CHAPTER 4

When Liam turned three, nothing changed for the better. In fact, his life in the orphanage grew even more difficult. His small frame, already thin from lack of food, became frailer. His steps slower. His shoulders drooped lower each day. And as he grew weaker, the bullying grew stronger.

The other children sensed his vulnerability like wolves sensing an easy prey. They shoved him harder, tripped him more often, and stole his meals before he even touched them. Liam learned to eat quickly—too quickly—hoping to swallow at least a little before someone snatched the rest. But even then, sometimes a hand would slap the bowl away, sending the food spilling to the floor.

“Why do you always look like that?” a child said one day, pushing him back as he reached for a toy.

“Like what?” Liam whispered.

“Like you’re scared all the time! It’s annoying!”

The caretaker watched from across the room and didn’t intervene. Instead, she smirked slightly, as though Liam’s suffering amused her. Another caretaker even laughed softly when one child shoved him into a wall.

“Stop crying,” she snapped when Liam wiped his tears. “Nobody likes a crybaby.”

But Liam hadn’t made a sound. His tears were silent, slipping down his cheeks without a voice. He had learned early that crying loudly only made things worse.

Playtime was no safer. While other children ran freely, Liam always lingered near the edge, afraid. Every time he attempted to join, someone would push him aside or charge at him until he fell. His knees were always bruised, though he never complained.

Once, he tried asking a caretaker why the others hated him.

Her answer was a careless shrug.

“Maybe because you’re too weak. Children get tired of weak things.”

Liam didn’t understand those words fully, but he understood enough. Weak things were thrown away. Weak things were unloved.

His nights grew lonelier. He lay curled on his small mattress, hearing the whispers of the other children through the dark.

“No one will choose him.”

“Why would they adopt someone like that?”

“He probably deserves it.”

He didn’t know why they thought that. He didn’t know what he had done wrong.

He just knew that each whisper dug deeper into his heart.

Yet, even in the worsening storm, Liam held onto a fragile hope. On days when the sun filtered into the orphanage yard, he would sit quietly, letting the warmth touch his skin. It reminded him of something he couldn’t name—something gentle. Something comforting.

At night, he whispered to the darkness again, “Please… someone come.”

But the days passed.

Weeks.

Months.

And no one came for him.

His world remained a place where kindness was rare and cruelty came easily. And though his small heart cracked a little more each day, he refused to let it close.

Liam still believed.

Still hoped.

Still waited for the day someone—anyone—would look at him and say, “You’re not alone anymore.”

He didn’t know that fate was already moving.

He didn’t know that his suffering, though deep and painful, was leading him toward a truth that would shake kingdoms.

For now, he was just a lonely boy in a harsh orphanage.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***