CHAPTER 75: THE FIELD OF ASHES
VENUS:
I could barely keep my hands from trembling as Maxine helped me out of the black SUV. We were finally in New York—standing in front of the building that had once been my home, the one place that might hold the key to everything I never knew about myself.
“”Welcome to St. Hilary's Home for Infants and Children,” Maxine read aloud from the faded brass plate nailed above the doorway.
The building looked smaller than I imagined, with peeling white paint and a wooden porch that creaked under our feet. It felt more like an echo of the past than a beacon of answers. I took a deep breath, trying to steady the weight in my chest.
Maxine pushed the door open and stepped in first. “Hello?” he called, his deep voice commanding and smooth.
An older woman appe
