"Let's meet at the orphanage."Eager to uncover the truth, I met Penelope at the orphanage entrance half an hour later.Penelope wore a short brown jacket over a black top, paired with slim-fit jeans that showcased her long, slender legs. Her smile was warm and friendly when she saw me, exuding much more confidence than when we first met.As I got out of the car, she took my hand. "Jen, you're so busy with work. You didn't need to come personally for this small matter. I could have handled it."As she spoke, Penelope glanced at my wrist, checking my injury."My wound has healed a lot," I said, touched by her genuine concern. I gently smoothed her wind-tousled hair. "Work was light today. If I went home, I'd just be obsessing over Joey and Jon's relationship. I might as well join you to uncover the truth. It's cold; let's go inside and talk."As we walked, I explained, "On my way here, I contacted the orphanage staff. They've informed the director about our visit."Penelope knew
Penelope said, "Jon has type B blood.""Type B? Impossible!" The director's tone was certain. "I put Jon's medical records in their files. I'll get them for you."Due to Joey and Jon's special blood types, their files were kept in a locked cabinet in the director's office. The director got up, went to the cabinet, unlocked it with a key, took out the files, and found Jon's medical records.Penelope opened her phone and found the compatibility test results. "Jen, look at this."The results showed Joey and Jon's blood types.Joey was Rh-negative, while Jon was type B.As the director handed over the medical records, Penelope showed her the test results.After looking, the director said, puzzled, "Could the hospital have made a mistake?""No," I said. Stephen was very attentive to Joey's situation. Given Joey's rare blood type, Jon had the highest chance of being compatible. Stephen would never allow any mistakes in the testing."Jon being Rh-negative is certain. His intelligence
After hearing from Annette that Jon was generally healthy, rarely got sick, and had never had surgery except for his recent hospital stay due to an emotional breakdown, we were at a loss to explain the discrepancy.After some thought, I asked, "Director, could we make a copy of Jon's medical records?"The director looked hesitant.I assured her, "Don't worry, we won't disclose that Joey and Jon have rare blood types.""They left our care. Joey is a very responsible sister, and we're glad she could take on the responsibility of caring for her brother. It's a shame she's gone down the wrong path now. We hope she can turn her life around," the director said regretfully, aware of Joey's widely publicized situation.Penelope added, "We hope she can change for the better too."Though it seems unlikely at this point."The copier is over there," the director said, gesturing to a corner of the office, indicating that she was agreeing to let us copy the records.After we finished copying
"Kids' appearances change so quickly. After a year, they can look completely different. When Joey and Jon came back to the orphanage, they were in a terrible state—skin and bones, their hair a mess. If Joey hadn't spoken up and told us their names, we wouldn't have recognized either of them," the orphanage director recalled. "Jon was always quiet, so we didn't pay him much attention. Aside from his birthmark, there's not much more I can tell you.""You've already helped us a lot," Penelope said gratefully. "We won't take up more of your time. I'll come by again this weekend to see the kids.""Take care on your way back," the director said, walking us to the gate of the orphanage. "Once you find out the results, be sure to let me know.""Of course, Director!"Penelope and I waved goodbye to the director before unlocking the car.Penelope didn't want to trouble me and was about to hail a taxi."I'll drive you home," I insisted."Jen...""I'm your cousin, right? So why are you sti
Joey had a strained relationship with Penelope and me. Stephen, worried that seeing us would upset her, tried to stop us from entering her room. I stepped in front of him and said, "Mr. York, we need to verify something important with Joey.""Her health is the priority right now," Stephen replied, his expression turning cold and his eyes full of warning."If you want to find a suitable bone marrow match for Joey as soon as possible, you should come inside with us and ask her where the real Jon is.""The real Jon?""The real Jon, Joey's biological brother. The chances of a successful match are much higher.""Why are you talking about two Jons?""You should ask Joey."While I was speaking with Stephen, Penelope had already entered the room.Joey was sitting on the bed, staring blankly. Her face was pale, and her hair was slightly disheveled. Hearing the door open, she slowly lifted her head. The moment she saw Penelope, her already weary face turned visibly colder. "Are you here
After I finished speaking, Penelope and I left. She had collected biological samples from both Joey and Jon, and we decided to take them to a different facility for testing.On the way to drop Penelope off at home, she murmured, "Joey has a rare blood type, and her illness is progressing rapidly. The doctors have advised her to get the surgery as soon as possible. If the real Jon were still alive, she wouldn't stay silent about it."I nodded in agreement. "If the real Jon is no longer alive, then why did she bring back someone unrelated by blood?""Loneliness," Penelope said softly. She had been forced to sever ties with her family at a young age and had wandered through unfamiliar cities, trying to make a living. She understood that kind of loneliness all too well. "Being alone for so long can make you seem accustomed to it, but deep down, there's still a yearning for family. Jon's situation is unique; he can't reciprocate Joey's feelings. But just having him around is enough—a r
"Alright, I'll go ahead and ask for your help, Mr. Walker. Make that call quickly," I said, ending the call.Luke's deep, resonant voice made my name sound better than anyone else's ever could. Especially when he was half-asleep, every soft murmur of "Jen" was filled with warmth and affection, as if I were the most precious person in his world. It felt like a stone dropping into the still waters of my heart, creating ripples that made my face flush uncontrollably. That warmth spread all the way to my ears, just like it was now.I rolled down the car window, letting the cold breeze rush in and cool my heated face."Achoo!"Penelope, dressed lightly, sneezed from the sudden draft.I quickly apologized and rolled the window back up."Jen, your face is so red. Are you running a fever?" Penelope asked with concern as she pulled a tissue from her bag to wipe her nose. When she looked up, she noticed the flush on my cheeks."I'm just overdressed," I said, switching off the overhead lig
"Get home early. It's not safe for a young woman to be out late at night.""Got it, Jen. See you later!"Penelope took her equipment out of her bag and quickly set it up. After adjusting the focus, she waved at me and dashed off in the direction Jethro had gone.Once she left, the car felt empty with just me inside.Her words echoed in my mind.When my parents were alive, even if I didn't go home for a while, just knowing they were there made me feel like I always had a place to belong, and I never felt lonely.But now, I knew the taste of loneliness all too well.I shifted slightly, resting my head against the car window, watching the people hurrying along the sidewalk.My phone rang, and when I saw "Mr. Walker" on the screen, all the loneliness melted away. The reflection in the window showed a smile spreading across my face."I've sent you a phone number. You can reach out to him," Luke said."Okay, Mr. Walker.""Just explain the situation to him. If there's any progress,