Part 3Villainess Meets Final Boss

The director told me the girl's name was Quinn. Her parents had sent her to the orphanage at age three, right after her little brother was born.

"Quinn. It's a strong name. I like it," I said with a smile.

The little girl looked up at me, then pouted. "It's not a good name. They just picked it. It means nothing. Like a weed."

One of the boys she'd fought with earlier saw his chance. He snuck up behind her and shoved her hard, sending her sprawling.

"Quinn looks like a weed, too!" he taunted. "Her hair looks like a dog chewed on it! It's so ugly! Freak!"

I finally noticed her hair. It looked like she'd cut it herself with a pair of blunt scissors—uneven, choppy, and shorter than a boy's.

"That's because you spit bubblegum in my hair! I couldn't get it out!" Quinn shot me a quick, embarrassed glance, then scrambled to her feet, her jaw set. Her palms were scraped raw, but she ignored the pain, ready to charge back into the fight.

"Quinn!" I grabbed her, holding her back. For such a small thing, she was surprisingly strong.

I stepped in front of her and fixed the boy with an icy stare. "My Quinn is the most beautiful girl in the world. As for you, what kind of big man bullies a girl? Apologize to her. Now."

The boy flinched under my gaze but stood his ground stubbornly.

"You won't? Fine. I'll just have a word with the director. I'm sure she'd be happy to cancel your lunch today."

"No, no! Okay, I'm sorry! Quinn, I'm sorry, it was my fault!" He looked like he was about to cry, gave a half-hearted bow, and scurried away.

I turned back to Quinn, smiling as I gently pinched her cheek. "Such a pretty face. It would be a shame to get it all scratched up in a fight. From now on, if anyone bullies you, you tell me. I'll be in your corner."

"Come on. Let's get some antiseptic for that hand. And when we get home, I'll have a professional stylist give you a whole new look."

For a moment, her little body went rigid. She stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief, as I lifted her scraped palm to my lips and gently blew on it.

I sent my assistant to handle the adoption paperwork and led Quinn to the car.

Leo, finally snapping out of his shock, blocked our path with Carrie in tow.

"Clara, are you serious? You're actually adopting... this thing?"

Quinn might be young, but she was sharp. At his words, she bristled like a wounded animal, baring her teeth at him. If I hadn't been holding her tight, I think she might have launched herself at him like a tiny missile.

"Quinn is adorable and so well-behaved. Of course I'm taking her home." I smiled sweetly, stroking Quinn's choppy hair and deliberately raising my voice. "After all, I have so many maids and chefs at the villa. We'll get Quinn fattened up in no time. Oh, and of course, every girl loves fashion. I'll have to set up a walk-in closet just for her."

Carrie, though just a child, looked like she was about to explode with jealousy. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of parents had raised her to be this way.

"You'll regret this, Clara," Leo snarled, shoving past me. "You'll pay for what you've done today." He stormed off with Carrie to handle her adoption himself, since his plan had failed.

What a joke.

As Leo dragged her away, Carrie kept looking back over her shoulder, her eyes fixed on me as I lifted Quinn into the back of the Rolls-Royce.

"Ready, Quinn?" I said, buckling her in. "Our amazing new life starts now!"