Chapter 1 STOLEN IDENTITY

In Washburn Orphanage, a little girl of about eight to nine years was seen surrounded by other children her age, with a pitiful look on her beautiful face, she seemed to be crying,

"I didn't steal it, it's mine, you stole it from me." She pointed at the girl in front of her, almost the same age like her but the latter was chubby with the crying girl was so skinny but beautiful, "It's a lie, our Jasmine isn't a thief and she won't steal your jade." A young girl from the crowd yelled,

"I'm not lying, the pendant is mine, my mama had given it to me before she...."

"You're a liar and a thief, our princess Jasmine is no thief like you." Another child yelled,

The girl who was accused didn't utter any word, she just stood by and watch the other kids defend her against the crying one, with a wicked look on her face, she seemed satisfied watching the skinny child cry.

" Thief!"

"Thief!"

"Thief" The kids sang mockingly at the skinny child, she tried defending herself but none was paying attention to her,

"Gianna!" An older voice called, the other children kept quiet at the appearance of the young lady who was one of their teachers.

"I didn't steal it, its mine." Gianna stammered but no one was ready to give her a listening ear,

"Gianna and Jasmine, come with me." She ordered, the two girls followed her while the rest kids kept murmuring as some went in suite, then others went back to play.

When they got to the director's office, the two girl were asked to wait for the director of the orphanage to come out,

"Jasmine, are you sure it's your?" Miss Lena asked again to be sure, the girl nodded while Gianna couldn't say anything, No one ever listens to her.

The director finally came out, an older man in his early forties, he was kinda average height and has a potbelly, with salt and pepper hair and strands of it falling over his rough face,

"What's the matter here?" He asked Miss Lena immediately he sat down,

"Jasmine reported to me this morning that Gianna here was fighting with her for this piece of pendant, she claims it to be hers but Jas here said it belongs to her." The young woman explained to the man, he took out his glasses, cleaned it and wore it again adjusting it to the bridge of his nose.

"Jas,can you explain to me what happened?" He asked her lovingly casting an angry look at Gianna,

"I saw my jade on Gianna bed and I took it, she came this morning and stated accusing me of stealing her jade." The girl said,

"It's a l..." One look from the director, the crying girl couldn't finish her word, tears were just streaming down her eyes,

The director turned to Gianna with an angry face, not giving her the chance to explain,

"You little thief, how can you steal from your fellow kid." He scolded her, her tears knew no bound.

How can she be accused and not given the chance to explain herself?

This is so unfair.

"It's mine, she stole it...." Infuriated at her lies, the director gave her a sounding slap, the other child smiled while she wailed,

"Take her to the lock up room, no food for her today and tomorrow." He ordered, Miss Lena forcefully dragged her from the office,

"I didn't do it, I didn't steal the pendant, it's mine." Her cross fell on deaf ear, No one can save her now.

A WEEK LATER

"Kids, remember to behave yourselves when he comes, one of you would be lucky to get adopted by the De Marco's today." The director told the kids as they sat on their seat,

"Remember what I told you last night, anyone that doesn't stay good would stay in the lock up room for the night, who wants that?" He asked the kids,

"Not me!"

"Not me!"

"Not me!" They all chorused, except one child, Gianna. She sat alone, no friends and no one to talk to, secretly hoping that a nice and loving family would just take her away from here forever.

"Now you all stay here and be good, they'll be arriving here any time soon." The kids nodded and the director left with the few teachers working with them at the orphanage.

Immediately they left, the kids turned to themselves, talking or doing one thing or the other in their various group.

Awhile later, the long awaited Mr De Marco came, actually he's the great master of the De Marco's and he's come to look for something precious.

His lost daughter's child, recently he got a report the child was at this orphanage, so he'd come to get her and take her to their mansion to lived as the young mistress of his grandson, Alexandre.

"Master, welcome sir." The director greeted the old man,

"Hmmm, where are the kids?" He asked not having time to reply his greeting, what he really wanted was the girl.

"They're at the playground, Sir what child do you want to adopt?" The director asked the man,

"I got wind that the young mistress from my family's here, so I've come to get her." He brought out a jade from his pocket,

"The child has something of this sort." Showing the pendant to the man, something struck his memory,

Jasmine has a pendant similar to this one.

Is she the De Marcos young mistress?

He asked himself,

"Sir if it's so, then I'll have to go get the girl, she's here." With great assurance, he ran to the playground,

"Jasmine!" He called out to the young girl who was busy chatting with her friends,

"Jasmine, come here."

With the realization she has been called, the girl stood up and went to the man,

"You called me?" She asked the man smiling, he nodded,

"Follow me." She followed the man not asking any questions.

When they got to his office, the old man was still sitting down looking at the pendant in his hands.

"Sir, here's the girl." The director pushed Jasmine to the man, whose gaze fell on her neck, revealing the pendant

"Young girl, who gave those to you?" Mr De Marco asked the girl, who seemed confused but had a perfect answer,

"My mom...." Before she could finish, the man pulled her into his embrace.

"My long lost daughter is back." When he left her, he made her remove the pendant, putting it and the one he was holding, the two pair matched, he turned to his assistant.

"Send message home, I've found Katerina's daughter." Pulling the girl close, he couldn't let her off his embrace, like she would disappear if he does that and he's gonna have a lot of problem finding her like what happened to her mom.

They did every necessary formalities and transferred a huge sum of money to the director's account,

"This is for taking care of my young Katerina for me, I'll take my leave now." He took the girl's

hands and they went into the car, driving away quickly like when they came.