—Come with me.
Clara’s lips began to tremble.
“Ethan, I can’t…”
“Yes, you can,” he replied. “You’re not staying here another minute.”
And just like that, the life she had built began to crumble, on that icy Chicago sidewalk.
Ethan took Clara and the children to a nearby café. The warmth and aroma of coffee filled the air as they sat down at a table. The children—Emma, Liam, and Noah—devoured the pancakes as if they hadn’t eaten properly in days.
Clara looked exhausted. Her hands trembled as she brought a glass of water to her lips. Ethan couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“What happened to you?” he finally asked, in a low voice.
Clara let out a long sigh.
“After you left, I found out I was pregnant. I tried to contact you, but your number had changed. I didn’t know where to find you. I was terrified and alone.”
Ethan’s stomach clenched. He looked back at the children: his children.
“I worked two jobs to support them,” Clara continued, “but when the pandemic hit, I lost everything. The landlord kicked us out of the apartment. Since then, I’ve just been trying to survive.”
Tears filled her eyes. Ethan was speechless. While he celebrated millions, buying houses and cars, the woman he had loved was fighting to keep her children alive.
