Mrs. Walker sighed, her expression turning wistful. “Busy with that actress he’s dating, huh? I saw the news. Such a shame. I always thought the two of you would end up together.”
Laughing softly, Maddie shook her head. “There’s no shame in it, Mrs. Walker. Rico’s always seen me as a little sister. Now he has his own life and I have mine.”
“But he took care of you for so long. When he finally had enough to support himself, he brought you home. That boy has always put you first.”
Maddie’s voice softened. “That was a long time ago. Things change. We’ve both moved on.”
Mrs. Walker nodded, but her expression brightened. “Your mom donated another two million dollars to the orphanage last week. She said it was in your name! You’re so lucky to have found your family after all these years.”
“Yeah,” Maddie murmured, a bittersweet smile on her face. “It’s about time I went back to them.”
***