Just as I was about to turn and walk away, Alexander’s voice cut through the air.
“Madeline, how long are you going to throw this tantrum?”
He stepped closer, gripping my wrist tightly, catching me off guard. His once captivating dark eyes now burned with anger and hostility. “Stop threatening to leave! If you do, the company will cut off funding for the Sunrise Orphanage!”
I froze, disbelief coursing through me. I never expected Alexander would wield the orphanage’s funding as a weapon against me.
I lost my parents when I was just over a year old. My brother and I grew up at the Sunrise Orphanage. My biggest dream as a child was to make enough money one day so the kids there could wear new clothes and never go hungry.
Later, I joined Alexander in his business ventures. We squeezed into a cramped basement, where he kissed me passionately, promising that once he made it big, he’d make sure the orphanage kids had happy childhoods.
When he finally achieved success, he kept that promise. He expanded the Sunrise Orphanage and donated generously each year. Seeing the smiles on those kids’ faces filled me with warmth and hope.