Some might think that running an orphanage isn't exactly a lucrative business, and that it would be better to find other ways to make money.
This belief stems from the way orphanages are often portrayed in movies—where the main character's life inside is always depicted as somewhat financially strained, making it seem like orphanages aren't really places where you can make profit.
But in reality, in this country, adopting a child can cost a significant amount of money, especially for international adoptions, where the cost can run as high as $30,000.
This expense primarily comes from three main sources.
First, there's the consultation fee, which is paid to the adoption agency to help prospective adoptive families find the child that best suits their preferences.
Second is the home study fee, which covers the cost of hiring professionals to visit the adoptive family's home to ensure they meet the standards for adoption. This is a necessary and standard procedure.
Third is the lawyer's fee. For those pursuing independent adoptions, attorney fees are required, but even beyond that, almost all adoptive parents hire lawyers to help them navigate the adoption process. This ensures they avoid many potential legal issues down the road.
In addition to these three, there may also be medical expenses for the birth mother—this could be considered a sort of reservation fee? It's not uncommon in this country for adoptive parents to be lined up to adopt a child even before the child is born.
There are also various other costs, large and small, that could come into play. In some cases, even travel expenses might be necessary, particularly for the international adoption investigations.
Research has shown that many Americans prefer to adopt children from China, most of them girls, though the unspoken reasons behind this trend are well-known to those familiar with the darker side of adoption. Overall, international adoptions are not uncommon.
In any case, for adoptive families who sincerely want a child, the expenses are understandable. But for those with ulterior motives, hoping to exploit the system and claim government subsidies, while the initial cost may be high, they certainly don't lose out in the end. Otherwise, such things wouldn't happen so frequently in this country.
As for adoption agencies, they can extract significant profits from all of the fees mentioned above.
For the "buyers" and "sellers," it's a win-win situation. But no one cares what the "merchandise" actually thinks.
From this perspective, Margaret Williams definitely wasn't a good director. During her tenure, the illegal profits she raked in might have exceeded a million dollars!
Based on the documents in the records room and his private investigation into Margaret, Batman came to this conclusion.
Using a micro-camera, he documented all the key evidence. Then, he carefully restored the files to their original order, making sure even the sequence of overlapping papers was exact, before closing the safe and resetting the combination to its initial state to avoid arousing suspicion.
The only light in the dim room came from the moon shining through the window. Outside, a maple tree swayed in the breeze, casting dancing shadows on the floor.
Amidst the silence, a soft, hoarse, and childlike sob echoed through the room.
Batman swiftly pushed open the door, his movements quick yet completely silent. As soon as he stepped out, the door quietly closed behind him without a sound.
He turned sideways and slowly made his way down the corridor toward the source of the sobbing. His gaze drifted upwards, where he noticed a sign on the door in English—it was the restroom.
Although he had some idea of what might be happening, he didn't rush in. Doing so could alert someone. If he were mistaken for a common thief, that might be manageable, but dressed in his current outfit, there was no way he could be seen as one.
So, Batman made the decisive choice to peek through the door crack.
While it might seem a bit beneath Batman's usual dignity, this method was effective. He cautiously kept watch to avoid being noticed, all while scanning the area. If the person inside the restroom was in one of the individual stalls, he would adjust his approach accordingly.
After quickly assessing the situation, Batman determined it was safe to enter. He stepped inside and immediately focused on the second door toward the back of the room.
The restroom had an open space above the stalls, which worked to his advantage.
Batman quietly lifted his head over the top, and there, he saw a male caregiver with his back turned, about to assault the same boy he had met earlier that day—Reggae.
"…"
Without hesitation, Batman incapacitated the predator in an instant. Then, he turned his attention to the boy and said, "I can call the police for you."
Given his intimidating appearance, which could easily frighten the boy, Batman opted to show some goodwill to avoid Reggae screaming in terror and drawing unwanted attention.
This tactic worked to some extent. The boy was visibly startled at first, but upon hearing Batman's words, he quickly calmed down. With tightly pressed lips, he responded, "It's useless. Even if this caregiver is dealt with, I'll just end up back here. Reporting it will only make things worse for me."
"Why do you say that?" Batman asked, recalling their earlier conversation.
During the day, he hadn't been able to gather much valuable information due to the presence of others. All he could infer from the boy's words, body language, and emotional state was that Reggae had likely been mistreated. Now, given the chance, he wanted to get the full story.
"What's the point of telling you? Can you destroy this entire orphanage?" Reggae retorted, resisting the idea of discussing his suffering. He pulled his clothes back on and kicked the unconscious caregiver lying nearby, his voice sharp as he stared at the dark figure in the doorway.
Batman remained calm. "If it's necessary, I will do it."
"…"
The boy remained silent.
Seeing that Riggs wasn't resisting further, Batman continued, "Has this caregiver done the same to other kids? Why hasn't anyone stopped him?"