Chapter 8: Kind heart and cold eyes.

Brina stayed in her maternal family’s mansion till evening, taking care of her grandmother. She is only loved and cared for by her grandmother and her youngest cousin brother. The rest of the family does not favor her. They hate her, and honestly, they never treated her like a family member. It is all because of the reason that they don’t like her father, who was a mere employee in their company. Her father, George Parker, has worked here for almost one year before eloping with her mother, Jennifer Russell. Brina’s uncle, cousin, sister, and first cousin brother are known for their cunning motives. They often schemed against her just to snatch away her mother’s only property that was left behind. Her grandfather has always been neutral, and he mostly prefers to avoid her. Though he is aware of what his son and his stupid children were planning to do, he has always opted to stay quiet andturno a blind eye. Due to this very reason, Brina never felt any affection towards her grandfather. If she has someone she cares for in this family, it is her grandmother and her younger cousin. So, after bidding her farewell to her sick grandmother and her younger cousin brother, Brina left the mansion. However, she didn’t go back to her apartment. She took another road and drove to the small town, which was just one hour from her grandparents’ place. Stopping by in the middle of her journey, Brina bought a handful of toys, snacks, and fruits from the department store. Later, she went to the small clothing shop and collected the bunch of clothes that she had ordered the previous week. After finishing her little shopping and filling her car with various items, she reached the orphanage, which is one of the very few places where she feels at home and peace. This orphanage is funded by the Grace Organization, which was started by her mother when she was a successful businesswoman. But after her demise, her mother’s friend took the responsibility, and the orphanage is now in the care of her mother’s friend, Uncle Tom. He is one of the dearest family members to Brina. He cares for her like his own daughter. After a few minutes of journey, she arrived at the huge orphanage and her uncle Tom was already waiting for her. "Brina, you are here! The children are missing you, kid." Uncle Tom lovingly said as soon as he saw her coming inside. Like always, she used quite an amount of sum from her monthly salary to buy essentials for the kids. Excluding this, she even donated half of her salary to the organization to help the children undergo various surgeries and also to meet their basic requirements. Brina is like an angel to the kids, filling their poor, lonely hearts with hope and happiness. "Even I am missing the kid’s uncle, it’s just that I was so busy and couldn’t come., Brina told Uncle Tom and greeted him by giving a hug. "I understand, kid, but I am more worried about you, more than anyone else. These children have you, me, and this organization to look after them. But what about you? When will you find someone who will cherish you for the rest of your life?" Uncle Tom asked. "You even overexert your body and mind. There should be someone who will take care of you... But you always opt to remain alone..." He muttered in concern. And, as soon as Brina heard him, her heart suddenly started feeling heavy with all the unpleasant and disastrous memories of her past. Her eyes lost their usual life and charm, replacing them with melancholy and distress. However, her Uncle Tom didn’t fail to notice the sudden change in her. He regretted bringing this matter up again. He sighed and patted her head. "It’s all right, kid. Take your own time. I know that these scars in your heart are tough to heal." "But, it’s time to move on, Brina! You can’t drown in your past like this. So, please do find a person who can truly treasure you." Uncle Tom said. Brina couldn’t help but remember Louis Cruz, whom she met last night. A smile etched on her face as she reminisced about the carefree and peaceful time they had together. "I will try, uncle. All I want is a simple life with a normal person. But, prior to this, I must make sure that my maternal uncle and his greedy family don’t get their hands on this organization. If they succeed, this orphanage will crumble to the ground and many children will become homeless again." Brina said. As she remembered the pressing matters at hand, her eyes turned cold and chilly while her voice hinted at venomous and undying determination. "I have high hopes for you, kid. Even under the worst conditions, we can-" Brina interjected,d Uncle Tan, as she shook her head sideways. "No chance, Uncle Tom. I won’t do that." Brina sternly said "For now, let’s not talk about this and concentrate on helping these kids. By the way, how is Will? Had he shown any signs of improvement?" "No." Uncle Tom coughed and sighed. His eyes turned painful and sad when he looked at Brina’s disappointed face. "No, Brina. He has been in the same condition since the day of your previous visit. That kid has a weak heart, and the doctors are unsure whether to proceed further. However, they are trying their best. Don’t fret", Uncle Tom comforted her, but didn’t give her any false hopes. Brina sighed. "It’s been two years since he was in a coma. That kid has gone through a lot by now. Many surgeries, operations... How can his small heart take any more than this?" Not only Will. But there were many children of his age who were facing some situations. And Brina wants to help everyone. She has acquired her mother’s kind heart, so she couldn’t help but worry about these orphaned kids. Later, she went inside the orphanage, not even aware that her single encounter with Louis Cruz would make all her dreams come true. He will be her support, her strength... Giving her the courage and strength to work against all odds.