Chapter 401
The Vancouver City Park was usually open to anyone, but tonight it was different tonight, it was transformed.
The gates stood wide, glowing with strings of lights that made the park look like a wonderland.
Normally, the park at night was quiet, a place for a few joggers, some drunk wanderers, or couples seeking hidden corners.
But not tonight.
The park didn’t just open-it awakened, as if wonder itself had been waiting for her arrival.
Twenty food trucks lined the paths, toy vendors set up shop, and at the entrance, a massive neon sign blazed in bright letters:
‘Happy Birthday Giselle Laurent p>
What met her eyes wasn’t just a birthday—it was a miracle draped in light.
“Did you… did you guys do this?” Giselle whispered, stunned. They had left the lounge only thirty minutes ago. Something like this couldn’t have been prepared in such a short time.
Josephine stole a quick glance at Alex, searching for an answer.
Before either of them spoke, a woman in a Vancouver Park uniform appeared, her posture straight and professional.
She stepped forward with a warm smile.
“Miss Giselle, I presume? This is your birthday celebration, arranged by Miss Josephine and Mr. Alex. Please, come inside. I’m Silvia, your guide for tonight p>
Giselle stared at Josephine and Alex with wide, disbelieving eyes, then followed Silvia through the gates.
Inside, the neon lights lit the grounds so brightly it felt like midday.
“All of the food trucks are free tonight for you and everyone here,” Silvia explained as they strolled past the mouthwatering aromas drifting through the park, stopping now and then to sample the food.
While Giselle and Josephine waited at one of the trucks for their order, Silvia stepped closer and carefully set a glittering birthday crown on Giselle’s head.
“Forgive me, Miss Giselle. This belongs to you p>
“Wow Giselle whispered, her voice catching. The crown shimmered like real diamonds, dazzling in the light.
Suddenly, the sound of engines rumbled. Several buses pulled into the park.
The doors opened, and children poured out in waves, laughter spilling into the night.
Silvia leaned close to Giselle and lowered her voice. “They’re all orphans. We invited them tonight to join your celebration p>
The children ran toward the food trucks, giddy with excitement.
But when they noticed Giselle, they paused, straightened, and greeted her with surprising formality.
“Happy birthday, Miss Giselle! We wish you all the best—and thank you for inviting us. The free food is amazing p>
Their voices overlapped, a chorus of gratitude that nearly drowned her.
Giselle stood frozen, overwhelmed by the wave of well-wishes.
One by one, the children broke away, rushing toward the food trucks. Yet some stayed.
A few little girls gathered around Giselle, their faces shy but glowing. One of them held something small in her hands.
“This… this is my present. I made it as fast as I could. Please accept it p>
Giselle took the gift carefully. It was a delicate origami cat, folded with care, with a tiny handwritten note inside: Best wishes.
Her throat tightened.
Surrounded by lights, laughter, and children who had so little but gave so much, Giselle realized this wasn’t just a birthday party.
It was the most meaningful gift she had ever received.
Some of the smallest children tugged at Giselle’s clothes, their little voices trembling with sincerity.
“Thank you for inviting us. My little brother never ate from a food truck before. You made his dream come true p>
Every word came straight from their hearts-raw, unfiltered, pure.
Giselle froze. She too had once lived in an orphanage.
Their eyes, so bright and innocent, mirrored the girl she used to be. Warmth spread through her chest, overwhelming her.
This wasn’t just a party. It was something she had always longed for-not
grandeur, not luxury, but for someone to whisper, you matter.
Josephine clutched Alex’s arm and leaned close, her voice low and urgent. “How the hell did you pull this off? You told me you had no money p>
Alex kept his gaze forward.
“I didn’t. You had two hundred. I added mine-another two hundred. I gave the four hundred to a man I know. He said he’d take care of it. I never imagined it would turn out this big p>
Josephine’s eyes narrowed. “Who is he p>
“Once… a patient of mine,” Alex lied smoothly.
“Patient or not, this must’ve cost a fortune.” Josephine frowned deeply, scanning
the trucks and the hundreds of children flooding the park.
“This isn’t four hundred dollars. This looks like fifty thousand at least. There are kids here from every orphanage in Vancouver p>
Alex only shrugged. “He told me he’d handle it. I believed him p>
Just then, the final bus rolled in. The doors opened, and another tide of children rushed out-straight toward Josephine.
“Sister Jo! Sister Jo! Thank you for inviting us! We’ve always wanted to come here p>
“Sister Jo, is it true? All the food is free? For real p>
Their voices overlapped in a storm of excitement.
“Wait, wait,” Josephine said, raising her hands to calm them.
Her voice softened as she pointed toward Giselle. “Before anything else, you must meet Sister Giselle. She once stayed in our orphanage before she was adopted. Today is her special day. Let’s all wish her a bright and happy birthday p>
The children turned as one and shouted with joy, their small voices echoing through the park.
“Happy birthday, Sister Giselle p>
They rushed toward her, smiles wide, eyes shining.
“Sister Giselle, you’re so beautiful p>
“Were you always an artist p>
“Sister Giselle, Sister Giselle p>
They swarmed her, voices tumbling over one another, drowning her in laughter
and love.
Within minutes, the children had scattered across the park.
Some clutched plates from the food trucks, others played games, their laughter bouncing off the night sky.
A few cried quietly in the corners, but they were quickly comforted by staff-forty uniformed caretakers who appeared to keep everything safe and under control. Giselle, swept up in the joy, laughed until her cheeks ached.
She and Josephine ran among the kids, tasting food, joining games, and for the first time in years, they felt like children again-wild, free, unburdened. From the sidelines, Alex watched them closely.
For once, he saw not two grown women polished by the world, but the little girls
still alive inside them-girls who had never truly disappeared.
And to him, they had never looked more beautiful.
Silvia suddenly approached Giselle. “Miss Giselle, the stage for singing is ready. Would you like to sing a few songs for the children p>
Giselle’s eyes lit up instantly. On a night like this-her birthday, surrounded by children-how could she say no?
Singing was her life, the very core of who she was.
She walked toward the stage, but the sight waiting for her made her stop short.
A full band stood ready, instruments in hand. Not just any band-famous musicians she had only dreamed of performing with.
Her breath caught.
“Are you… really willing to play for me?” she asked, her voice trembling.
One of the musicians chuckled warmly. “You’re the star tonight. We’ve already been paid well. Just sing, and let us follow p>
Gratitude swelled inside her. “Thank you. It’s my greatest joy to sing with all of you p>
The drummer counted off, and the music exploded to life-her most famous song. Giselle’s voice rose, pure and commanding, leading the musicians as if she had been born for this very moment.
Children filled the seats, their wide eyes fixed on her.
The sound wrapped around them-powerful, emotional, and so moving it lifted
her own voice higher, richer.
For the first time in her life, singing felt effortless, transcendent.
Off to the side, Silvia recorded everything and streamed it live across social
media.
Within minutes, thousands were watching. Giselle’s voice spread like wildfire, her name shooting through the internet.
She had become a sensation in the time it took to sing a handful of songs.
Then the night shattered.
“Damn all of you!” A group of twenty thugs stormed into the park, one of them kicking a trash can so hard it clattered across the ground.
Their eyes burned with menace, baseball bats swinging in their hands. “Who gave you permission to sing here? Who said you could throw a party on our turf?” one of them barked, his voice echoing through the stunned crowd. Another sneered and pointed at the stage. “Hey, beautiful! My boss says if you sleep with him, he’ll forget you threw this party without his permission. Otherwise p>
He slammed his bat into another trash can, metal shrieking under the blow. “You’ll regret it p>
Gasps rippled through the children.
Then, one small boy stood, fists clenched, voice trembling but fierce. “You bad people! Don’t ruin Sister Giselle’s birthday p>
The nearest thug turned on him with a snarl and slapped the boy across the face.
“Shut your mouth or I’ll kill you p>
The crowd froze.
Alex rose slowly, his eyes locked on the thugs. He stepped forward with deadly
calm, ready to stop them from taking another step toward the children.
But Josephine moved faster.
Fury lit her eyes as she sprinted straight at the man who had struck the boy.
Her kick landed with explosive force. The thug was sent flying nearly twenty
meters, rolling across the ground like a broken doll.
The entire park went silent. Every eye widened in shock. Josephine’s eyes blazed crimson, burning with unbridled fury.
Her voice thundered through the park as she roared, “How dare you lay a hand on
the children p>
‘And though she be but little, she is fierce p>
The Vancouver City Park was usually open to anyone, but tonight it was different tonight, it was transformed.
The gates stood wide, glowing with strings of lights that made the park look like a
wonderland.
Normally, the park at night was quiet, a place for a few joggers, some drunk wanderers, or couples seeking hidden corners.
But not tonight.
The park didn’t just open-it awakened, as if wonder itself had been waiting for
her arrival.
Twenty food trucks lined the paths, toy vendors set up shop, and at the entrance,
a massive neon sign blazed in bright letters:
‘Happy Birthday Giselle Laurent p>
What met her eyes wasn’t just a birthday—it was a miracle draped in light.
“Did you… did you guys do this?” Giselle whispered, stunned. They had left the
lounge only thirty minutes ago. Something like this couldn’t have been prepared in such a short time.
Josephine stole a quick glance at Alex, searching for an answer.
Before either of them spoke, a woman in a Vancouver Park uniform appeared, her posture straight and professional.
She stepped forward with a warm smile.
“Miss Giselle, I presume? This is your birthday celebration, arranged by Miss
Josephine and Mr. Alex. Please, come inside. I’m Silvia, your guide for tonight p>
Giselle stared at Josephine and Alex with wide, disbelieving eyes, then followed Silvia through the gates.
Inside, the neon lights lit the grounds so brightly it felt like midday.
“All of the food trucks are free tonight for you and everyone here,” Silvia explained as they strolled past the mouthwatering aromas drifting through the park, stopping now and then to sample the food. s
While Giselle and Josephine waited at one of the trucks for their order, Silvia
stepped closer and carefully set a glittering birthday crown on Giselle’s head. “Forgive me, Miss Giselle. This belongs to you p>
“Wow Giselle whispered, her voice catching. The crown shimmered like real diamonds, dazzling in the light.
Suddenly, the sound of engines rumbled. Several buses pulled into the park.
The doors opened, and children poured out in waves, laughter spilling into the
night.
Silvia leaned close to Giselle and lowered her voice. “They’re all orphans. We
invited them tonight to join your celebration p>
The children ran toward the food trucks, giddy with excitement.
But when they noticed Giselle, they paused, straightened, and greeted her with
surprising formality.
“Happy birthday, Miss Giselle! We wish you all the best-and thank you for inviting us. The free food is amazing p>
Their voices overlapped, a chorus of gratitude that nearly drowned her. Giselle stood frozen, overwhelmed by the wave of well-wishes.
One by one, the children broke away, rushing toward the food trucks. Yet some
stayed.
A few little girls gathered around Giselle, their faces shy but glowing. One of them
held something small in her hands.
“This… this is my present. I made it as fast as I could. Please accept it p>
Giselle took the gift carefully. It was a delicate origami cat, folded with care, with a
tiny handwritten note inside: Best wishes.
Her throat tightened.
Surrounded by lights, laughter, and children who had so little but gave so much,
Giselle realized this wasn’t just a birthday party.
It was the most meaningful gift she had ever received.
Some of the smallest children tugged at Giselle’s clothes, their little voices
trembling with sincerity.
“Thank you for inviting us. My little brother never ate from a food truck before. You
made his dream come true p>
Every word came straight from their hearts-raw, unfiltered, pure.
Giselle froze. She too had once lived in an orphanage.
Their eyes, so bright and innocent, mirrored the girl she used to be. Warmth
spread through her chest, overwhelming her.
This wasn’t just a party. It was something she had always longed for-not
grandeur, not luxury, but for someone to whisper, you matter. Josephine clutched Alex’s arm and leaned close, her voice low and urgent. “How
the hell did you pull this off? You told me you had no money p>
Alex kept his gaze forward.
“I didn’t. You had two hundred. I added mine-another two hundred. I gave the four hundred to a mant know. He said he’d take care of it. I
never imagined it would turn out this big” s
Josephine’s eyes narrowed. “Who is he p>
“Once… a patient of mine,” Alex lied smoothly.
“Patient or not, this must’ve cost a fortune.” Josephine frowned deeply, scanning
the trucks and the hundreds of children flooding the park.
“This isn’t four hundred dollars. This looks like fifty thousand at least. There are
kids here from every orphanage in Vancouver p>
Alex only shrugged. “He told me he’d handle it. I believed him p>
Just then, the final bus rolled in. The doors opened, and another tide of children
rushed out-straight toward Josephine.
“Sister Jo! Sister Jo! Thank you for inviting us! We’ve always wanted to come
here p>
“Sister Jo, is it true? All the food is free? For real p>
Their voices overlapped in a storm of excitement.
“Wait, wait,” Josephine said, raising her hands to calm them.
Her voice softened as she pointed toward Giselle. “Before anything else, you must meet Sister Giselle
She once stayed in our orphanage before she was adopted. Today is her special day. Let’s all wish her a bright and happy birthday. s
The children turned as one and shouted with joy, their small voices echoing
through the park.
“Happy birthday, Sister Giselle p>
They rushed toward her, smiles wide, eyes shining.
“Sister Giselle, you’re so beautiful p>
“Were you always an artist p>
“Sister Giselle, Sister Giselle p>
They swarmed her, voices tumbling over one another, drowning her in laughter
and love.
Within minutes, the children had scattered across the park.
Some clutched plates from the food trucks, others played games, their laughter
bouncing off the night sky.
A few cried quietly in the corners, but they were quickly comforted by staff-forty uniformed caretakers who appeared to keep everything safe and under control. Giselle, swept up in the joy, laughed until her cheeks ached.
She and Josephine ran among the kids, tasting food, joining games, and for the
first time in years, they felt like children again-wild, free, unburdened.
From the sidelines, Alex watched them closely.
For once, he saw not two grown women polished by the world, but the little girls
still alive inside them-girls who had never truly disappeared.
And to him, they had never looked more beautiful.
Silvia suddenly approached Giselle. “Miss Giselle, the stage for singing is ready.
Would you like to sing a few songs for the children p>
Giselle’s eyes lit up instantly. On a night like this her birthday, surrounded by
children-how could she say no? Singing was her life, the very core of who she was.
She walked toward the stage, but the sight waiting for her made her stop short.
A full band stood ready, instruments in hand. Not just any band-famous
musicians she had only dreamed of performing with.
Her breath caught.
“Are you… really willing to play for me?” she asked, her voice trembling.
One of the musicians chuckled warmly. “You’re the star tonight. We’ve already
been paid well. Just sing, and let us follow p>
Gratitude swelled inside her. “Thank you. It’s my greatest joy to sing with all of
you p>
The drummer counted off, and the music exploded to life-her most famous song.
Giselle’s voice rose, pure and commanding, leading the musicians as if she had
been born for this very moment. Children filled the seats, their wide eyes fixed on her.
The sound wrapped around them-powerful, emotional, and so moving it lifted her own voice higher, richer.
For the first time in her life, singing felt effortless, transcendent.
Off to the side, Silvia recorded everything and streamed it live across social
media.
Within minutes, thousands were watching. Giselle’s voice spread like wildfire, her
name shooting through the internet.
She had become a sensation in the time it took to sing a handful of songs. Then the night shattered.
“Damn all of you!” A group of twenty thugs stormed into the park, one of them
kicking a trash can so hard it clattered across the ground. Their eyes burned with menace, baseball bats swinging in their hands.
“Who gave you permission to sing here? Who said you could throw a party on our
turf?” one of them barked, his voice echoing through the stunned crowd. Another sneered and pointed at the stage. “Hey, beautiful! My boss says if you
sleep with him, he’ll forget you threw this party without his permission. Otherwise p>
He slammed his bat into another trash can, metal shrieking under the blow. “You’ll
regret it p>
Gasps rippled through the children.
Then, one small boy stood, fists clenched, voice trembling but fierce. “You bad
people! Don’t ruin Sister Giselle’s birthday p>
The nearest thug turned on him with a snarl and slapped the boy across the face.
“Shut your mouth or I’ll kill you p>
The crowd froze.
Alex rose slowly, his eyes locked on the thugs. He stepped forward with deadly
calm, ready to stop them from taking another step toward the children. But Josephine moved faster.
Fury lit her eyes as she sprinted straight at the man who had struck the boy.
Her kick landed with explosive force. The thug was sent flying nearly twenty
meters, rolling across the ground like a broken doll. The entire park went silent. Every eye widened in shock.
Josephine’s eyes blazed crimson, burning with unbridled fury.
Her voice thundered through the park as she roared, “How dare you lay a hand on
the children p>
‘And though she be but little, she is fierce p>