Chapter 200 The Children
As soon as the kids heard about the gifts, they perked right up. Some of them didn't even care about the strangers and eagerly poked their heads out to see.
"Gifts? Where are the gifts?"
Willow had just been knocked on the head, but she wasn't about to let her guard down just because of some presents. She shot a look at Evelyn, Diana, and the others.
She scolded the other kids in a low voice, "Is this what Ms. Hope taught us? Falling for a little gift? What if they were kidnappers?"
Surprisingly, the kids behind her quieted down right away after hearing her. They looked everywhere but at the gifts, showing they were serious.
Diana couldn't help but laugh. Willow reminded her of herself as a kid.
So she reached out her hand, her voice gentle, "Hey Willow, I'm Evelyn's friend. I heard Ms. Hope has been taking good care of you all, so I came to see if you're being good."
Willow was still a kid, after all. Even though she acted tough, she couldn't help but soften up when she saw a kind and pretty young woman like Diana.
She cautiously extended her hand but noticed it was dirty and felt a bit embarrassed, wanting to pull it back.
But Diana didn't mind at all and shook her hand warmly.
When they let go, a faint blush appeared on Willow's cheeks.
Seeing Willow shake hands, the kids behind her started chattering and shaking hands with Diana too.
As Diana shook each tiny hand, she felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her heart.
After shaking hands with her, the kids got bolder and started greeting the two bodyguards behind her.
These two guys were 6'2" and built like tanks. Standing there, they looked like small mountains to the kids.
But now, they were sitting on the mats with gentle smiles, making them seem less scary.
Some brave kids sat beside them, and some even climbed onto their backs.
The boy who had been crying behind Willow wiped his tears and tentatively pinched the bodyguard's firm muscle.
His eyes were full of envy, "Can I be as strong as you when I grow up?"
The bodyguard's expression froze for a moment at his question, but he still encouraged him, "Of course, as long as you eat well and exercise, you can be as strong as me."
The boy's eyes lit up as he said, "Great! When I get strong, I can protect Ms. Hope and Willow."
Kennedy, who was nearby, heard everything clearly and explained in a low voice, "This kid's name is Ridge Ward. His dad's a murderer who killed his mom and then abused him. After the police arrested his dad, Ridge was sent here. He was only four or five at the time, and his body was covered in injuries."
She sighed and continued, "I'm getting old now and can only do my best to take care of these kids. Luckily, they're all very well-behaved."
Diana pursed her lips and glanced at Ridge, who had a smile on his face. She suddenly asked, "Ms. Hope, did you name all the kids?"
Kennedy didn't expect her to ask this but nodded, "I don't have much education, so I just gave them names inspired by nature."
She pointed to the name tags on the wall. Alongside the familiar Willow and Ridge, there were Ivy, Ember, Juniper, and others.
These names, taken from nature, symbolized Kennedy's greatest hope for the kids: to grow strong like trees, offering shade, and to be as resilient as stones, enduring countless trials.
"Hey everyone, come grab some snacks!"
Evelyn's shout snapped Diana out of her thoughts.
The kids rushed to the table, sitting in a circle, eagerly waiting for the snacks to be handed out.
Seeing this, Kennedy turned to help Evelyn distribute the food.
After most of the snacks were passed around, Diana waved to Evelyn, signaling her to come outside.
Evelyn looked a bit puzzled but put down what she was holding and followed Diana to the yard. "Ms. Spencer, what's up?"
"Evelyn, I want to sponsor Rainbow Orphanage."
Diana adjusted her coat. Even though it wasn't raining today, the sky was gray, and it looked like it might snow.
Evelyn's eyes widened. She had thought about helping out before coming here, considering she had some savings now and could assist Kennedy.
But she didn't expect Diana to offer sponsorship after less than an hour of being there.
Evelyn naturally wanted Rainbow Orphanage to get better, but she felt a bit awkward. After all, Diana was currently in a tough spot with the Percy family.
So she bit her lip and said, "Ms. Spencer, you've already helped me a lot. I have enough money now and can sponsor Rainbow Orphanage myself."
Diana couldn't help but poke her forehead with a finger, saying, "Silly Evelyn, do you know how much it costs to raise a bunch of kids? I'm not sponsoring for free; I need to check things out for two days."
Evelyn covered her head, taking a moment to process, then said excitedly, "Ms. Spencer, are you staying here for two days?"
Diana crossed her arms and nodded.
But the next second, Evelyn looked worried, "What about Mr. Percy?"
Diana replied, "Isn't he on a business trip? He probably won't be back for a while. It's just two days; he can't possibly chase me here, right?"
Evelyn thought for a moment and agreed.
"Then I'll ask Ms. Hope to prepare a room," she said, and then walked back to the living room.
Diana smiled as she took out her phone from her pocket.
She reported to Jacob and then sent a message to Dean, including the conversation between Grant and Hestia.
Soon after, Dean called. Diana walked to the gate, making sure no one else could hear, and then answered the call. "Dean."
On the other end, Dean had listened to half of the recording, his voice heavy, "How dare those two? They actually did such a thing? I must report this to the council. This is solid evidence. Let's see how they escape this time!"
Diana said calmly, "The most important thing now is to hand this evidence to the authorities. That spy won't get away either. I can't leave now, so I'll leave the rest to you."
Dean nodded and then asked, "Sophia, if the council knows about this, those two will definitely go to prison. Isn't that too easy for them?"
"Do you think I'm that kind-hearted?" Diana retorted, then added, "Dean, I need to go back."
"Okay, I'll hang up now. Sophia, we'll stay in touch." Dean thought Diana had something to do and was about to hang up.
But the next second, Diana's voice came through the receiver again. She repeated, "Dean, I said I need to go back."
Dean finally understood what she meant. His hand holding the phone trembled slightly.
"Sophia, are you coming back? Is the mission over? Can I see you again?"
Diana nodded slightly, her breath forming white mist. She glanced back at the lively Rainbow Orphanage.
She said softly, "I've stayed long enough. It's time to return. But you must remember everything I'm about to tell you."
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