One day, a young millionaire came across a ragged boy on the street. His clothes were torn and filthy, but he looked exactly like him. He brought the boy home and excitedly introduced him to his mother.
“Look, Mama, we look like twins!”

When his mother turned around, her eyes widened, her knees weakened, and she collapsed to the floor crying.

“I knew it. I’ve known for a long time.”
The revelation she shared was beyond belief.
“You… you look just like me,” Ashton stammered in disbelief.

He stared at the boy in front of him. They looked exactly alike. They gazed into each other’s eyes—both had deep blue eyes, well-defined facial features, and golden hair. It was like Ashton was staring at a mirror. But no, the boy in front of him was real. And that boy was staring right back at him—like he had seen a ghost.

They looked the same, but one major difference stood out:
One grew up in wealth.
The other in hunger and the streets.

Ashton looked more closely at the boy. His clothes were filthy and full of holes, his hair messy, his skin darkened by the sun. He smelled of the streets and sweat. Meanwhile, Ashton smelled of expensive cologne.

They stared at each other for several minutes. Time seemed to stop. Slowly, Ashton stepped closer. The boy flinched a little. But Ashton spoke gently,
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

The boy remained silent, but fear was clearly visible in his eyes.
“What’s your name?” Ashton asked.

The boy didn’t answer right away. After a few seconds, he softly replied,
“My name is Luke.”

Ashton smiled and extended his hand.
“I’m Ashton. I’m happy to meet you, Luke.”

Luke simply looked at Ashton’s hand. He hesitated. No one had ever greeted him like this before. Other kids usually avoided him. They called him dirty and smelly. But Ashton didn’t seem to care about how Luke looked or smelled.

After a few moments, Luke finally reached out his hand. As their hands touched, Ashton felt something—like a connection.
Like they were somehow related.

“Where do you live?” Ashton asked.

Luke was just about to answer when a woman’s voice interrupted them.
“Ashton, where are you?”

It was Penelope, Ashton’s mother.
Ashton smiled.
“Come on, Luke. I’ll introduce you to Mama. She’s going to be shocked—we look just the same!”

But when Luke heard footsteps approaching, he panicked.
He suddenly turned and ran away.

“Wait! Don’t go!” Ashton shouted.
But Luke had already disappeared into the alleys.

Penelope arrived, out of breath.
“Ashton, I’ve been looking all over for you!”
“I just stepped out for a while. I needed some fresh air,” Ashton replied.

“You know I don’t want you going out alone,” Penelope said while adjusting his jacket.
“I didn’t go far. I was just right in front,” Ashton explained.

Penelope sighed deeply.
“Come on, let’s go inside. It’s time to blow out the cake. Your dad is waiting.”

Ashton frowned.
“Do I really have to?”
“Of course. It’s your dad’s birthday,” his mother said.

He forced a smile.

To be honest, even though Ashton was still young, he never felt comfortable around his father. It was like there was a wall between them. But because he didn’t want to hurt his mom’s feelings, he went along. Before they entered, Ashton turned to look back at the street—hoping he might still catch a glimpse of Luke as they walked.

Penelope asked, “Were you talking to someone earlier? I thought I heard a voice.” Ashton was about to open his mouth to respond, but someone arrived.

“There you are. We’ve been waiting for you,” said Alfonso, Ashton’s father, with a tone of annoyance in his voice. Ashton kept quiet. He didn’t say anything more.

The party continued—with forced smiles, half-hearted applause, and plenty of photos. Ashton was there, but his mind was still with the boy, Luke.

Back at the mansion, Ashton quietly walked through the grand hallway to his room. It looked like a prince’s room—filled with toys, tablets, and video games. He lay down on his soft bed, hugged his pillow, and stared at the ceiling.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Luke. Why does that boy look exactly like me? he wondered. Where does he live? Why were his clothes so dirty?

Meanwhile, far from Ashton’s place, Luke was lying on a piece of cardboard on the cold sidewalk. He stared up at the sky, but his thoughts were on Ashton. How is it possible that a boy looks exactly like me? He’s rich. I’m poor. Both of them were puzzled.

Will we ever see each other again?

Night had fallen deeply. The entire city was quiet. Inside Ashton’s house, Penelope tossed and turned in bed, restless in her sleep, as if she were having a nightmare. Her husband Alfonso lay beside her. He was disturbed by her movements and eventually woke her up.

“Penelope, wake up,” he said with irritation.

Penelope woke up, gasping for air and clutching her chest. “No! Don’t take him! Don’t take him!” she shouted, still caught in the nightmare. Alfonso held her hand.

“Calm down, love. Ashton is safe. He’s sleeping in his room.”

Penelope looked around. She saw the light beside the bed. She felt her husband’s hand and heard the ticking of the wall clock.

In a faint whisper, she said, “It was just a dream.”

Alfonso stayed silent. He was already used to his wife’s nightmares. He watched as she wiped her face, as if trying to remove the fear.

“Was it the same dream again?” Alfonso asked.

Penelope nodded, almost in tears as she spoke. “I was in the hospital. I was about to give birth. My belly was so big, it felt like it would explode. Then the first baby came out—Ashton. I held him. He was still warm in my arms. But I knew there was another one.”

She closed her eyes and tried to hold back her tears.

“When the second baby came out, they took him away immediately. I didn’t even get to hold him or see him properly—they just took him away.”

Alfonso sighed deeply, trying to remain calm.

“Penelope, you need to see a doctor. This isn’t normal. You keep dreaming about it over and over. Remember, we only have one child. There’s no one else but Ashton. You didn’t give birth to twins.”

Penelope didn’t answer right away. She just stared into the distance, silent, as if her mind had returned to the past.

Penelope remembered her pregnancy as if it were just yesterday. She was only six months along, but her belly was already so big. She would often visit the doctor. She even told Alfonso that it felt like there were two hearts beating inside her womb.

“I was so sure of it,” she said as tears welled up in her eyes.

“I really felt like there were two babies—not just a gut feeling. It was like I already knew them even before they were born.”

She remembered how the doctor had told her there was only one baby. She was saddened, but she didn’t want to believe it. Until the day she gave birth, she kept hoping she would hear two cries. She longed to hold two babies.

But only Ashton came out.

Her thoughts returned to the present when she felt Alfonso’s gentle touch.

“Love, let’s forget about all that. Go get checked tomorrow. I’ll come with you if you want,” Alfonso said, wanting to end the conversation.

Penelope nodded. Alfonso turned off the light beside the bed and lay back down. He fell asleep right away.

But Penelope was still wide awake, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought.

Why do I keep having the same dream? Why does it feel like something’s missing?

Her eyes grew tired. In her mind, she made a promise: when morning comes, she would try to forget the past. She would focus only on Ashton—her son whom she loved dearly.

He was all she had.

The next day, the sun rose and gentle light streamed into the room. Even though she was exhausted, Penelope got up. She dressed neatly and kissed her still-sleeping husband on the forehead. She went downstairs to have breakfast.

While they were all at the table, she said, “I’ll take Ashton to school later, then I’ll drop by the office. Are you coming with me?”

As Ashton was eating, Alfonso was already dressed and ready. He smiled, though it looked a bit forced.

“I’ll just follow, love. I’ll stop by my brother’s house first.”

Upon hearing that, Ashton’s expression immediately changed. His brows furrowed. Penelope didn’t notice because she was busy, but Alfonso saw it—and pretended not to.

As soon as Penelope and Aston left, Alfonso’s expression immediately changed. His face hardened, he picked up his phone and made a call. When the person on the other end answered, he spoke in a whisper.

“Penelope keeps having dreams about the twins. I’m afraid she might find out what really happened when she gave birth to Aston.”

He looked around, as if afraid of something, even though he was alone.

“I’m heading over now, Rian. We need to talk. I need your help to erase those dreams from her mind before it’s too late.”

He didn’t wait for a response. He ended the call, grabbed his car keys, and left the house. His steps were fast. His heartbeat was rapid, and his thoughts were in turmoil. The secret he had been hiding for so long was slowly starting to come out—and if it were discovered, everything he worked so hard to protect might be destroyed.

Meanwhile, at Ashton’s school, while the teacher was lecturing and the class was busy, Ashton sat quietly in his seat. He was staring at the board, but his mind was elsewhere.

The teacher noticed that Ashton seemed distant. She approached and softly asked, “Ashton, are you okay? You don’t seem like yourself today.”

Ashton quickly looked up and gave a slight smile. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I just didn’t get much sleep last night.”

The teacher knew he was one of the top students, so she didn’t press further and continued teaching.

Ashton tried to pay attention, but he couldn’t stop thinking about what he had seen yesterday—the boy who looked exactly like him.

“Why is there a boy who looks just like me but seems homeless?” he wondered.

When the bell rang for break time, Ashton stood up right away. He almost bumped into his classmates as he hurried outside.

Hazel, his best friend, followed him.

“Ashton, wait!” Hazel called out as she ran after him.

Ashton stopped and turned to face her.

“What’s going on? Why are you so quiet? Is something wrong? Is it about your dad?” Hazel asked.

Ashton glanced around, then pulled Hazel into a corner of the schoolyard.

“No, it’s not about my dad. Something happened yesterday. Something strange,” he said, looking down.

“What is it? Tell me,” Hazel urged, eager to know.

Ashton took a deep breath before telling her what happened.

“I saw a boy who looked just like me. We were almost identical. The eyes, the hair, even the voice. But he was dirty. His clothes were torn. He looked like he lived on the streets.”

Hazel was shocked.

“Are you sure? Maybe he just looked similar.”

“No. He really looked like me. But his life… it seemed completely different. It’s like we have the same face but live in different worlds.”

Hazel fell silent. She thought for a moment.

“So maybe you have a twin living on the streets.”

“I don’t know. Mom said I’m their only child. But Hazel… it feels like we’re connected. I can’t shake it off.”

Ashton replied. Hazel stood up straight, her expression serious.
“You have to find him, Ashton. Find out who he really is.”
“But how? I only know his name. I don’t even know where he lives.”
Hazel smiled slyly.
“Go back to where you saw him. Maybe he’s there again. If he doesn’t have a home, he might return to that spot.”

Ashton thought about it.
“That’s a good idea… but Mom won’t let me go. Especially if I say I’m looking for someone they don’t even know.”
“Leave that to me,” Hazel said, grinning.
“Tell your mom you’re going to my house. We’ll make up an excuse and ask Kuya Theodor to drive us. He’s nice. He follows all my orders.”

She giggled mischievously. Ashton smiled and held out his hand.
“Alright, deal.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Luke’s situation was completely different. He was starving, looking for food in the trash. He opened one garbage bin—nothing. He tried another—still nothing. Just leftovers and spoiled food.

Luke sat on the side of the street, hugging his knees to keep warm. He remembered what happened yesterday. He thought about the party—there was probably so much good food thrown away. He also remembered Ashton—the boy who looked exactly like him.
“Too bad… I should’ve taken some food yesterday,” he whispered.

He also remembered the voice of a woman—probably Ashton’s mom—the reason he got scared and ran away. Since he was young, Luke had learned to be afraid of adults. He knew that for street kids like him, life in an orphanage was often worse than on the streets. In orphanages, there was no freedom, and sometimes they even got hurt—just like what happened to him before.

He silently thought about the strange thing that happened yesterday.
“What if I go back there? Maybe there’s still food in the trash. Maybe I’ll see that boy who looks like me again,” he told himself, hopeful.

He stood up, clenched his fists, and decided to return to the place where he met Ashton. He felt like their meeting wasn’t a coincidence—like something was meant to happen.

Back at Ashton’s school, he was restless. He kept looking at the clock, feeling like time was crawling. He was counting the minutes until 12 noon, waiting for dismissal so he and Hazel could carry out their plan.

When the bell finally rang, Ashton smiled at Hazel and they rushed outside.
Ashton even ran up to the teacher and said,
“I promise, ma’am, I’ll be more attentive tomorrow.”
The teacher just smiled and nodded.

At the gate, Hazel saw the black car driven by Theodor, their family’s driver.
“Just a sec, Theodor. Ashton’s going to my house today. He just has to tell his mom,” Hazel said cheerfully.
Theodor, used to this, simply nodded.

But to their surprise, Alfonso—Ashton’s father—arrived, along with Michelle, his aunt.
As soon as Ashton saw them, his face changed. A chill ran through him. He hated seeing Alfonso, and especially Michelle.

Michelle walked up and hugged Ashton.
“Hi, nephew. I missed you! I’m picking you up today. Aren’t you happy?”
But Ashton didn’t hug her back. He stayed silent.

Alfonso’s face was stern.
“Get in the car, Ashton. I’m in a hurry.”
Ashton took a deep breath.
“I’m not going with you.” he said firmly.

Alfonso raised his voice.
“What do you mean you’re not coming? Your mom has a meeting. She asked me to pick you up. Get in.”

Hazel saw the situation getting tense and quickly jumped in.
“That’s not it, sir. Ashton’s coming to our house for lunch. We have a school project.”
“That’s right, Dad,” Ashton added.

Alfonso looked at Hazel, clearly not convinced.
“I don’t like you always hanging around that girl,” he said.
“You should be friends with boys. Play soccer. Not always going to some girl’s house.”

Ashton lowered his head, embarrassed.
Michelle stepped in.
“Let him be, Alfonso. There’s nothing wrong. They do have a school project. You know Penelope wants Ashton to do well in school.”

Alfonso sighed.
“Fine. What time should I pick him up?”
Hazel quickly replied.
“Don’t worry, sir. Theodor will take him home.”

Alfonso nodded, though his face remained displeased. He bent down to hug Ashton, but Ashton gave him a quick, half-hearted hug and ran off to the car where Hazel was waiting, both of them watching Alfonso and Michelle.

Alfonso muttered,
“I really don’t like their friendship, Michelle. When I was his age, all I cared about was soccer.”
He shook his head, clearly annoyed.

Michelle laughed and said,
“Oh, Alfonso, don’t be so worried. You’re panicking over nothing. Honestly, I think those two will end up as a couple one day. Good thing the girl’s family is rich too. That’s way better than having friends from the slums.”
She smiled and winked.
“Let’s focus on Penelope instead. I’ll talk to her so she forgets all this twin nonsense. I’m a good sister-in-law, after all.”

Robert walked up and said,
“You’re the best.”

The two of them got into the car before leaving. Robert said with a smile,
“Now that Ashton’s not with us, we can finally enjoy ourselves.”
Michelle moved closer to him.
“Of course, my love,” she replied.

They kissed — and in that moment, it was clear they were not really siblings. They were lovers.

Meanwhile, Hazel and Ashton were in the car with Theodor, Hazel’s driver. As the car was moving, Hazel leaned forward and said,
“Kuya Theodor, can we stop by the party hall in Peach District first?”
Theodor glanced in the rearview mirror.
“Your parents said to go straight home. You even have a friend with you.”

Hazel smiled.
“Please? I just want to check the available dates for my birthday. I really want to have my party there. That place is super popular.”

Ashton admired Hazel’s cleverness.
Theodor sighed.
“Alright, but don’t do anything foolish. If I lose my job, it’ll be your fault.”
“Thank you, Kuya Theodor! You’re the best,” Hazel replied.

Ashton smiled too, and his mood lightened.

At the office, Penelope was busy with paperwork and tasks. Suddenly, someone knocked.
“Come in,” she said without looking.
Robert entered, smiling. Penelope stood up and smiled a little.
“Love, did you pick up Ashton? Is he home?”
Robert replied,
“He went to Hazel’s house first. They said they have a school project.”

“Hmm… he didn’t mention it, but that’s fine. Hazel is a good girl,” Penelope said.

Then Robert said,
“I have a surprise for you.”
“Really? What is it?” Penelope asked.

Suddenly, Michelle came in.
“Surprise! Your favorite sister-in-law is here!”
Penelope hugged Michelle, unaware that Michelle was secretly Robert’s lover.
“I’m so happy you came to visit,” she said.

“I heard you’ve been having strange dreams, so I’m here. You’re just overworked. You need to relax. I have a plan—we’re going out. And I also booked a therapy session for you,” Michelle said.

Penelope looked at her desk, full of work.
“I still have so much to do,” she replied.
Robert said,
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve got it covered. Just relax, love.”

Penelope sighed and finally agreed. She and Michelle left to rest.

During the ride, Michelle started gently convincing Penelope to forget about her dreams involving twins.

While this was happening, Ashton and Hazel were on their way to the place where they had last seen Luke—the boy who looked exactly like Ashton.

Kuya Theodor stopped in front of the large hall in Peach District. Ashton and Hazel quickly got out of the car and looked around.

The street was quiet. Luke was nowhere to be seen. Ashton put his hands on his hips and whispered,
“I knew he wouldn’t come back.”

Hazel smiled, trying to keep his spirits up.
“Calm down, Ashton. Let’s wait a little longer. I’ll go inside and pretend to book a party.”

Hazel went into the building while Ashton stayed outside, scanning the area.

Inside, Hazel asked about party dates—pretending, of course. She was really just stalling for time. Ashton looked left and right. Still no sign of Luke.

A few minutes later, Hazel came back outside and saw the sadness on Ashton’s face.
“Let’s keep trying. We’ll find him eventually,” she said.

They walked back to the car. Theodor was getting impatient.
“You two took forever,” he said.
Hazel smiled.
“The hall is so beautiful! It’s like a princess party venue. That’s where I want to celebrate.”

Kuya Theodor laughed and started the car. Ashton looked out the window, feeling down—
But then he saw something.
“It’s him!” Ashton shouted, pointing to the end of the road where a boy was digging through the trash.

“Kuya Theodor, stop the car!” Hazel shouted.

Theodor hit the brakes.
“What? What happened?”
“I just forgot to ask something at the party hall!” Hazel lied.

She quickly opened the door and pulled Ashton with her. They ran off together.

Theodor saw they weren’t going back to the building—but were heading toward a dirty boy scavenging for food in the trash.

Aston approached Luke and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Luke,” he called.

Luke turned around. He burst out laughing when he recognized Aston. Then he quickly covered his mouth.
“Wow… you two really look exactly alike,” he whispered.

“Don’t be afraid, Luke,” Aston said. “Hazel is my friend. She’s kind.”
Aston took a deep breath. “Why did you leave yesterday?”

Luke answered, “I’m scared of adults. They always try to bring me to the orphanage.”
“Where do you live?” Aston asked.
“Just on the streets,” Luke replied.

Aston looked saddened.
“Don’t you have any parents?” Hazel asked.
“No. They said I was found in the trash when I was a baby. Some beggars took care of me, but they’re all dead now. I’m alone.”

The three of them sat on the side of the road. Luke began telling his story—how he sleeps on cardboard, how he shivers when it rains, and how he always hides to avoid being taken to a shelter.

Aston and Hazel listened in silence, unable to believe that a child just like them could be living such a harsh life. Tears welled up in Aston’s eyes. He reached out and held Luke’s hand.
“You won’t be alone anymore. We’ll help you.”

Hazel stood up. “Yes, that’s right. You’re coming with us. We’ll find a way to help you.”

Luke gave a small smile, but his face still looked sad. He knew Aston and Hazel were kind, but he also knew they were just kids.
“You can’t really do anything,” Luke said. “This is my life. I’m used to it.”

The three of them sat in silence. The only sound was the distant noise of passing cars. Hazel moved closer to Luke and fixed his clothes. As she did, something on Luke’s skin caught her eye and her eyes widened.

“What are you doing?” Luke asked.

Hazel pointed at a mole on Luke’s body.
“Look at that. You have a mole… in the exact same place as Aston.”

Aston stepped closer and checked too. “Yeah, I have one right there as well. Same spot.”

Hazel was stunned.
“This isn’t just about looking alike. You’re twins. There’s no other explanation.”

Luke was shocked. “Twins? What do you mean?”

Aston explained, “Hazel and I have been wondering if we might be twins because we look so much alike. And now we find out we have matching moles, too.”

Hazel added, “But what’s strange is that your mom said she only had one child. But your moles… that kind of match isn’t normal.”

Luke held his head, his mind spinning.
“That’s not true… Maybe we just look alike. Lots of people have moles,” he whispered.

But deep down, part of him wanted to believe that maybe—just maybe—he had a family. And yet, he was also afraid to hope.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching…

Kuya Theodor, the driver, arrived and was surprised at what he saw. When Luke saw an adult approaching, he immediately backed away.

“Don’t be afraid,” Aston said, holding Luke by the arm.

“Let go of me! He’s going to take me to the orphanage!” Luke shouted.

Hazel responded, “Kuya Theodor is kind. He won’t hurt you. Not all adults are bad.”

“Trust us,” Ashton added.

Theodor came closer and asked, “What’s going on here? Who is this boy? And why does he look exactly like Ashton?”

Aston and Hazel told him everything—how they found Luke, the striking resemblance, and the identical birthmark.

Theodor looked at the two boys and said, “You’re twins. I’m sure of it.”

“But how?” Hazel asked. “I know Mrs. Penelope. She said she only had one child.”

Suddenly, Luke’s stomach growled. Embarrassed, he looked down. Theodor smiled.

“No more questions for now. Let’s eat first.”

He took the kids to a nearby diner and bought them sandwiches and soft drinks.

While Luke was eating, it was clear from his face how hungry he was—like it had been a long time since he’d had a decent meal. Ashton and Hazel watched him silently. They were saddened but also hopeful.

After eating, Hazel asked, “What do we do now?”

“We should go see my mom,” said Aston. “She’s the only one who can tell us the truth—whether Luke and I are really twins.”

Luke fell silent. “What if she sends me to the orphanage? Life there is hard…” he said, almost in tears.

Theodor nodded. “Have faith, Luke. Mrs. Penelope is kind. She won’t abandon you.”

Luke looked at the three of them. He saw the sincerity in their eyes. Even though he was nervous, he nodded.

“Okay, I’ll come with you.”

Theodor smiled. “Let’s go.”

The four of them got into the car. Luke still felt a bit uneasy, but he also felt safe. Ashton sat beside him and smiled, while Hazel chatted excitedly, talking about how they’d soon be playing together at school.

Theodor drove them to Mrs. Penelope’s house.

Everyone was quiet, each lost in their thoughts. What would happen when they arrived? Were Ashton and Luke really twins, or was it just a coincidence?

As the wind blew against the windows, it felt like even it wanted to know what would happen next—a story that was about to change all of their lives.

Meanwhile, Penelope had just returned home after walking around the city with Michelle. She sighed and smiled as she strolled through the garden of their mansion.

“You were right, Michelle. I really needed this afternoon to clear my mind,” Penelope said.

Michelle smiled with a fake grin. “Now all you need to think about is yourself… and Ashton. He’s your only child. He’s the only one you gave birth to.”

Penelope nodded. “Right. He’s probably on his way home now.”

Before she could finish speaking, Michelle looked toward the window and saw Theodor’s car pulling into the garage.

“There he is! Ashton’s back!” Michelle said happily.

Outside, the car stopped. Hazel spoke to Ashton, “Go ahead. Tell your mom you have a new friend to introduce. Bring her outside.”

Ashton nodded, nervous but excited. Inside the car, Luke trembled. Hazel held his hand.

“It’s okay. There’s nothing to be afraid of,” she said.

Ashton ran into the house, ignoring Michelle and going straight to Penelope to hug her.

“Hi, sweetheart!” Penelope greeted as she embraced Ashton.

She pulled back slightly and asked, “Is he… did he come with you?”

Ashton shook his head. “He’s outside with my new friend. I’m sure you’ll like him, Mom.”

Penelope frowned. “Your new friend?”

Ashton grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door. “Come on, Mom. You have to see him.”

Michelle followed, feeling nervous. Just then, Robert also arrived and parked in the garden. He got out of the car with a serious face. As he walked, he saw Hazel open the car door—and Luke stepped out.

As soon as Robert saw Luke, his eyes widened in shock. He froze and turned pale, unable to move.

Ashton pointed to Luke. “Mom, look! We look exactly alike!”

Michelle covered her mouth in disbelief, unable to speak.

Penelope also froze. Her heart was racing. She stared at Luke, unable to believe what she was seeing.

Slowly, she approached him. She looked at the boy’s dirty face and his striking blue eyes—exactly the same as Ashton’s.

When she got close enough, she knelt in front of Luke and gently reached for his cheek.

When she touched him, tears welled up in her eyes. Luke also began to cry. Without saying a word, Penelope embraced Luke tightly.

“I know it now,” she whispered, her voice full of emotion.

Suddenly, memories of the past flooded her mind. It was years ago—she was pregnant and newly married to Alfonso. She remembered clearly how it felt like there were two babies in her womb.

She used to stroke her belly and say, “Love, there are two of them. I’m sure of it.”
Alfonso would just smile and reply, “We’ll find out tomorrow.”

Penelope smiled back then, full of hope. “Tomorrow is the ultrasound. I’m so excited to see our babies.”
They talked for hours. Penelope was so happy that she asked her husband, “When will you bring me to your company? We’re already married but you still haven’t shown me your workplace. If it weren’t for all those expensive restaurants you’ve taken me to, I might think you were lying.”
She laughed as she said it.

Robert (then known as Alfonso) simply smiled and replied, “I’m just busy, my love. But I’ll show it to you soon.”
And Penelope believed him. She had no idea about the secret he was hiding.

She kissed him on the cheek before leaving for work.

As soon as Penelope left, Robert grabbed the car keys and drove to a small apartment where Michelle was waiting. When he entered, he paced around, holding his head.

“I’m getting nervous. What if she finds out the truth?” he said.

Michelle, lounging on the sofa, laughed. “She will, eventually, Alfonso. And even if you have two kids, nothing can save you now. You’ve gone too far. You spent all our money just to impress her. I just want to see what happens when Penelope learns everything.”

Robert turned to her with a serious face. “That’s not going to happen. I’ll figure something out. There’s always a way.”

Robert was used to deception. All his money came from scams and fraud. Marrying Penelope was his biggest scam yet. He pretended to be a wealthy businessman, using money from his past cons to fake wealth.

Now that things were getting complicated, he needed a new plan. And suddenly, a dark idea came to him.

He sold one of the babies.
“If there are two of them,” he whispered to himself, “why not sell one?”

If the child looked like the mother—blonde, blue-eyed—many wealthy families would want to adopt a child like that.

Michelle was shocked and sat up abruptly. “What?! Are you insane? You’re going to sell your own child?”

Alfonso answered coldly, “If it’s for our future, I’ll do it. I don’t love the kids anyway. You’re the only one I love.”

Years passed.

Now Robert stood at the gate of their home, watching Penelope tightly embracing Luke. He felt a lump in his throat. He knew his secret was about to be exposed.

Penelope still hadn’t let go of Luke. It felt like she had finally found something that had long been missing in her heart. As time passed, the bond between them grew stronger.

“My son… my son,” she whispered while caressing Luke’s face. She didn’t want to lose him again.

Luke, tears in his eyes, looked at Penelope and asked,
“Is it true? Am I really your son?”

Before Penelope could answer, Robert suddenly stepped forward, clearly nervous.

“What are you doing, Penelope?” he asked, trying to keep his voice calm, but fear was written all over his face.

Penelope remained kneeling beside Luke, still looking at him.

“Alfonso, look at him. He’s our child. He’s the baby I always felt in my womb back then. He looks exactly like Aston.”

Aston stepped forward and stood beside Luke. The resemblance between them was undeniable. They looked like twins.

Alfonso’s face turned pale, but he tried to act calm.

“You’re wrong, my love. They don’t look alike. They’re completely different.”

Michelle chimed in, stammering slightly. “Alfonso is right, Penelope. You’re mistaken. Look closely. They’re not the same.”

Robert added, “You only have one child. I still remember—the ultrasound only showed one baby.”

Michelle stepped forward and said, “Think about everything we talked about earlier. You even said yourself that you sometimes believe in nonsense. That child is not yours. He’s just a street kid who happens to look a bit like Aston.”

When their explanations no longer worked, Alfonso suddenly moved closer and tried to pull Luke out of Penelope’s arms.

“Let him go. He’s not our child. He’s just a filthy street kid.”

But Penelope only held Luke tighter.

“No. He is my child. I’ve felt for a long time that someone was missing. Now I know.”

Aston interrupted, “Mama, look at his birthmark. We have the same one!”

Still holding Luke, Penelope looked at the mark on his stomach and began to cry—tears of joy and overwhelming emotion.

“How could this have happened?” she asked herself.

Robert became angry again. “That kid is a stray. He’s not ours!”

That’s when Aston stood up for his mother.

“You’re the dirty one! You kissed Michelle behind Mama’s back!”

Penelope froze. She looked at Robert, then at Michelle.

“What are you saying, Aston? Is that true?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Alfonso shouted, “Be quiet! You’re just a child!”

But Aston stood firm. “I saw you, Mama. They kissed. Then Papa threatened me not to tell anyone. That’s why I’ve been avoiding him.”

Penelope began to cry. Her whole world was falling apart.

Michelle tried to explain. “That’s not true! I’m Alfonso’s sister!”

But Hazel suddenly interrupted. “That’s a lie! We did our research. You don’t even have the same last name. We even have a picture of your ID.”

Penelope was shocked.

“I haven’t even seen your ID,” she murmured.

Ashton turned to Michelle and said, “Go on, show your ID. Call Mama like you’re really Papa’s sister.”

Michelle was silent. She had nothing to say.

Robert began to worry, but then Michelle suddenly shouted, “Fine! I’ll tell you everything—but give me money first. Penelope, name your price and I’ll tell you who that boy really is.”

Robert yelled, “Shut up, you idiot!”

Michelle shouted back, “You’re the idiot! This is all your fault. If you hadn’t sold your own child, none of this would’ve happened!”

Silence fell over everyone. It was like time had stopped.

Penelope couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

“You sold your own child?” she whispered.

She looked at Robert, then at Michelle. Slowly, she stood up, still holding Luke in her arms. She walked toward Alfonso, her steps heavy with anger and heartbreak.

“What did you do? Is it true? You sold our child?” she asked, on the verge of tears.

There was no escape for Robert now. He couldn’t lie anymore.

Penelope removed the necklace she was wearing and handed it to Michelle.

“Go ahead. Tell the truth. If you’re honest, I’ll give you even more.”

Alfonso saw what was about to happen and tried to charge at Michelle, but Theodor stopped him just in time.

Penelope looked Michelle in the eye and said firmly, “Tell the truth.”

Michelle trembled. She was scared but greedy for money. She looked at Alfonso, now restrained by Theodor, then took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, love,” she said sweetly, almost innocently. “You know I’ve always loved diamonds.”

Then she told the truth.

She said Robert had deceived her from the start, pretending to be a rich businessman. She told how they conspired with a corrupt doctor to lie to Penelope, saying she only had one baby in her womb. They brought her to a hospital involved in baby trafficking.

“They drugged you,” Michelle said. “So when you woke up, you thought you had only given birth to one child.”

Tears rolled down Penelope’s cheeks. It hurt so much to realize her instincts and dreams had all been true.

“How did he end up on the streets?” she asked, shaking.

Michelle lowered her head and spoke softly.

“After selling Luke, the police raided the group. The buyers got scared. They threw him away in a dumpster to avoid getting caught. We thought he died—but he survived.”

Penelope’s world crumbled. Her child had been discarded like garbage.

Michelle continued, “The money from the sale—Robert used it to build a fake business and fool you.”

Penelope was filled with rage. She stood up and charged at Alfonso. She slapped and punched him.

“You have no heart! You’ll go to jail for this!” she cried.

Theodor immediately stepped in to stop her.

“Enough, Michelle,” he said.

But Michelle seemed unfazed. She said, “Now that I’ve told you everything, I want more. Give me another necklace. You’ve got a nice one, don’t you?”

But Penelope took out her cellphone and played a recording.

“I recorded everything. You’re both going to jail. You won’t get a single cent from me. Not even that necklace.”

Michelle went into a rage. “You tricked me! You owe me!”

Penelope answered coldly, “All you deserve is to rot in prison.”

Michelle suddenly ran for the door, but she didn’t get far. They all heard the sound of police sirens.

The police had arrived.

Hazel proudly raised her phone. “I called them.”

The officers entered the house and immediately arrested Robert and Michelle. They handcuffed them and placed them in the police car, ignoring all their shouting.

A few days later in court, Robert and Michelle were sentenced to long prison terms.

Penelope had a DNA test done to confirm that Luke was truly her son—and just as a mother’s heart had known all along, he was.

At last, Luke had found the family he had been searching for: a real mother who loved him, a brother named Aston, clean clothes, delicious food, and a good friend in Seel.

Over time, their hearts healed.

Penelope slowly fell in love again—with Theodor, the man who had stood by her through it all. He proved that true love isn’t based on money or appearances, but on kindness and honesty.

They became a happy family, facing every challenge together.

And most of all, Penelope proved to the world: a mother’s heart is never wrong. She always knew she had another child out there—and now, she had him back.

The end.