Prologue
The Convent of Del Rey was an institution known to everyone in the city, not only as a place sought for help but also as a symbol of faith and healing, led by a priest and attended by a group of nuns.
On that rainy night of October 31st, the mass was particularly bustling and fruitful. Mr. Ivan, a well-recognized figure in that place, was someone who made a difference in the community. It was precisely on that date that something remarkable happened, something that began with the discovery of a basket - one of those used for picnics by the lake or in squares. However, the basket itself was not the main point.
During the night, a thunderclap and knocks on the church door disrupted the atmosphere. Ivan imagined it might be a result of the landslide from the hills, threatening new homes that were emerging and housing families at risk. However, upon opening the door, he was met with intense rain and a basket on the threshold. The curiosity about who might have knocked was interrupted by the sight of a car turning the corner and disappearing, followed by the faint, muffled crying of a baby, which startled him backwards.
One of the nuns, pausing from her task of turning off the lamps, noticed the moment the man stooped to open the basket lid.
That night, they were introduced to a newborn. From the evidence, they believed the child to be less than a day old, due to the still-intact umbilical cord and the already dried blood.
Stunned, Ivan remained motionless until he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"They left her here?" he asked, looking up at the nun. "Good heavens, get her out of the rain."
Without hesitation, both removed the basket from the entrance and swiftly entered, traversing the corridors to the innermost part of the convent. There, they placed the basket on an armchair and alerted the nuns and passersby they encountered along the way.
The baby whimpered. There was a note, which one of the mothers quickly grabbed, put on her glasses, and sighed before beginning to read. She paused, pondering whether to read aloud, but ended up sharing the contents with everyone present.
"I cannot care for her. I ask that you raise her, I know you are the purest-hearted people that exist. Even if it's not you, you will know what to do," the woman shook her head, as no one seemed to believe that someone would abandon a baby at the doorstep. "She was just born, the result of a relationship that didn't work out. I ask for forgiveness and I'm sorry, but I cannot stay with you. I only ask one thing: that you call her Madeleine."
One of the women approached with a warm blanket and a few things.
"Come on, we have to help this little girl."
And so, it was in this way that Madeleine arrived at the Convent of Del Rey County, left in a basket at the church door, with no further information except the note left alongside her.
"There's one more thing here," said the priest, lifting a thin chain with a brooch at the end.
A basket, a baby, a note, and a necklace.
That was all she had when she arrived at the convent. There was no clear destination, but the person who left her there seemed to believe it was the best place for the newborn, even if it might not have been the best choice.
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