The Best Revenge It Wasn't Even Your Child novel Chapter 175

"I just don't get why you keep trying to make me and Lorinda think this way."

Catherine paused, turning to Amanda with a serious look. "You don't have a family either. Don't you ever wish you did?"

She had no idea how Amanda ended up at the orphanage.

As far back as Catherine could remember, Amanda had always been there. Back then, Amanda was only in her twenties.

She had spent her whole youth at the orphanage.

Amanda was the kind of person who loved deeply, who took care of all the kids like they were her own.

But sometimes, she could be so selfish it almost hurt.

"What's so great about family anyway?" Amanda replied, her voice firm. "Lorinda keeps talking about finding her family, but for what? If they loved you, why would they leave you behind?"

Catherine felt her heart drop.

Home. That word had always felt distant to her.

She’d built up fantasies in her mind, turning that unfamiliar word into something she could almost believe in.

She imagined so many different stories, but she never wanted to accept that maybe she’d just been abandoned.

That’s why she never stopped Lorinda from searching, even when years passed without a single word. Hope faded little by little.

So when this child came into her life, her first instinct was to keep her.

She was finally going to have someone, a family, a real home.

"It doesn’t change the fact that I want a home," she said quietly.

She might not have parents, but she could be a parent.

She could come home after work and have someone waiting for her. She could have someone to care about.

"You’re hiding something, aren’t you?" Amanda sounded so sure. "Come on, tell me. How long have you known this man? What’s he like? You keep talking about quitting... are you planning to get married?"

The conversation had wandered off, only for Amanda to drag it back in her own strange way.

Catherine didn’t answer. She just kept walking toward the inpatient wing.

Amanda watched her go, thinking for a moment before following behind.

"Catherine!" Patty called out, sitting up in bed as soon as she saw her.

Catherine set her bag down and came over, carrying a little pink gift bag.

"Patty, guess what I brought for you?"

Catherine looked down at Patty. "Do you want to go out?"

Patty nodded. "It’s not that I didn’t want to… Amanda just—"

"Alright, just go. It’s almost lunchtime," Amanda cut her off, giving Patty a look.

Patty glanced down, sticking out her lower lip.

"Let’s go," Catherine said, ruffling Patty’s hair and helping her with her shoes.

She held Patty’s small hand and together they walked out, taking the elevator down.

The sun was warm and bright, and the little park outside was filled with people.

Catherine walked with Patty until they found an empty bench.

Patty kept touching her new hair, her smile never fading.

But Catherine’s eyes kept drifting to the bruises and needle marks on Patty’s hand.

"Does it hurt?"

"It’s alright," Patty said, frowning a little. "I just have to get shots every day. The nurse says it’s getting hard to find a vein."