fiorello felt a strange unease in his heart.
At that moment, he overheard some gossip nearby.
"Adalia is really pitiful, to have a mother who treats her with such contempt."
"You're right. She looks malnourished, it’s heartbreaking to see."
"She’s losing so much weight. How can a mother treat her daughter like that?"
"I haven't heard Adalia speak in a long time. If this continues, she'll become mute."
Fiorello furrowed his brows, glanced once more in the direction the girl had gone, and walked towards the two elderly ladies who were chatting. He asked, "Excuse me, but does the little girl who was here just now from this neighborhood?"
One of the elderly ladies replied, "Yes, she lives in Block Six, Unit One. She's very pitiful. Her mother adores her little brother and neglects her."
"Yes. Before Adalia's little brother was born, the couple treated Adalia quite well. But ever since her brother's birth, Adalia has become miserable. Last winter, she was punished by standing on the balcony all night."
Fiorello asked, "What is the girl's name?"
The elderly lady said, "I don't know her full name, I only know her nickname is Adalia."
At that moment, an elderly woman walked over from a distance and said, "I heard that Adalia was adopted by that couple. The couple had been married for many years but had no children, so they sought help from an augur. The augur said they could adopt a child, and then they would soon have their own child. This is called 'borrowing a life'."
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