Author's POV-

The midday heat filtered through the cracked window pane of the orphanage office, casting long, geometric shadows across the worn linoleum floor. The air was heavy with the scent of old paper, cheap floor cleaner, and the faint, sweet aroma of the lentils simmering in the kitchen down the hall. It was a sanctuary built on a fragile foundation of love and meager donations, but today, that foundation felt as though it were crumbling beneath their feet.