18#18

18

"How come she's in this picture if she wasn't even part of this orphanage?" Denver inquired.

Director Bell grinned. "Take it easy, young man. Allow me to clarify."

"While she wasn't officially an orphan here, she has a significant connection to this place. She's the granddaughter of the former director."

Director Bell then proceeded to briefly recount Dorothy's history to Denver.

Dorothy's life was challenging from the start. Shortly after her birth, her parents separated, and neither wanted to raise her.

She ended up residing with her grandfather, who was running the orphanage at that time.

Her grandfather practically lived at the facility, and Dorothy stayed there with him, growing up alongside the other children.

Eventually, she became part of the group, interacting with the orphans as if she were one of them.

At that time, Denver was just a teenager, so he couldn't have known her story.