Chapter 167
“Looks like you really don’t remember me p>
Zack said as he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and stuffed it into Catherine’s palm.
“Don’t cry anymore. Whoever bullies you, I’ll help you beat them up p>
Catherine lifted her head with shock written all over her face.
Looking at the somewhat familiar face in front of her, her eyes trembled. She couldn’t believe as she called out the name: “Z-Zachary Coleman p>
Zack only slowly took off his sunglasses at this point.
In fact, although Catherine didn’t notice it last time, today when they met, she felt Zack seemed familiar.
Just because he was Vivian’s bodyguard, she didn’t dare to recognize him randomly.
Now, with him actively identifying himself, Catherine took a more careful look at him.
The neat crew cut, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and handsome Chinese features, standing 1.83 meters tall, even the winter parka he wore couldn’t hide his solid muscles.
Despite the significant changes, Catherine managed to recognize him bit by bit.
And the almost forgotten face in her memory completely overlapped with the one in front of her.
“Are you Zachary Coleman p>
“Where…where have you been all these years p>
“Zachary Coleman, it really is you p>
Catherine shouted in surprise and excitement, then reached out joyfully to hug him.
Zachary Coleman hugged her back.
The reunion after many years was a powerful embrace for both of them.
Moreover, one was tall like a giant.
The other as slender as a willow branch.
From the back, Zachary Coleman almost enveloped Catherine completely, making it difficult to see the woman of drastically different size he was holding.
Vivian was also stunned.
They actually knew each other?
What kind of fate is this?
Apparently, this world is quite small indeed.
When Catherine released Zack, she explained to Vivian, “We’re buddies who grew up together in the orphanage p>
Zack, with flushed ears, nodded towards Vivian: “Yes, Miss Sinclair p>
“I’m three years older than Poppy p>
“So, I’m the one who watched her grow up p>
“We lived in the orphanage for several years together, and our feelings are as close as family. The recent reunion made us a bit out of control p>
“Miss Sinclair, please don’t mind p>
Zack stood straight, nodding apologetically towards Vivian, whose maturity and seasoned demeanor made Catherine both gratified and happy.
“Don’t be so cautious, Vivian is like a sister to me p>
“Though we’re the rumored real and fake rich daughters, we’re not enemies as outsiders imagine. In fact, we cherish each other so much we’ve almost regarded each other as our second self p>
“From now on, you have to protect Vivian just like you used to protect me, alright p>
As Catherine spoke, she walked over to hold Vivian’s arm, then looked at Zack solemnly.
Zack nodded, with a smile: “Yes. I remember. I will protect the two of you with my life p>
Catherine only then smiled along with him: “By the way, weren’t you found by your mom and dad and went back to your hometown p>
“How come you’re back in Ardis p>
“You didn’t contact us after returning. If we hadn’t met by chance today, you weren’t planning to meet us p>
Saying this, Catherine was a bit angry and punched Zack in the chest.
Zack’s expression slowly faded: “Just out making a living p>
“You know our mother director’s rules, we weren’t allowed to go back to the orphanage casually after growing up p>
“Even if I wanted to find you all, the timing wasn’t right p>
“Working for Mr. Thorne now is already my honor, how could I easily leave my post p>
Vivian whispered in Catherine’s ear: “Working for Julian Thorne, the head bodyguard’s annual salary seems to be in the millions p>
“He’s the team leader p>
Catherine opened her mouth wide in surprise.
“You’ve really done well p>
“Zack, you’ve truly made it p>
Zack just looked at her, not saying much, then raised his eyes to look at their current location—Skylight Orphanage.
He let out a slight sigh.
Unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, he has returned here.
After the three entered the orphanage, the director whom Catherine had contacted earlier came out to greet them.
“Poppy p>
Catherine happily dashed forward: “Director Mom p>
Catherine’s feelings for this place were truly deep.
When hugging the director mom, she showed a reliance and closeness not seen for a long time.
Thinking of the experiences from the last two years even brought tears to her eyes.
Since Catherine left the orphanage for college, as per the director’s rule, no child leaving the orphanage was allowed to come back without special circumstances.
The reason the director mom gave was: all orphans who became adults should develop independent personalities and are no longer orphans of the orphanage. She hoped they would build their own small families outside, not remain tangled up in the orphanage.
Otherwise, it’s hard to move forward for life.
So, even though Catherine was in Ardis, she hadn’t returned for a long time. Holding the director now, she was crying both sorrowfully and joyfully.
While crying, she suddenly thought of Zack, so she quickly dragged him over, “Director Mom, who do you see he is p>
It took a good while for the director mom to recognize Zack.
“You, you are, Zack p>
“Child, you’re still doing well. It’s so good, you’re still doing well p>
Initially joyful upon seeing Catherine, the director mom’s emotions turned highly intense upon recognizing Zack.
She reached out to touch Zack’s face, then touched his healthy, tall body, as if confirming that Zack was indeed unharmed, and then she began to laugh and cry happily.
Standing beside them, Vivian felt a bit puzzled.
What’s with… you’re still alright?
And why is the director mother so emotional?
There must be some story behind Zack, right?
Zack seemed reluctant to discuss himself, so he just held the director mother’s hand and softly said, “Yes, I’m quite well p>
“Director mother, how is your health p>
“Zack is unfilial, I haven’t come back to see you for all these years p>
Despite always saying that the kids don’t need to come back, the director mother now pounded Zack’s shoulder, her voice tinged with bitter reproach: “You should have come back, you really should p>
“Do you know how worried I was about you p>
“I p>
Zack interrupted her crying: “Director mother p>
“Everything is in the past now p>
“By the way, I’m here today with Miss Sinclair and Poppy, do they have something important to discuss with you p>
Realizing Zack was avoiding his own matters, the director mother immediately understood.
She nodded, with a trace of heartache appearing in her eyes, then quickly adjusted her emotions and turned to Vivian.
“This is Miss Sinclair, right p>
“I know about you and Poppy p>
“Oh, another poor child p>
Vivian smiled slightly at her: “Hello p>
If it weren’t for that switch, originally… she should have called her director mother too.
She might have even grown up here, right?
This orphanage is not even half the size of the Sinclair Family estate, but it’s said that there are thirty or forty kids living here all year round.
Vivian watched the children playing in the garden, some expressionless, some filled with vigilance and defensiveness, while others were curious.
There were older kids, but there were also younger children.
On each young face, there was not much innocence, but there was plenty of simplicity.
Some disabled children could only bask in the sun under the porch.
But it was clear that they were all well cared for.
At least they wore clean clothes, and none of them appeared malnourished or emaciated.
Catherine escorted the director mother inside: “Director mother, you already know the story of Vivian and me, so let’s not beat around the bush p>
“Vivian wants to find out about her background, are there still contacts from families that the orphanage found matching Vivian’s background over the years p>
Director mother: “There have been people looking for girls like you over the years, and not many. So the data is easy to find p>
“Knowing that you were coming, I had prepared the list of five from these years, here p>
Vivian took it with surprise.
“Thank you p>
Looking at the contact information, Vivian felt a bit tense: I wonder… if among these, any are my real relatives?
However, she held back this emotion, put the list in her pocket, and then asked: “By the way, director, has anyone come specially to see Catherine, also known as Poppy, in the past p>
Poppy was evidently Catherine’s previous name, for convenience’s sake, Vivian referred to her as that.
The director mother, despite being somewhat aged, fortunately had a good memory: “Yes. A nurse from the hospital, came several times p>
“But I didn’t like her coming, every time she came to see Poppy, Poppy would cry p>
“Later she even wanted to adopt Poppy, but I didn’t agree p>
“Poppy didn’t like her p>
Catherine was quite surprised upon hearing this: “How come I don’t remember p>
Director mother: “Of course you don’t remember, because after you turned four, that nurse never came again p>
Vivian and Catherine exchanged glances, she never came again after she turned four?
“Do you have a photograph of this nurse? We want to know if it was she who switched our identities p>
Recognizing the seriousness of the matter, the director mother solemnly began to recall.
“I need to look for it in the records room p>
“I’ll give you an answer at the latest by tomorrow p>
“If I find it, I’ll send the photo to Poppy p>
Having obtained these clues today, Vivian and Catherine were quite satisfied.
Catherine had hurried over this time and didn’t buy anything special.
But she secretly slipped a bank card worth 200,000 into the director mother’s pocket, part of her savings since returning to the Sinclair Family.
Vivian also donated 200,000.
The director mother did not refuse, repeatedly expressing her gratitude and wiping away her tears: “You should focus on living your own lives well, don’t come back to this orphanage anymore p>
After saying that, she waved her hand, not waiting for Vivian and the others to get in the car, she turned and went back into the yard.
“Children p>
“Tonight, we’re having a feast p>
“Just now, the two fairy sisters were thinking of you a lot, so they gave the director mother a lot of money p>
“We can all buy beautiful and warm winter clothes now p>
Vivian suddenly felt that what she gave was still too little.
Remembering this, she planned to have Patrick send some more money and other necessities over.
Having said farewell to the orphanage, Vivian and Catherine went to dine at a restaurant.
Zack was also invited to the table, initially a bit reserved, but under Catherine’s strong insistence, Vivian also ordered him to sit down and join them for the meal.
It was with some reluctance that Zack sat down with them.
However, as soon as he sat down, he made a wary scan of the surroundings.
Wearing sunglasses, his whole body seemed to heighten its alertness, taut and straight.
“Someone is watching us p>