As I approached the office door, I unexpectedly ran into my childhood friend, Lisa, who was just stepping out. Her face lit up when she spotted Charlie, and she eximed, “Charlie! What brings you here?”


    Charlie offered a slight smile and replied, “I’m here to look for Mrs. Lewis. Is she in?”


    “Yes, she is,” Lisa said with a warm smile. As Charlie drew closer, she affectionately hugged his arm and added, “Charlie, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I’ve missed you!”


    Charlie chuckled and responded, “Why didn’t you just give me a call?”


    “I didn’t want to interrupt you if you were busy!” Lisa replied gently. “I didn’t want to hold you up.”<fn4220> Chapters first released on find?novel</fn4220><h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    “That’s alright. I’ll take you out for dinner tomorrow. But for now, I need to go in and find Mrs. Lewis,” Charlie said.


    “Sounds good! You go ahead and see Mrs. Lewis. I’ll check on the children’s dinner in the kitchen. Don’t leave without saying goodbye—I’lle find you when I’m done,” Lisa said cheerfully.


    “Sure thing,” Charlie agreed.


    Once Lisa left, Charlie knocked on the door, and Mrs. Lewis’s warm voice called from inside, “Is that you, Charlie? Come in!”


    Charlie opened the door and found Mrs. Lewis seated at a modest desk, sifting through a stack of papers.


    She looked up, adjusted her sses, and smiled, “What brings you here today? You didn’t mention you wereing.”


    Charlie smiled a bit awkwardly and replied, “I came to ask you something, Mrs. Lewis.”


    “No need to be formal, dear. Just ask away!” she said with a reassuring smile.


    Charlie moved to the chair opposite her desk, hesitated for a moment, then inquired, “Mrs. Lewis, I wanted to ask you about some details from when I entered the orphanage.”


    For a brief moment, Mrs. Lewis showed a flicker of surprise, but she quickly regained herposure and replied, “It’s been over ten years; I might not recall all the details, but feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to help.”


    Charlie was perceptive enough to notice the subtle change in Mrs. Lewis’s demeanor. He sensed that something was amiss.


    If Mrs. Lewis had nothing to hide, her reaction wouldn’t have seemed so unusual. Clearly, there was something weighing on her mind.


    So, he looked at her intently and asked, “I need to know, during my time at the orphanage, did anyonee looking for me before I left?”


    Mrs. Lewis answered promptly, “No, no one ever came.”


    Charlie frowned and pressed further, “Are you absolutely sure?”


    “Absolutely,” she asserted with confidence.


    “That doesn’t seem right,” Charlie said, looking at Mrs. Lewis with concern. He sighed and continued, “Mrs. Lewis, I remember you from my childhood, and I’ll always be grateful for your kindness. So, I want to be honest with you.”


    At this, Mrs. Lewis’s expression shifted to one of nervousness. She realized that Charlie might have uncovered something important.


    However, she remained tight-lipped and visibly anxious.


    Charlie pressed on, “Mrs. Lewis, I’ve heard that my father’s best friend came to Aurous Hill multiple times looking for me and even visited the Aurous Hill Welfare Institute more than once!”