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        Shewasn''tasstrikingasthedeadReyahadbeen,butatleastshetrailedhimaroundlikealoyallittleshadow,neverleavinghisside.

        Officially,Luciandidn''tmeettherequirementstofosteranorphan.Butthegirlrefusedtoletgoofhim—evenwhendoctorsexaminedher,orwhenpolicewomenbathedandchangedher,sheclungstubbornlytohisclothes.

        Sincenosuitablefamilycouldbefoundrightaway,andtheinvestigationintomissingchildrenrecordswasstillongoing,leavingherwithLucianseemedthemostpracticalchoice.Ifherrealparentseversurfaced,shewouldbeeasiertoreclaim.

        SoLucianandhischildhoodfriendMoxi—whowerealwaysmorelikeswornsiblingsthanlovers—completedthefosterpaperworkasacohabitingcouple.Justlikethat,thetwoofthembecameReya''stemporaryfosterparents.Yetthisso-called"temporary"stretchedonfarlongerthananyoneexpected.

        Lucianwasabachelor,cluelessaboutraisingachild.Moxibeganvisitingconstantly,whichsparkedgossipatfirst.Butafteryearspassedwithnohintofromance,eventhenosyneighborslostinterest.

        Herfamilyhadbeenthrilledinthebeginning,imaginingtheirdaughterwouldfinallysettledownwithanoldfriend''sson.Butfatewasn''tontheirside.Afterafewfailedattempts,theygaveup.

        Reya,atfirst,wasahandful.

        Traumatizedbywhatevershehadenduredinthewoods,shehadlosthervoiceandlackedeventhemostbasiclifeskills—notevenonparwithathree-year-old.Moxienrolledherinaspecialeducationprogram,butwithinaweektheteacherssentherback.

        "Yourkidisperfectlynormal.Stopwastingourtime."

        ItwasinthatsingleweekthatLuciannoticedhissecondsurprise.

        Thescrawny,dark-skinnedgirlhadgrownfairer,putonsomeweight.Herfeaturesremainedplain,butwhenshesmiled,herdimplesturnedherdownrightadorable.

        AdorableinawaythateerilyresembledthechildhoodphotoofthatotherReya—thevictim—hehadonceseenathergrievingmother''shome.

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