But it wasn’t the sign that stopped Ethan. It was her face.
Clara.
His ex-girlfriend from college, the woman he’d once imagined marrying. And the three children beside her… they resembled him in a disturbing way. The same delicate nose, the hazel eyes, the dimples. His heart began to pound.
For a moment, Ethan thought his mind was playing tricks on him. He hadn’t seen Clara in over seven years. Back then, he’d left her after receiving an offer to move to San Francisco to launch his startup. He’d promised they’d stay in touch, but he never did. The company exploded into colossal success, and his life became a whirlwind of meetings, investors, and luxury.
And now, she was there, in the street, begging for alms.
He approached, unsure if she would recognize him. Clara looked up; her eyes widened in surprise, then she immediately lowered them, embarrassed. Ethan’s chest tightened.
“Clara?” he murmured.
She hesitated.
“Ethan… it’s been a long time.”
She wanted to ask him a thousand questions. What happened to you? Whose children are these? Why didn’t you ever look for me? But the youngest one started coughing, and Clara hugged him, whispering a few words softly to him.
Ethan didn’t think. He acted. He took off his coat and wrapped it around the shivering child. Then, without saying anything else, he declared:
