Chapter 20 It’s All About the Money

That evening, the restaurant was bustling with noise and chatter. After having a few too many drinks, Professor Thompson began to explain how he had discovered such a talented student like Maria. Meanwhile, the popular show *Searching for Her* was playing on the restaurant’s television screens. Everyone in the restaurant started watching the screen in unison. "My goodness, this person’s mother was trafficked? Of course she had to escape! Who wouldn’t run if they were trafficked? Only someone crazy wouldn’t!" "Exactly! But why would they still want to find their mother after learning she was trafficked?" Soon, a hot topic exploded on social media: **"Should a child born to a trafficked woman search for their mother?"** Maria remained silent, quietly eating her meal. Next, the topic of Maria being drugged and her photos being spread online also began trending. Maria’s senior classmates turned to her. "That’s your school, right? Is it true?" Maria nodded. "Yes." "Was it the