The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 480

Anthony stared at the photo of the little girl, someone so familiar it made his chest ache. For a moment, his mind felt foggy, but then all those broken memories started fitting together, clear as day.

Everything came rushing back.

Five years ago.

He’d been tagging along with his grandma at a charity event in a psychiatric hospital in Cabinda. The place was stuffy, so he slipped out, looking for some air and quiet. He ended up on the rooftop, far away from the noise below.

He pulled out a cigarette, rolling it between his fingers, but before he could light it, something caught his eye. In the far corner of the rooftop, where the ground was wet and the shadows thick, a tiny kid crouched alone. Her head was shaved, her clothes were thin and dirty, and her face was streaked with grime. She was clutching a long wooden stick like it was a lifeline, her big eyes shining with a mix of fear and stubborn hope.

Anthony wasn’t the type to get involved. Usually, he kept his distance. But when he saw her looking up at him, something inside him just… shifted. He couldn’t help it. He started walking over.

She shrank back, pressed tight against the wall. As he got closer, he saw the scrapes and bruises on her arms and face. The hospital gown told him enough. She was a patient.

“Hey. I’m not here to hurt you,” Anthony said softly. He crouched down, trying to make himself less scary. “What’s your name? Why are you hiding out here?”

The little girl didn’t say a word. She hugged her knees, eyes wary, watching every move he made.

“It’s wet here. Aren’t you cold?” He tried again, gentler this time. “Let me help you out, okay?”

Anthony shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, careful and slow. That small gesture made her pause. She glanced up at him, tears glistening in her eyes, like she wanted to believe he meant it. After a few seconds, she reached out, her hand trembling.

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