I sniffed, but I wouldn’t let the tears fall. By the end of Nathan’s list, I had been the only person to have received zero support. The orphanage I supported would receive no donations from tonight, despite my
best efforts.
In her ten minute appearance, Jane had undone hours‘ worth of my efforts.
I’d been getting glares since I returned to the ballroom, but now, the whispers started too.
I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole. Then I wouldn’t feel so much
embarrassment and shame.
I’d hoped to gain enough donations to be able to give the orphanage at least some relief. They knew about my backing them. We had to submit the organizations we supported to Nathan and the producers
ahead of time. They likely made commercials and promos for the gala utilizing that information.
I could only imagine what the commentators were saying now.
“The orphanage will receive nothing. The children will go hungry tonight. And it’s all Piper’s fault!”
I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. Nicholas, beside me, noticed.
“We congratulate all of our participants tonight,” Nathan said. His speech was wrapping up. The event
was almost over.
He started walking toward the
way.
the now empty space beside me. He handed me
him long enough to step forward,” Julian said. “I thought I’d have to do
my reputation as
dabbed the handkerchief at the corners of my
“You’ll see.”
lifted platform and approached Nathan. The King and Queen gave
suspicious glances.
out his hand and Nathan passed him
cleared his throat. “In the spirit of tonight’s generosity, I would like to
orphanage that Piper
and awed. That gift was twice as much
Everyone started to clap.
shame lifted away, and I
around my shoulders. “Chin
happy… Those kids…
you didn’t. Jane stole
glanced at him. “Did
disgust. At Jane or at himself, I couldn’t
mentioned, hoping he wouldn’t feel bad.
plans, did it
seemed to have the opposite effect on Julian. He squared
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!