Something about them — their eyes, especially the older boy’s — made her heart twist in a way she hadn’t felt in years. They were big, brown, and familiar.
She studied them carefully. “Where are your parents?”
The older one hesitated. “Our mom… she’s gone. And our dad—” He stopped, his lip trembling. “We don’t have one.
Victoria stood slowly, walking closer. Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor. “What are your names?”
“Michael,” the older one said. “And this is my brother, Jamie.”
She froze. Those names. Her heart pounded.
Her mind raced back ten years — to a decision she thought she had buried forever. A small hospital room. A young housemaid begging her for help, pregnant and terrified. Victoria had written a check, told her to “take care of it,” and never looked back.
Now, standing before her were two faces that carried the same sharp chin and deep eyes as the man she once loved — Ethan Ross, her college sweetheart, who disappeared before he knew she was pregnant.
The realization hit her like lightning.
“Dear God…” she whispered, her voice trembling. “These boys— they’re mine.”The room spun. Victoria clutched her desk for balance as memories came flooding back — the night she found out she was pregnant, her fear of ruining her career, and the choice she’d made out of panic
Her assistant, unaware of the storm inside her, whispered, “Should I call security, ma’am?”
Victoria shook her head. “No. Bring food. Now.”
The boys sat on the leather couch, eyes wide as the assistant hurried out. Victoria knelt down in front of them, trembling. “Where do you live?”
“Under the bridge by Lincoln Street,” Michael said quietly. “It’s not too bad. We have a blanket.”
She bit her lip, fighting tears. “And… who takes care of you?”
“Me,” Michael answered proudly. “I take care of Jamie. I promised Mom I would.”
Victoria’s throat tightened. “Your mom—what was her name?”
“Lydia Ross,” he said.
Victoria gasped. Lydia had been her housekeeper, the same woman she’d once dismissed after discovering her pregnancy — without realizing that Lydia’s child was hers too, born through surrogacy without her consent. Lydia had secretly carried the pregnancy to term after Victoria paid her to disappear
“I didn’t know…” Victoria murmured, covering her mouth.
The assistant returned with food. The boys devoured it gratefully, barely looking up. Victoria watched, tears glistening in her eyes.
When they finished, Michael stood politely. “Thank you, ma’am. We should go now.”
“Wait,” Victoria said softly. “Do you… have any family?”
“No,” he said. “Just each other.”
Her heart broke completely. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “You’re not going anywhere. From this moment on, you’re coming with me.”
Michael looked confused. “Why?”
Victoria’s voice cracked as she smiled through tears. “Because you’re home now.”
Three months later, the world knew the story. “Billionaire Adopts Two Homeless Boys Found Outside Her Office” — the headlines were everywhere. But no one knew the deeper truth, the secret that Victoria carried silently in her heart.
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