“Father, those two children sleeping in the trash can look like me,” Pedro said, pointing to the little ones sleeping on an old mattress on the sidewalk. Eduardo Fernández stopped and followed his 5-year-old son’s finger with his eyes. Two children who seemed to be the same age were sleeping between trash bags with dirty and torn clothes, their feet bare and injured.
The businessman felt a knot in his chest at the sight, but he tried to pull Pedro’s hand and continued walking to the car. He had just picked him up from the private school he attended, and like every Friday afternoon, they were returning home through the city center. It was a route that Eduardo usually avoided, always preferring to go through the wealthier neighborhoods. But heavy traffic and an accident on the main avenue forced them to go through that poorer and more run-down area.
The narrow street was filled with homeless people, street vendors, and children playing in the garbage piled up on the sidewalks. However, the boy broke free with surprising strength and ran toward the children, completely ignoring his father’s protests. Eduardo followed him, worried not only about how he would react to seeing such misery up close, but also about the dangers that the region represented. There were constant reports of theft, drug dealing, and violence.
With their expensive clothes and gold watches on their wrists, they were easy targets. Pedro knelt down next to the dirty mattress and studied the faces of the two children who were fast asleep, exhausted from life on the streets. One had light brown hair, curly and shiny through the dust, like his own, and the other was dark-skinned and slightly darker. But they both had facial features similar to his: the same arched and expressive eyebrows, the same delicate and oval face, even the same dimple on his chin that Pedro had inherited from his late mother.
Eduardo slowly approached, his anxiety growing, but soon he was close to fear. There was something deeply unsettling about that resemblance, something more than a mere coincidence. It was as if he were seeing three versions of the same being at different times in its life. “Pedro, let’s go now. We can’t stay here,” Eduardo said, forcing his son to lift up tightly, though he never took his eyes off the sleeping children, unable to take his gaze off that impossible sight.
“I think I like them too, eh. Look at their eyes,” Pedro insisted as one of the little ones moved slowly and struggled to open his eyes. With a sleepy head, he revealed two green eyes that were identical to Pedro’s, not only in color, but also in almond shape, in the intensity of their gaze, and in that natural light that Eduardo knew. The boy was surprised to see the strangers nearby and quickly woke his brother with a gentle, but urgent tap on his shoulder.
The two jumped up, hugging each other, clearly shivering, not just from the cold, but from natural fear. Eduardo noticed that Pedro and he had the same curly hair, just a different color, and the same body posture, the same way of moving, even the same way of breathing when they were nervous. “Don’t hurt us, please,” said the brown-haired man, instinctively moving in front of his younger brother, in a protective gesture that Eduardo immediately recognized as trembling.
The same way Pedro protected his younger classmates at school when a bully tried to intimidate them. The same defensive movement, the same courageous stance despite his visible fear. The businessman felt his legs shake violently and had to lean against the brick wall to keep from falling. The resemblance between the three children was striking, frightening, impossible to attribute to chance. Every gesture, every expression, every body movement was the same. The dark-haired boy’s eyes widened, and Eduardo almost fainted.
They were Pedro’s piercing green eyes, but there was something more unsettling about them. The expression of curiosity mixed with caution, the particular way he frowned when he was confused or scared, even the way he backed away slightly when he felt fear. Everything was the same as he saw in his son every day. The three of them were the same height, had the same slender build, and together they looked like perfect reflections in a fragmented mirror. Eduardo held himself tighter to the wall, feeling like the world was spinning around him.
“What are your names?” Pedro asked with the naivety of his five years, sitting on the dirty sidewalk, not caring that his expensive school uniform was dirty. “I’m Lucas,” the brown-haired boy replied, relaxing as he realized that this boy his age was no threat, unlike the adults who used to chase them out of public spaces. “And this is Mateo, my younger brother,” he added, affectionately pointing to the dark-haired boy next to him. Eduardo felt the world spin faster, as if the ground had disappeared from under his feet.
Those were the exact names he and Patricia had chosen for their two other children in case the complicated pregnancy resulted in triplets, names written on a piece of paper lovingly kept in the nightstand drawer, discussed during long, sleepless nights, names he hadn’t mentioned to Pedro or anyone after his wife died. It was an utterly impossible, terrifying coincidence that defied all logic and reason. “You live here on the street,” Pedro continued, talking to the children as if it were the most natural thing in the world, brushing Lucas’s dirty hands with a familiarity that only made Eduardo more uneasy.
“We don’t have a real home,” Mateo said in a low, hoarse voice, probably from crying too much or begging for help. The aunt who was taking care of us said she no longer had the money to support us and had brought us here in the middle of the night. She said someone would come to help us. Eduardo approached even more slowly, trying to process what he was seeing and hearing without losing his sanity. The three of them not only seemed to be the same age and had the same physical characteristics, but they also shared the same automatic, unconscious movements.
All three of them would bang their heads behind their right ears in the same way when they were nervous. All three bit their lower lips in the same place as they hesitated before speaking. They both stared the same way as they focused. These were small details, invisible to most people, but devastating to a father who knew his son’s every move. “How many years have you been alone on the street?” Eduardo asked, his voice breaking completely, kneeling next to Pedro on the dirty sidewalk, unconcerned about the expensive coat.
“Three days and three nights,” Lucas replied, counting carefully with his small, dirty fingers, but with a precision that showed intelligence. Aunt Marcia had brought us here in the early hours of the morning when there was no one on the street and said she would return the next day with food and clean clothes. But she hadn’t returned. Eduardo felt the blood freeze in his veins, as if an electric bolt were running through his body. Marcia. That name echoed in his mind like a deafening thunderclap, awakening memories he had tried to bury for years.
Marcia was the name of Patricia’s younger sister, a troubled and unstable woman who had completely disappeared from family life after the traumatic birth and death of her sister. Patricia had spoken out many times, describing how she had suffered severe financial hardship, drug addiction problems, and abusive relationships. He had borrowed money several times during Patricia’s pregnancy, always with different excuses, and then disappeared without a trace or address.
A woman who had been present at the hospital throughout the birth, asking strange questions about medical procedures and what would happen to the babies in case of complications. Pedro looked at his father with green eyes filled with real tears, gently touching Lucas’ arm. Dad, they are so hungry. Look how thin and weak they are. We can’t leave them here alone. Eduardo looked closer at the two children in the fading light and saw that they were indeed severely malnourished.
Their worn and tattered clothes hung like rags from their frail bodies. Their faces were pale and sunken, with deep dark circles under their eyes. Their dull and tired eyes betrayed days without adequate nutrition or restful sleep. Beside them, on the dirty mattress, lay a nearly empty water bottle and a torn plastic bag containing the remains of stale bread. Their small hands were dirty and bruised, with cuts and scrapes, probably from sorting through the garbage for something to eat.
“Have you eaten anything today?” Eduardo asked, kneeling down to the children’s level, trying to keep the emotion from rising in his voice. “Yesterday morning, a man who worked at the bakery on the corner gave us an old sandwich to share,” Mateo said, his eyes downcast, ashamed of the situation. “But so far, we haven’t gotten anything. There are people passing by, looking at us with pity, but pretending not to see us and continuing to walk quickly.” Pedro immediately took an entire package of stuffed cookies from his expensive school backpack and offered them to the children in a spontaneous and generous gesture that simultaneously filled Eduardo with paternal pride and existential terror.
They could eat anything. My father always bought me food, and we had plenty of delicious food at home. Lucas and Mateo looked straight at Eduardo, asking for permission with wide, hopeful eyes, a natural gesture of kindness and respect that contrasted sharply with the desperate and despicable situation they were in. Someone had taught these abandoned children good manners and respect. Eduardo nodded, still trying to understand what was happening before him, what force of fate had put these children in his path.
They shared the cookies with a delicacy and care that deeply touched Eduardo’s heart. They carefully divided each cookie in half. They always offered one to each other before eating. They chewed slowly and savored each piece as if it were a royal feast. No rush, no greed, just gratitude. Thank you very much, they said in unison. And Eduardo was absolutely certain that he had heard those voices before, not just once or twice, but thousands of times.
Not just the childish, high-pitched tone, but the specific intonation, the particular rhythm of speech, the exact way each word was pronounced. Everything was the same as Pedro’s voice. It was like listening to recordings of his son at different times in his life. As he watched the three children together, sitting on the dirty floor, the resemblance became increasingly clear and frightening, impossible to ignore or rationalize. Not just the striking physical resemblance, the unconscious and automatic gestures, the particular way they tilted their heads slightly to the right when they were paying attention to something, even the particular way they smiled, showing their top teeth first.
Everything was the same in every detail. Pedro seemed to have found two exact versions of himself, living in the same miserable condition in the world. “Do you know who your real parents are?” Eduardo asked, trying to keep his voice controlled and casual, even though his heart was pounding so hard it hurt in his chest. “Aunt Marcia always said that our mother died in the hospital when we were born,” Lucas explained, repeating these words as if they were a lesson memorized and repeated a thousand times, and that our father couldn’t take care of us because he already had another little child to raise on his own and he couldn’t do it.
Eduardo felt his heart beating loudly, a loud beat that he was sure everyone could hear. Patricia had indeed died in the complicated birth, losing a lot of blood and going into shock. And Marcia had mysteriously disappeared after the funeral, saying that she couldn’t bear to stay in the city where her sister had died so young. But now it all had a terrible and disastrous meaning. Marcia didn’t just escape from pain and sad memories. She brought something important with her, a companion, two children.
“And do you remember anything about when you were a baby?” Eduardo insisted, his hands visibly shaking as he obsessively studied every detail of the children’s angelic faces, searching for more similarities. “More proof. We can barely remember anything,” Mateo said, shaking his head sadly. Aunt Marcia always said that we were born with another sibling on the same day, but he stayed with our father because he was stronger and healthier. And we went with him because we needed special care.
Pedro opened his green eyes in the way Eduardo knew, the expression of sudden, terrifying understanding that comes when he solves a difficult problem or understands something complicated. Dad, they’re talking about me, right? I’m the sibling who stayed with you because he was stronger, and they’re my siblings who went with their aunt. Eduardo had to brace himself with both hands on the rough wall to keep from completely losing consciousness. The pieces of the most terrifying puzzle of her life fell into place cruelly and surely before her eyes.
Patricia’s extremely complicated pregnancy, the persistently high blood pressure and constant threat of premature birth, the traumatic labor that lasted more than 18 hours, the massive hemorrhage, the desperate minutes in which doctors fought tirelessly to save mother and children. She vaguely remembered the doctors speaking in urgent tones about the serious complications, about the difficult medical decisions, about saving anyone who could be saved. She remembered Patricia slowly dying in her arms, muttering broken words that she had not understood then, but now had terrible meaning.
And he remembered Marcia very well, always present at the hospital in those days, always nervous and restless, always asking detailed questions about medical procedures and what exactly would happen to the children in the event of serious complications or the mother’s death. “Lucas, Mateo,” Eduardo said, his voice completely shaky and dizzy, as tears began to flow freely down his face without any attempt to hide them. “Do you want to go home, take a hot bath, and eat something delicious and nutritious?”
The two children looked at each other with the natural and learned distrust of those who are forced to understand in the worst way that not all adults have good intentions towards them. They spent several days on dangerous streets, exposed to all kinds of danger, violence, and exploitation. “You won’t hurt us later, will you?” Lucas asked in a small and frightened voice that expressed both desperate hope and pure, irrational fear.
“Never, I promise,” Pedro replied immediately, before his father could even open his mouth, quickly standing up and extending his two small hands to Lucas and Mateo. “My father is kind and loving. He takes care of me every day, and he can take care of you too, like a real family.” Eduardo watched, fascinated, at the utterly wonderful nature with which Pedro spoke to the children, as if he had known them intimately for years. There was an inexplicable and strong connection between the three of them, something that went beyond their striking physical resemblance.
It was as if they instinctively recognized each other, as if there was an emotional and spiritual bond between them that completely transcended logic and reason. “Okay,” Mateo finally said, slowly standing up and carefully picking up the torn plastic bag that contained their few meager worldly possessions. “But if you’re mean to us or trying to hurt us, we know how to run fast and hide. We’ll never be mean,” Eduardo assured them with complete sincerity, watching with a sinking heart as Mateo carefully packed the remains of stale bread back into the bag, even though he already knew they would eat something better.
It was pure survival instinct, typical of someone who knew the true and devastating hunger. As they slowly walked down the crowded street to their luxury car, Eduardo noticed that almost everyone they passed was staring at them, stopping, whispering to each other, and pointing cautiously. It was impossible not to notice that they looked like identical triplets. Some of the more curious passersby stopped completely. They commented on the striking resemblance. Others even posted photos with their cellphones. Pedro held Lucas’s hand tightly, and Lucas held Mateo’s hand, as if it were something completely natural and natural, as if they had always walked exactly that way on the streets of life.
“Dad,” Pedro suddenly said, stopping abruptly in the middle of the crowded sidewalk and looking straight into his father’s eyes. “I’ve always dreamed of having siblings who looked just like me. I dreamed of us playing together every day, that they knew the same things I knew, that we weren’t alone or lonely. “Now, they’re here, as if by magic.” Eduardo felt a chill run down his spine as he heard Pedro’s words.
As he walked to the car, he watched the three of them move with an obsessive attention that bordered on paranoia. The way Lucas helped Mateo walk when he stumbled was the same way Pedro always helped the weakest or neediest. Mateo’s careful handling of the plastic bag containing their poor belongings was exactly the same as the intense care Pedro showed his favorite toys or things he considered precious.
Even the natural cadence of their steps was perfectly synchronized, as if the three had carefully practiced that walk for years. Eduardo noticed that the three landed with their right feet first when stepping onto the sidewalk, that they all slightly rotated their left arms as they walked, that they all instinctively looked to the side before crossing any street. These were small details that might go unnoticed by a casual observer, but were of great importance to a father who fully aware of his son’s every move.
When they reached the black Mercedes parked on the busy corner, Lucas and Mateus suddenly stopped in front of the car, their eyes wide with admiration and wonder. “Is that really yours, Sir?” Lucas asked, respectfully touching the shiny, flawless body. “It’s my dad,” Pedro replied with the honesty typical of someone who grew up surrounded by luxury. We always took it to school, to the club, to the mall, and wherever else we needed to go.
Eduardo watched the children’s genuine reactions to the genuine beige leather interior and the gleaming gold details. There was no trace of envy, greed, or resentment in their innocent eyes, only pure curiosity and respectful admiration. Mateus inserted his dirty little hand into the soft seat with great reverence, as if he were touching something sacred and untouchable. “I’ve never been in a car this beautiful and fragrant,” he whispered, filled with genuine admiration.
“It’s like one of those TV cars where rich celebrities appear.” Throughout the quiet drive to the magnificent mansion located in the city’s most exclusive neighborhood, Eduardo couldn’t take his eyes off the rearview mirror for a second. The three children chatted animatedly in the back seat, as if they were old friends, reunited after a long and painful separation. Pedro enthusiastically pointed out the city’s tourist attractions and landmarks outside the window.
Lucas asked intelligent and insightful questions about everything he saw along the way. And Mateus listened with rapt attention, occasionally making insightful comments that revealed a remarkable and disturbing age for a boy of almost 5 years old. “The tall building you see there is where my father works every day,” Pedro explained, excitedly pointing to the mirrored glass skyscraper. “He has a big company that builds beautiful houses for rich people, and will you work there when you grow up?” Lucas asked with genuine curiosity.
I don’t know yet. Sometimes I think about becoming a doctor to help sick children who don’t have money to pay for treatment. Eduardo almost lost control of the wheel when he heard those words. Becoming a doctor was exactly the dream he himself had passionately cherished in his childhood, long before being forced by family circumstances to inherit the lucrative family business. It was an old and deep desire that he had never shared with Pedro because he did not want to artificially influence his future career decisions.
“I want to be a doctor too when I grow up,” Mateus suddenly said with a surprising determination to take good care of the poor who had no money to pay for consultations or expensive medicines. “I want to be a teacher,” Lucas added with the same conviction, to teach them to read, write, and do arithmetic properly, even if they were poor. Tears welled up in Eduardo’s eyes. The three children had noble and altruistic dreams, perfectly aligned with the ethical and moral values he had tried to instill in Pedro since he was a child.
It was as if they shared not only physical appearance, but also personality, principles, and even their deepest dreams. When they finally arrived at the magnificent mansion, with its vast, perfectly manicured gardens and magnificent classical architecture, Lucas and Mateus were completely paralyzed at the main entrance. The three-story house, with its massive white columns and gleaming glass windows, looked like a veritable royal palace to two children who had spent many nights sleeping outside on the dangerous streets of the city.
“Do you really live here in this giant house?” Mateus asked, his voice barely audible in amazement. “It’s so big and beautiful. It must have about 100 different rooms. It has 22 rooms in total,” Pedro corrected with a proud and innocent smile. “Actually, we only use a few. “Because the penis is too big for just two people.” Rosa Oliveira, the experienced housekeeper who had been taking care of the house with dedication for exactly 15 years, immediately appeared at the door with her always elegant demeanor and impeccable professionalism.
Seeing Eduardo arrive unexpectedly with three identical children, her expression changed from interest to complete shock. She had known Pedro since he was a newborn, and the physical resemblance was so striking that she dropped the heavy keys she was holding with a loud bang. “My God,” she whispered softly, and crossed herself three times. “Señor Eduardo, what impossible story is this? How can there be three identical Pedros? Rosa, I will explain everything to you later, calmly,” said Eduardo, hurrying into the house with the three children.
“Right now, I need you to prepare a very hot bath for Lucas and Mateus, and something nutritious and delicious so they can eat a lot.” The woman, still completely bewildered by this surreal situation, immediately regained her maternal and protective instincts. She observed the two obviously malnourished children with genuine compassion and practical concern. “These little ones need special medical attention, Mr. Eduardo. They are very thin, pale, and covered in wounds. It looks like they haven’t eaten properly in weeks.” Eduardo nodded silently, although his mind was focused on more urgent and complex matters.
He needed to confirm his growing suspicions before making any final decisions that could affect everyone’s future. As Rosa carefully led Lucas and Mateus to the spacious bathroom downstairs, Pedro imagined standing next to his father in the luxurious living room, staring out the window where his possible siblings were bathing. “Dad, are they really my siblings, right?” he asked seriously of someone who already knew the answer instinctively. Eduardo knelt before his son, gently took his small shoulder, and looked straight into his bright green eyes.
Pedro, it is entirely possible, my son, but I need absolute scientific certainty before saying anything definitive. I am certain. Pedro affirmed without hesitation, and placed his small hand on his chest. I can feel it here inside. It was as if a very important part of my being, which had been missing for so long, had finally come home. Eduardo hugged him tightly, trying to hold back the avalanche of emotions that threatened to completely overflow. Pedro’s pure intuition was in perfect harmony with all the accumulated evidence, but he needed indisputable scientific evidence before accepting such a shocking and life-changing truth.
When Lucas and Mateus finally emerged from the long bath, dressed in Pedro’s clean clothes that fit them in every detail, the physical resemblance became even clearer and more striking. With their clean, shiny, and carefully combed hair, and their angelic faces free from the dirt of the streets, the three children seemed to be identical reflections in a perfect mirror. It was impossible to discern any significant difference between them, except for the slightly different color of their hair. Then Rosa appeared with a large tray filled with wholesome sandwiches, a variety of fresh fruits, cold whole milk, and still-warm homemade cookies.
The children began to eat with impeccable reverence, but Eduardo watched with a heavy heart as they devoured everything with desperate speed, the primitive instinct of acute hunger still present and dominant. “Slow down, my little angels,” Rosa said with true motherly love. “There’s more delicious food in the kitchen. You don’t have to rush. You can eat as much as you want. Sorry, Doña Rosa,” Lucas said shyly and immediately stopped. “It’s been a long time since we ate properly. We’ve forgotten how to behave.”
You don’t have to apologize, my dear child. Eat calmly and peacefully. This house is yours too. Eduardo strategically took advantage of that moment of silence to make some urgent and important phone calls. First, he contacted his trusted personal physician, Dr. Enrique Almeida, a well-known and respected pediatrician who had been following Pedro closely since birth and knew the entire family’s medical history. Dr. Enrique, I need a very urgent personal favor. Can you come to my house tonight?
This is a very delicate medical situation involving children. Of course Eduardo, has something serious happened to Pedro? Pedro is perfectly fine, but I need a detailed DNA analysis of the three children, including him. There was a long and significant pause on the other end of the line. DNA. Eduardo, what is this complicated situation? I would prefer to explain everything in person when I arrive. Can you bring the complete kit for collecting the material? Yes, no problem. I can be there in two hours.
The second call was directed to his trusted personal lawyer, Dr. Roberto Méndez, a renowned specialist in family law and child custody issues. Roberto, I need your special help immediately in a very delicate family matter. What happened, Eduardo? She could have two other biological children besides Pedro. Children who, let’s say, were irregularly separated from her at birth. How, irregularly separated? Eduardo, you have left me very worried and confused. This is a long and complicated story.
I need to know what my legal rights are as a biological father and how I should proceed properly. I’m leaving early tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, as long as we don’t discuss it in detail. While Eduardo was on the phone in his office, the three children played nicely in the luxurious living room, as if they had been best friends for years. Pedro showed off his expensive toys and collections. Lucas taught creative games he learned during his difficult life on the streets. And Mateus told amazing stories he invented on the spot.
The natural synchronicity between the three was simultaneously disturbing and beautiful to observe. They laughed in the same tone, the same gestures when they talked. They were both still breathing as they concentrated. “Pedro,” Eduardo said as he calmly returned to the living room after the calls. “I need to ask Lucas and Mateus some important questions. Can you help your father? Of course, Dad. You can ask for anything you want.” Eduardo sat comfortably on the rug next to the children, trying to maintain a casual and relaxed tone, despite the crucial importance of the information he was desperately seeking.
Lucas remembered something strange about when they were little babies. Every detail, no matter how small. “Aunt Marcia always said we were born in a very big and famous hospital,” Lucas said thoughtfully, frowning in concentration. She said it was very difficult and dangerous, that she had to make difficult choices about who to save first. “Choosing who to save,” Eduardo repeated, feeling his heart pounding violently. He also said that our mother was sick and weak, and the head doctor said they couldn’t save everyone at once.
Then he had to decide to save us. Eduardo felt like the world was spinning around him. This version matched his fragmented and painful memory of the hospital that terrible night. He clearly remembered the doctors speaking in serious tones about difficult decisions, about emergency priorities, about saving whoever was possible under the circumstances. And they knew exactly which hospital they were born in. “San Vicente Hospital,” Mateus answered immediately, without hesitation. Aunt Marcia always took us there when we were sick or needed medicine.
Eduardo almost fainted. San Vicente Hospital was the expensive private hospital where Pedro was born, where Patricia fought for her life and finally died. A hospital exclusively attended by the city’s economic elite. It made no sense for abandoned children to receive regular medical care there, unless they had a legitimate and documented family connection. And Aunt Marcia, what did she look like? Do you remember her? She looked just like our real mother, Lucas said thoughtfully.
Long, straight black hair, big, dark eyes, and the constant smell of cigarettes mixed with sweet perfume. Eduardo felt his blood run cold. It was a perfect and detailed description of Marcia, Patricia’s younger sister. Every detail matched his memories of his troubled sister-in-law, but it was always nervous and anxious,” Mateus continued with a disturbing seriousness, especially when he saw police on the street or when someone he didn’t know asked us questions.
What kind of questions exactly tormented him? About who our real father was, about our family? About where we came from? Lucas explained in detail. He always told us not to talk about those things with strangers because it was dangerous. Eduardo immediately understood that Marcia lived in fear of being discovered and exposed. The behavior the children described was completely typical of someone hiding something very serious with serious legal consequences and the possibility of imprisonment. And are you really happy?
I mean, are they happy living with Aunt Marcia? The two children looked at each other with a deep and mature sadness that made Eduardo’s heart beat. It was an expression of pain that no one should know child at that age. “We love him because he takes care of us,” Mateus said diplomatically, choosing his words carefully. “But he always says that taking care of us is very difficult and tiring, that he sacrifices his whole life for us, and sometimes he disappears for days,” Lucas added, his voice breaking.
He left us alone at home or with unknown neighbors who didn’t even know our names. Eduardo felt a deep anger slowly growing in his chest. Anger at Marcia for lying and manipulating the situation. Anger at himself for not asking for more information. Anger at the cruel fate that had brutally separated his children, but at the same time, he felt an immense relief at finding them alive and relatively well. “Dad,” Pedro suddenly said, interrupting his father’s chaotic thoughts.
“We can stay together forever now. Lucas and Mateus can live here in our house with us like a real family.” Eduardo looked deeply into the three pairs of completely identical green eyes, which were focused on him with hope and expectation, waiting for a definitive answer that would forever and irrevocably change all of their lives. The responsibility was crushing and terrifying, but the certainty growing in his heart was completely unshakable. “If you really want to stay, and if all the trials prove what I firmly believe they will, the three of you will never be separated again, not even for a day,” he said solemnly.
Eduardo’s words echoed in the luxurious room like a sacred promise, and the three children instinctively embraced each other with overwhelming emotional force, forming a perfect circle of pure and unexpected joy. Lucas and Mateus began to cry bitterly, but they were crystalline tears of relief and renewed hope, not of sadness or despair. Pedro held their small hands with protective firmness, as if he wanted to physically guarantee that they would never be separated again, as if he could prevent the cruel fate from tearing them apart again.
Eduardo contemplated that touching scene, his heart literally overflowing with conflicting and overwhelming emotions. On the one hand, she felt an inexplicable joy at finding the children she had thought had been lost forever since the sad moment of their birth. On the other, she was overcome by a growing and paralyzing anxiety. How could she explain this impossible situation to the outside world, to conservative society, to the competent authorities? How could she justify the sudden appearance of two children who were identical to her own? How could she prove that there was no irregularity or crime behind all this?
At that moment, Rosa quietly appeared at the elegant door of the living room, carefully carrying more nutritious food on a silver tray. She stopped when she saw the three children hugging each other on the marble floor, and her experienced eyes were filled with tears of understanding and maternal love. “Señor Eduardo,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion, “in all the long years of working dedicatedly in this house, I have only now seen Pedro truly happy and fulfilled.
It was as if he had finally found a major part of himself that he had never known he had lost. Rosa, you can stay and lovingly take care of them while I anxiously await the arrival of the doctor. I have to make some important calls right away. Of course, Mr. Eduardo, I will take care of the three of them as if they were my own grandchildren.” Eduardo slowly climbed the stairs to the elegant office on the second floor, but before he got there, he heard a melodious laugh coming from the main room. It was a pure and crystalline sound that he had never heard in his entire life.
Pedro laughed with complete joy, without hesitation or sadness. For five years of his beloved son’s life, Eduardo had always seen a certain inexplicable sadness in the boy, as if something precious and eternal was missing from his existence. Now, listening to that spontaneous and genuine laughter, he understood with absolute clarity that he had always felt the painful absence of his siblings, even though he had never known their true existence. In the serene silence of the office, Eduardo opened his modern computer and began to do extensive research on Marcia Santos, Patricia’s troubled sister.
He found detailed records of constant address changes, several police reports for minor offenses, and a deeply troubling history of chronic financial instability. But what shocked him most was the discovery that Marcia had mysteriously received a very large sum of money from an undisclosed source at the exact time of the children’s traumatic birth. It was as if someone powerful had deliberately paid for her to disappear with the babies and never return. Eduardo’s growing suspicions immediately turned to his own family.
The Fernándezes had always been notoriously traditionalists, conservatives, and obsessed with a flawless public image. Having triplets in a complicated and unplanned pregnancy, whose young mother died in childbirth, could be interpreted as a devastating scandal, something that had to be covered up at all costs. Perhaps his own authoritarian and cold parents, Pedro’s conservative grandparents, had organized that cruel and inhuman separation. Suddenly the phone rang loudly, interrupting his sad thoughts. It was Dr.
Enrique called from his car. Eduardo, I’ll be there in a few minutes. I brought everything needed for the DNA tests, but I must warn you that the complete results will only be ready in exactly 72 hours. Doctor Enrique, in addition to the DNA, I need you to examine the two children carefully. They live on the streets and may have had serious health problems. Don’t worry, I brought my entire medical kit. We will do a detailed examination of everything. As Eduardo calmly descended the marble stairs, he saw a scene in the house that moved him more than anything in his adult life.
Rosa lovingly prepared an impeccable snack on the elegant living room table, and the three children sat respectfully like little gentlemen, talking enthusiastically about their dreams and future plans. There was a natural harmony between them that transcended all logic. “When I become a doctor,” Pedro said, his green eyes twinkling, “I will have a big hospital just to take care of poor children who have no money. And I will be a doctor too,” Mateus added with equal determination.
But I will lovingly take care of abandoned animals, because they suffer just like people. And I will be a teacher, Lucas said with admirable conviction, patiently teaching children who had never had the opportunity to truly learn. Eduardo was deeply impressed by the natural way the three projected a joint and united future, as if they knew that they would face life together. It was as if they shared not only genes, but also values, dreams, and a similar worldview.
Dr. Enrique arrived at the agreed time, carefully carrying two heavy and professional medical bags. He was a distinguished man of 60 years, with completely gray hair and elegant gold glasses that inspired immediate confidence and credibility. He had known Eduardo since college and had professionally handled the entire devastating tragedy of Pedro’s birth and Patricia’s death. Eduardo said, calmly entering the room, suddenly stopping when he saw the three children together.
“Merciful God, what an absolutely impossible resemblance this is. It is precisely about this inexplicable resemblance that I urgently need to talk to you,” Eduardo replied seriously. Dr. approached cautiously. Enrique treated the children with the typical care and natural delicacy of an experienced pediatrician who has dedicated decades to the care of children. “Hello, dear children. I am Dr. Enrique, Pedro’s personal physician for many years. You can call me Dr. Enrique.” “Hello, doctor,” Lucas and Mateus said in unison with the impeccable courtesy that Eduardo had repeatedly noticed and admired.
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“I need to perform some very simple medical tests. It’s okay, it won’t hurt, I promise.” As the doctor carefully examined the children with special instruments, Eduardo explained the entire complex situation in detail. Dr. Enrique listened intently, with growing amazement and medical and ethical concern. Eduardo, if all of this is confirmed by science, we are faced with a very delicate illegal medical situation. These children have been criminally deprived not only of their biological family, but also of adequate, irregular medical care.
The detailed medical examination revealed that Lucas and Mateus were clearly malnourished, with mild but concerning anemia and several significant vitamin deficiencies. However, there is nothing that cannot be completely reversed with proper nutrition, nutritional supplementation, and regular medical care. They will need intensive nutritional support and medical monitoring for the next six months, the doctor explained with a serious professional. But they are naturally strong and resilient children. With the right care, they will make a full recovery. The collection of material for DNA analysis is surprisingly quick and painless.
Dr. Enrique carefully took saliva samples from the three children using special sterile swabs. He carefully called everything with specific codes and stored them in appropriate airtight containers. Eduardo, I will personally take this precious material to the most reliable and careful laboratory I know. In exactly 72 hours, we will have definitive scientific confirmation. After the trusted doctor left, Eduardo calmly gathered the three children in a cozy room for a serious and important conversation. Children, I need to explain to you something very important for you to fully understand.
There is a real possibility that you are biological siblings, but we have to wait patiently for a scientific test to officially confirm it. We already know with absolute certainty that we are siblings, Pedro said with unwavering conviction. There is no need for a scientific test to confirm what we feel. I know that, son. But elders and authorities need indisputable scientific evidence to make important legal decisions. And if the test says that we are indeed siblings, Lucas asked with visible anxiety.
We can stay here in this house forever. If the results are good, you will never be separated for a day. That is my most sacred promise. Mateus, who had remained thoughtful and silent throughout the conversation, finally spoke in a small but firm voice. Señor Eduardo, can I really call you Papá? The innocent question felt like an emotional blow to Eduardo’s stomach. For exactly five sad years, Pedro had been the only one to call him Papá.
Hearing that sacred word from the mouth of a boy he had met just hours before had stirred a deep emotion he had never known existed in his heart. “Can you call me exactly what you feel most comfortable with?” he replied, his voice cracking with emotion. “Then, you are our father from now on,” Lucas said poignantly. “And we will never be alone or abandoned again.” On that special and transformative night, Eduardo had carefully arranged for Lucas and Mateus to sleep in the luxurious bedroom next to Pedro’s, but the three children insisted on sleeping together in Pedro’s family room.
“We have slept apart our whole lives,” Pedro explained seriously. “Now we want to be close to each other to make up for lost time.” Eduardo readily agreed, deeply moved by their natural need to remain physically close after years of forced separation. He placed an extra mattress on the floor of Pedro’s room and organized a kind of cozy family camp. As the children quietly prepared for bed, Rosa quietly approached Eduardo with a serious expression. “Mr. Eduardo, can I tell you something important?” “Okay, Rosa, speak freely.”
I have been working with children for over 30 years of my life. I have seen many different situations, but what happened today in this house was the work of God. Those children knew each other in a way that no human explanation is possible. Do you believe that they are truly siblings? Mr. Eduardo, I don’t need a DNA test to be sure. Just observe carefully how they act together naturally. They are like three perfect puzzle pieces that finally fit in the right place.
Before going to bed, Eduardo quietly went to the children’s room to gently wish them good night. He found the three of them lying side by side on the mattresses, and Pedro was strategically positioned between them, tightly holding Lucas and Mateus’ hands like a natural protector. “Father,” Pedro whispered in the darkness, “Thank you so much for finding my lost siblings. Thank you for getting us off the street,” Lucas whispered with endless gratitude. “Thank you for not throwing us out,” Mateus added, his voice filled with emotion.
Eduardo carefully kissed the three children on the foreheads, feeling an emotional and spiritual fulfillment he had never experienced in his entire adult life. Good night, my beloved children. Sleep peacefully and safely. Father is here watching over you forever. Later, completely alone in his quiet room, Eduardo resolutely called his mother, Doña Elena Fernández, the authoritarian matriarch of the traditional family. Mother, I have to tell you something very important. What happened today, Eduardo? Did something serious happen to Pedro?
Pedro was perfectly fine, but now I have found two abandoned children who could be my biological children. There was a long, meaningful silence on the other end of the line. What was that, Eduardo? Two children exactly like Pedro. I believe they were the other babies born to him that terrible night. Eduardo, you are completely delusional. Pedro was an only child from the beginning. In fact, there was no other baby at birth. Mom, I clearly remember the confusing bits and pieces of that traumatic birth.
I remember the doctors speaking urgently about the difficult decisions, about saving anyone who could possibly be human. And these children knew details that they would only know if they had actually been born in that particular hospital, on that exact day. That was completely impossible and meaningless. If other babies existed, I would know everything. You know that very well, Mom. Now I am absolutely certain about it, and I want to know immediately what exactly happened to my missing children. The silence that followed was deafening and full of tension.
Eduardo could clearly hear his mother’s heavy, uneven breathing on the other line. Eduardo, come home early tomorrow. We need to talk about all this in person. Why can’t you just tell me now? Because this is a very delicate conversation that should be had face to face, and you’re bringing the children with you. I need to see them with my own eyes. Hanging up the phone with shaking hands, Eduardo lay there all night, staring out the large window and thinking obsessively about everything that had happened on that absolutely extraordinary day.
In just 12 hours, his life had changed completely and irrevocably. From a lonely father of an only child, he had become the devoted father of triplets. From a man with a small, controlled family, he had become responsible for three children who desperately needed care, unconditional love, and constant protection. But most painful of all was the discovery that for five long years she had lived a complex and cruel lie. Her other two biological children had not died in childbirth, as she had always sincerely believed.
They had been deliberately separated, hidden from the criminal, and raised far from him for sinister reasons that he still did not fully understand. Through the silent window, Eduardo saw the first golden rays of the sun rising majestically on the horizon. A new day was slowly dawning, and with it the concrete promise of definitive answers to the questions that had tormented him for years. “Tomorrow, finally, we will know the whole truth,” he whispered to himself, fondly thinking of the three children sleeping peacefully in the other room, finally reunited after five cruel years of forced and unnecessary separation.
Morning came earlier than expected, announced by the faint sound of children moving in the other room. It was only six o’clock at night when Eduardo heard soft laughter and whispered conversation coming from Pedro’s room. He stood silently and, peering through the half-open door, saw a scene that filled him with tenderness and sadness at the same time. The three of them were sitting on the floor, still wearing their pajamas, sharing cookies that Pedro had hidden in a drawer.
Lucas was teaching Mateus with a sleight of hand while Pedro watched intently, trying to learn as well. It felt like they had been missing games that morning for years. “Good morning, guys,” said Eduardo, entering the room with a genuine smile. “Did you sleep well? Dad, this was the best night of my life,” Pedro replied immediately. “I dreamed that we were flying together in the sky. I also dreamed that we were flying,” Lucas added, amazed. A beautiful woman was smiling at us from the sky. Eduardo felt a shiver run down his spine.
Patricia said that when she died, she wanted to fly freely like a bird. Perhaps the children had dreamed of the mother they had never met. “And I dreamed that we lived in a big house with a garden full of flowers,” Mateus added. “We had a brown dog that played with us.” Eduardo almost got carried away. Before Patricia died, they had planned to buy a Golden Retriever to keep the unborn baby with them, a dream she had never mentioned to Pedro.
At that moment, Rosa appeared at the door with a tray of hot chocolate and fresh rolls. Good morning, my little angel. Have a good breakfast because today is going to be an important day. While the children were eating breakfast, Eduardo received an unexpected call. Dr. Roberto, his lawyer, called earlier than expected. Eduardo, I need to talk to you right away. Something serious happened last night. What is it, Roberto? The police received an anonymous report of a child abduction. Someone said that two children were in your house against their will.
Eduardo felt his blood run cold. What do you mean, kidnapping? These children were abandoned on the street. I know that, but the report was filed and now the Guardianship Council wants to visit. They can come at any time. Roberto, those children are my children. I’m sure they are, Eduardo, but until we have DNA evidence, their children are still legally missing. You need to cooperate fully with the authorities. After hanging up, Eduardo gathered the children in the living room.
I had to prepare them for what could happen. Guys, important people might come today to ask you questions. I want you to always answer truthfully. Okay? What kind of questions? Lucas asked, sensing the concern in Eduardo’s voice about how they got here, how they felt, if anyone was forcing them to stay. “Nobody is forcing us,” Mateus said firmly. “We chose to stay because this is our home.” Then Pedro walked over to his father and took his hand. “Dad, we’re not going to be separated, are we?
I’ll do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen, son.” At around 9:00 a.m., two cars pulled up in front of the mansion. A social worker, a psychologist, and a representative from the Guardianship Council got out of the first. Two uniformed police officers got out of the second. Eduardo opened the door before the bell rang. “Good morning. I assume you’re here for the children, Mr. Eduardo Fernández?” asked the social worker, a middle-aged woman with glasses and a stiff posture.
I am Dr. Marisa Silva from the Guardianship Council. We have received a report of two children allegedly being held in your residence. The children are not being handled; they are being cared for because I found them abandoned on the street. However, we need to speak to them separately to assess the situation. Eduardo agreed, but he asked to be present for the interviews. The psychologist, Dr. Carmen, is more understanding than the social worker. Mr. Eduardo, we will speak to the children first and then individually. It is important that they are comfortable.
The three were taken into the living room, where they sat side by side on a large sofa. The resemblance between them was unmistakable. “My God,” one of the police officers whispered to his colleague. “They look like identical triplets.” Dr. Carmen knelt before them. “Hello, children. I am Dr. Carmen, and I am here to speak to you. Can you tell me how you got to this house?” Pedro first answered, “My father and I were on our way home from school when we saw Lucas and Mateo sleeping on the street.
I told my father, they look like me. “Do you want to come here?” the psychologist asked Lucas and Mateo. “Yes,” Lucas answered without hesitation. Pedro said, this would also be our home. “They are happy here. Very happy,” Mateo said. “For the first time in our lives, we have a real family.” The social worker intervened in a stricter tone. “Children, do you know that you are not allowed to talk to strangers? Where are the elders who take care of you? Aunt Marcia left us on the street and never came back,” Lucas explained.
She told us that she would find a new family, but she lied. “Who is this Aunt Marcia? “He’s our mother’s brother,” Mateo replied, “but he really doesn’t want to take care of us.” For two hours, the staff asked detailed questions and spoke to the children one by one, including Eduardo and also Rosa. The housekeeper was instrumental in clarifying the situation. “Doctor,” Rosa told the psychologist, “I’ve been working with children for over 30 years. These little ones are not being coerced or abused. On the contrary, I’ve never seen children so happy and united, but the similarities between them are striking,” the social worker observed. “How do you explain that?” “I’m explaining it because they’re siblings,” Eduardo stated firmly. “We’ve produced a sample for a DNA test. In two days we’ll have confirmation. Until then, the children must remain in the care of the state,” the social worker stated. “This is standard procedure.” “No,” Pedro shouted as he stood up from the sofa. “You can’t take my siblings away.” Lucas and Mateo began to cry, hugging Pedro. “Don’t separate us again,” Lucas pleaded. The psychologist observed their reactions with professional attention.
Dr. Marisa, these children have a very strong emotional bond. Separating them now could cause psychological trauma. But protocol must consider the children’s well-being. The psychologist interrupted. “I suggest they stay here under supervision until the DNA results come back.” After a long conversation, the officials reached a tentative agreement. The children could stay with Eduardo, but there would be daily visits from the Guardianship Council, and the situation would be constantly reassessed. “Mr. Eduardo,” the social worker said before leaving, “any irregularities and the children will be removed immediately.” When the authorities had left, Eduardo hugged the three of them.
“Everything will be fine. In two days we will have proof that they are siblings. Come on, Dad,” Pedro said, “why do some people want to separate families? Sometimes, Pedro, people don’t understand that family is not just about people who share the same last name, but about people who truly love each other.” That afternoon, Eduardo decided to take the children to visit Grandma Elena. It was time to face the past and find out the truth about what happened five years ago. The Fernández mansion was in a more upscale neighborhood, with vast gardens and impressive architecture.
Arriving at the house, Doña Elena was waiting on the terrace, dressed as elegantly as ever. When she saw the three children get out of the stroller, her expression changed dramatically. “My God,” she whispered, holding her hand to her chest. “How is this possible?” “Hello, Grandma Elena,” said Pedro, who ran to hug her. “I brought my siblings so you could meet them.” Elena looked at Lucas and Mateo as if she were seeing a ghost. Her hands were clearly shaking. “Eduardo,” she said, her voice breaking, “we need to talk right away. First, I want you to meet Lucas and Mateo,” Eduardo replied, pulling the two children closer.
Children, this is Grandma Elena, father’s mother. “Hello, Grandma,” they said with a smile. Elena knelt in front of them and studied every detail of their faces. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. “It’s like Pedro and she were still children,” she whispered. “They look like Patricia too.” Eduardo realized that his mother knew more than she was letting on. “Mommy, do you know these kids?” Elena slowly stood up and wiped her tears. Eduardo, it’s going to kill the kids playing in the yard.
We need to talk about things you’re not supposed to hear yet. Kids, go play outside. Rosa will come with you. When the kids were gone, Elena sat down tightly in an armchair. Eduardo, sit down. What I’m about to tell you will change everything you believe about that terrible night. Eduardo sat down in front of his mother, ready to hear what he had suspected for years. Mom, I want to know exactly what happened at the hospital. Eduardo, you need to understand the context. Patricia is dying. There are three premature babies, and the doctors said they couldn’t save them all.
Go ahead. Your father and I made a huge decision that night. We decided it was better to save one strong baby than to lose three. Eduardo felt anger rising in his chest. They chose Pedro and left my other children. We didn’t abandon them. Marcia offered to take care of the other two. We thought it was best. And they didn’t tell me. Eduardo. You were saddened by Patricia’s death. We thought it would be better not to complicate your grief any further.
Complicated. Mom, you stole my two children. I lived for five years thinking they were dead. Elena started to cry. Eduardo, I’m sorry. We thought we were doing everything for everyone. The best. Where has Marcia been for so many years? Why did she leave the children? Marcia. Marian had a drug problem. It had been two years since we lost contact with her. Eduardo stood up, pacing the entire room with growing anger. You ruined these children’s lives. They can grow up with me with love and care.
Eduardo. This was a decision made in desperation. This was a criminal decision. Eduardo stopped in front of his mother. I hope you will help me sort this situation out. I want all the documents, all the papers related to the birth of the three of us. Elena nodded, crying. Eduardo, there is something else you need to know. What else? The babies were not only born prematurely, they were born with a rare genetic condition that could cause health problems in the future. Eduardo shook his head. What kind of problems?
Heart problems. All three may need corrective surgery when they are older. And they hid that too. The doctors said that Pedro was fine for now and that the other two would rather die away from me. Elena could not answer. Eduardo left the living room and looked for the children in the garden. He found the three of them happily playing with Rosa, who was completely unaware of the traumatic conversation that had taken place. “Children, let’s go home,” Eduardo said, trying to control his emotions. “Have we seen Grandma yet?” Pedro asked, and he loved them as much as I did.
Habang naglalakad pauwi ay napansin ni Pedro na hindi mapakali ang kanyang ama. “Dad, may malungkot na sinabi ni Lola Elena.” Huminga ng malalim si Eduardo bago sumagot. “Pedro, kung minsan ang mga matatanda ay gumagawa ng napakabigat na pagkakamali sa pagsisikap na protektahan ang mga mahal nila sa buhay. Matagal nang nagkamali si Lola, pero ngayon aayusin na natin ang lahat at magkasama tayo magpakailanman, anak ko. Walang anuman at walang sinuman ang maghihiwalay sa atin muli.” Nang gabing iyon, habang natutulog ang mga bata, nakatanggap si Eduardo ng hindi inaasahang tawag. Ito ay si Dr. Enrique.
Eduardo, kailangan kong kausapin ka kaagad. Ito ay tungkol sa mga pagsubok ng mga bata. Anumang mga problema, Eduardo? May nakita ako sa mga pagsusuri sa dugo na kailangan mong malaman kaagad. Marahas ang tibok ng puso ni Eduardo nang marinig ang labis na pag-aalala at seryosong tono ni Dr. Enrique. May isang bagay tungkol sa paraan ng pagsasalita ng doktor, na laging nakaranas at kontrolado, na nagising ng isang pangunahin at nagwawasak na takot sa dibdib ng negosyante. Sa huling dalawang araw na matindi at nakakapagod na emosyon, nakaranas si Eduardo ng isang roller coaster ng damdamin, na mabilis na nawala mula sa labis na kagalakan ng muling pagsasama sa kanyang mga anak, na kung saan
Naniniwala siya na nawala sila magpakailanman, sa nakakaparalisa na takot na mawala sila muli sa mga nararapat na awtoridad, at ngayon ay nahaharap siya sa kakila-kilabot na posibilidad na may isang bagay na mas kumplikado, masama, at nakakagambala na nangyayari sa kanyang buhay. “Dr. Enrique, anong partikular na uri ng medikal na problema ang natagpuan mo sa mga pagsusuri ng mga bata?” tanong ni Eduardo, pilit na pinipilit na manatiling matatag ang kanyang tinig habang naramdaman ang kanyang mga kamay na hindi sinasadyang nanginginig na parang mga dahon sa simoy ng hangin. “Eduardo, mas gusto kong huwag pag-usapan ito sa telepono. Ito ay isang lubhang maselan, kumplikado, at potensyal na mapanganib na bagay na kailangang ipaliwanag nang detalyado nang personal.”
Pwede na akong pumunta sa bahay mo ngayon. Ilang oras nang mahimbing na nakatulog ang mga bata. Hindi ba’t mas mainam na mag-usap nang maaga bukas ng umaga? Eduardo, hindi na ito makapaghintay hanggang bukas. Ito ay tungkol sa kanyang kritikal na kalusugan at isang bagay na lubhang nakakabahala na natuklasan ko sa mga lumang medikal na talaan na na-access ko sa pamamagitan ng mga espesyal na contact sa ospital. Isang malamig at nakakatakot na lamig ang dumaloy sa katawan ni Eduardo. Mga medikal na talaan na tiyak, kumpleto at detalyadong mga talaan ng traumatikong kapanganakan ni Patricia. May mahalagang impormasyon doon na lubos na sumasalungat sa lahat ng inaakala mong alam mo tungkol sa kakila-kilabot na gabing iyon.
Doktor, natatakot ka at nababagabag ako nang husto. Ano ba talaga ang pinag-uusapan ninyo? Darating ako sa bahay mo sa loob ng 20 minuto. Ihanda ang iyong sarili sa isip at emosyonal, dahil kung ano ang ibubunyag Ko sa iyo ay radikal at hindi maibabalik na baguhin ang iyong pag-unawa sa lahat ng nangyari. Binaba ni Eduardo, nanginginig ang kanyang mga kamay na tila nakatanggap siya ng electric shock. Dahan-dahan siyang umakyat sa silid ng mga bata at pinagmasdan silang mapayapa na natutulog, nagyakap, tulad ng likas na ginagawa nila gabi-gabi. Si Pedro ay nasa gitna, natural na pinoprotektahan sina Lucas at Mateo gamit ang kanyang maliit ngunit determinadong mga bisig.
They were a touching image of pure innocence and genuine brotherly love that contrasted sharply with the growing storm of uncertainty and fear in Eduardo’s troubled mind. Exactly 20 minutes later, Dr. Enrique arrived on time, carrying a large, heavy folder and wearing a sad, worried expression that Eduardo had never seen on his normally kind and encouraging face. There was something deeply unsettling about the doctor’s posture, an obvious alertness that put Eduardo on high alert.
Eduardo, let’s go to your private office immediately. We need complete privacy for this very sensitive conversation. In the quiet, secluded office, Dr. Enrique carefully placed the folder on the mahogany desk and slowly opened it, revealing old medical documents, intricate laboratory tests, and yellowed photographs that Eduardo didn’t immediately recognize but seemed eerily familiar. Eduardo, first of all, I want you to sit comfortably and prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for what I am about to reveal. This is an extremely complex, delicate, and potentially explosive medical and ethical situation.
Doc, you are getting straight to the point here. I am literally dying of worry and anxiety. Excellent. First, the blood tests have definitely confirmed my initial medical suspicions. Lucas and Mateo have the exact same rare congenital heart condition as Pedro. It is an extremely rare genetic anomaly that affects approximately one in every 100,000 births. Eduardo sighed, and he felt a tension lift from his shoulder. They are, in fact, my biological children. The DNA test will scientifically prove it, Eduardo.
Here is the devastating problem. The DNA will likely confirm that you are biological siblings, but it may not confirm that you are their direct biological father. How is that? I don’t understand. Dr. Enrique carefully removed an old, yellowed document from the folder. This was the complete and detailed medical report of Patricia’s traumatic birth, which I had accessed through special and confidential contacts at the hospital. Eduardo, that terrible night was more complicated and disturbing than you remember or believe.
Please explain. Patricia did not have natural triplets; she was naturally pregnant with Pedro. But during the long and painful labor, a serious and inexplicable medical emergency occurred. She began to have violent seizures and massive internal bleeding that the doctors could not adequately control. Eduardo leaned forward, obsessively listening to every important word. The skilled doctors performed an emergency C-section to save Pedro and desperately tried to save Patricia, but during the operation they discovered something completely unexpected and scientifically disturbing.
What exactly did they discover, doctor? Patricia had two other children conceived in her womb, but they were not biologically hers. Eduardo was paralyzed. What do you mean they were not hers? She was months pregnant. Eduardo, this may seem impossible and absurd, but the medical evidence is indisputable and scientifically documented. Patricia suffered from what we doctors call superfetation, an extremely rare condition in which a pregnant woman ovulates again and becomes pregnant again during the same existing pregnancy. Is that really possible?
Yes, it is possible, but extremely rare. It happens when a woman ovulates during an established pregnancy and has sex with another man or through artificial intervention. Eduardo felt as if his world had collapsed around him. He told me bluntly that Patricia had cheated on me with another man. Not necessarily a voluntary betrayal. There was another, more disturbing possibility. Dr. Henrique took the detailed medical photos from the folder. Here are the photos of the surgery performed that night. The two children found in Patricia’s womb were about two weeks younger than Pedro.
At ano ang ibig sabihin nito sa siyensya? tanong ni Eduardo. Nangangahulugan ito na sila ay ipinaglihi eksaktong dalawang linggo pagkatapos ni Pedro. Pero Eduardo, eto ang pinaka nakakabahala at nakakatakot na bahagi. Ang mga batang ito ay may pisikal at genetic na mga katangian na lubos na nagpapahiwatig na hindi sila ipinaglihi nang natural. Ano ang ibig mong sabihin, hindi natural? Ipaliwanag nang detalyado, Doktor. Mayroong hindi mapag-aalinlanganan na medikal na katibayan na ang mga batang ito ay direktang resulta ng advanced na artipisyal na pagpapabinhi, o in vitro fertilization. Ang isang taong may dalubhasang kaalaman sa medisina ay nagtanim ng artipisyal na binuo na mga embryo sa matris ni Patricia, nang walang kaalaman o pahintulot niya.
Tumayo si Eduardo, kinakabahan na naglalakad sa paligid ng silid sa isang kumpleto at mapaminsalang estado ng pagkabigla. Ito ay ganap na nakakabaliw. Sino ang gagawa ng isang bagay na napaka-kakila-kilabot at malupit? Eduardo, iyon mismo ang tanong na nagpagising sa akin buong magdamag. Sino ang may regular na pisikal na pag-access kay Patricia? Sino ang nakakaalam ng kanyang kalagayan sa detalye? Sino ang makikinabang nang malaki sa gayong masalimuot na sitwasyon? Doc, may kasama po ba kayo sa pamilya ko? Sinasabi ko na ang isang taong may malaking mapagkukunan ay sadyang at malamig na nag-orchestrate ng buong sitwasyong ito.
At ang taong iyon ay tiyak na may malaking pinansiyal na mapagkukunan at direktang pag-access sa napaka-advanced na teknolohiyang medikal. Biglang tumigil si Eduardo at tumingin sa doktor. Marcia—Si Marcia ay palaging naroroon sa ospital na nagtatanong ng mga tiyak at detalyadong medikal na katanungan. Si Marcia ay maaaring naging isang mahalagang piraso sa scheme, ngunit tiyak na hindi ang pangunahing isip sa likod ng lahat ng ito. Wala siyang mga mapagkukunan sa pananalapi o teknikal na kaalaman para sa isang bagay na sopistikado at kumplikado. Kaya sino talaga? tanong ni Eduardo. Nag-atubili si Dr. Enrique bago sumagot nang maingat.
Eduardo, kailangan kong itanong sa iyo ang isang napakahirap at maselan na tanong. Ang iyong pamilya ay palaging nagpapakita ng obsessive na interes sa pagkakaroon ng mas direktang mga tagapagmana. Noon pa man ay gusto ng mga magulang ko na mas marami pang apo. Ngunit, Eduardo, paano kung ang isang taong maimpluwensyahan sa iyong pamilya ay malamig na nagpasya na artipisyal na lumikha ng mas maraming tagapagmana sa pamamagitan ng pagmamanipula ng genetiko? Napakatawa at nakakabahala ng mungkahi kaya kinailangan pang umupo muli si Eduardo, nahihilo. Doc, parang isang imposibleng science fiction movie ito. Eduardo, ang medikal na teknolohiya para dito ay umiiral nang perpekto limang taon na ang nakalilipas, at ang iyong pamilya ay may mga mapagkukunan sa pananalapi at maimpluwensyang mga koneksyon sa medikal upang hilahin ang isang bagay na eksaktong tulad nito.
Ngunit bakit nila gagawin ang isang bagay na napakabigat nang hindi nagsasabi sa akin ng anumang bagay? Marahil dahil alam nila na hindi mo kailanman tatanggapin nang kusang-loob, o dahil nais nilang magkaroon ng kumpleto at ganap na kontrol sa mga artipisyal na nilikha na mga bata. Kinakabahan si Eduardo na pinasok ang kanyang mga kamay sa kanyang buhok, sinusubukang iproseso ang impormasyong lubos na humahamon sa kanyang pangunahing pag-unawa sa katotohanan. Kahit na totoo ito, ang mga batang ito ay ganap na inosente. Kailangan nila ng tamang pangangalagang medikal at walang kondisyon na pagmamahal. Sumasang-ayon ako, pero, Eduardo, may mas malubhang komplikasyon sa kalusugan. Kung ang mga batang ito ay talagang artipisyal na nilikha gamit ang manipuladong genetic material mula sa iyong pamilya, maaaring mayroon silang iba pang malubhang problema sa kalusugan.
Hindi pa natutuklasan sa mga paunang pagsusuri, kailangan kong magpatakbo ng mas detalyado at tiyak na mga pagsusuri. Anong uri ng mga medikal na problema? Degenerative neurological problema, malubhang immune deficiencies, o kahit na makabuluhang nabawasan ang pag-asa sa buhay. Ang mga bata na nilikha sa pamamagitan ng pang-eksperimentong pagmamanipula ng genetiko ay maaaring magkaroon ng hindi inaasahang at nagwawasak na pangmatagalang kahihinatnan. Naramdaman ni Eduardo ang matinding pagduduwal sa kanyang tiyan. Sabi ko nga sa kanya, baka magkasakit nang husto sina Lucas at Mateo. Sinasabi ko na kailangan nating magsiyasat nang mas malalim at mabilis. At Eduardo, may isa pang bagay na napakahalaga na kailangan mong malaman kaagad.
Ano pa kaya ang mangyayari, Dok? Kinuha ni Enrique ang huling mahalagang dokumento mula sa folder. Ito ay isang detalyadong ulat sa pananalapi na nakuha ko sa pamamagitan ng mga kumpidensyal na contact. May nagbayad ng eksaktong 2 milyong reais sa isang iligal na klinika sa pagkamayabong, eksakto sa panahon ng pagbubuntis ni Patricia. 2 milyong reais. Eduardo, tiyak na hindi ito aksidente o emosyonal na pagtataksil. Ito ay isang meticulously binalak na medikal na proyekto na isinagawa na may ganap na kirurhiko katumpakan. “Doc, kailangan ko po sanang harapin kaagad ang pamilya ko.
Eduardo, this was definitely not an accident or an emotional betrayal. This was a meticulously planned medical project carried out with absolute surgical precision. “Doc, I need to confront my family right away.
Eduardo, wait calmly. Before confronting anyone, we need to have absolutely indisputable evidence. And above all, we must ensure the physical safety of the children. Safety. Why are they at risk? If someone invested 2 million reais to artificially create these children, they might want their investment back. How exactly do they want to be repaid? Forced legal custody, complete control over their lives, or even worse. Eduardo felt fear grip his chest. Doctor, these children are not scientific experiments or financial investments.
They are My beloved children. Eduardo, in my heart they are definitely your children, but legally the situation may be more complicated and dangerous than we think. What exactly should I do? First, we will perform a very detailed genetic analysis on Lucas and Mateo. Second, we will carefully investigate who funded this evil project. Third, we will prepare a fully robust legal defense. And while that is happening, you are taking care of these children as the loving father they deserve, because no matter where they come from in the world, they need unconditional love and protection.
Eduardo looked out the window into the bedroom where his three children were sound asleep. Despite all this, I cannot love these children as I do now. Eduardo, this makes you a truly noble person, but prepare yourself mentally because when this truth is fully revealed, there will be influential people who will try to use this situation against you. What kind of people? People who believe that artificially created children are not entitled to the same legal rights as those conceived naturally.
That is completely absurd and inhumane. Eduardo, you and I know that it is absurd, but society is not always rational when it comes to ethical issues like this. Eduardo stood up and walked to the window, watching the full moon illuminate the garden where his three children had been happily playing a few hours ago. Dr. Enrique, no matter how Lucas and Mateo came into the world, they are now my children, and I will fight to the death to protect them. Eduardo, I will help you in every way possible, but you must understand that this fight may be harder than you think.
Why exactly? Because if my theory is correct, there are very powerful people involved in this situation. People who will not easily give up the control they believe they have over these children. Who could those powerful people be? Doctor. Enrique carefully put the documents back in the folder and looked Eduardo straight in the eyes. Eduardo, based on everything I have learned, I firmly believe that your own family is the absolute center of this complex conspiracy. And tomorrow, when you confront your mother with this damning evidence, you will discover how long they will do to keep their darkest secret.
Dr. Enrique’s devastating words echoed through the quiet office like the sound of death, leaving Eduardo completely paralyzed and without immediate emotional reaction. The revelation that his own respected family may be involved in a complex, evil, and inhumane conspiracy to manipulate the artificial creation of children challenged everything he had firmly believed about the people he had loved, respected, and admired his entire life. The betrayal came not from strangers or known enemies, but from the closest people he had trusted completely and loved unconditionally.
During the sleepless and torturous night that followed, Eduardo sat rigidly in his Italian leather armchair, staring out the wide window as he obsessively processed the damaging and incomprehensible information he had received. Every time he closed his weary eyes, he could clearly see the angelic faces of Lucas and Mateus sleeping peacefully, completely unaware and innocent of the fact that their very existence could be the direct result of a cruel and calculated scientific experiment, coldly orchestrated by people who should naturally protect and love them unconditionally.
The disturbing idea that these pure and innocent children were being treated as commercial products, financial investments, or scientific experiments by someone in his own family filled him with a cold, calculated, and unbridled rage that he had never experienced in his entire life. It was a rage that went beyond ordinary rage, transformed into something more primitive and dangerous. At around 5:00 in the morning, as the first golden rays of the sun began to shine on the distant horizon, Eduardo heard the first melodious sounds coming from the children’s room.
Low and crystalline laughter, whispers, happy conversations, such as always magically occur when the three of them naturally wake up. He stood silently and walked carefully towards the half-open door, once again observing the touching scene that had become important and sacred in his daily routine. Pedro was patiently teaching Lucas and Mateus how to make colorful paper airplanes from the pages of a children’s magazine, and the three were having a friendly competition to see who could fly the farthest across the spacious room.
The absolute naturalness with which they interacted, the perfect synchronization of their movements, and the genuine joy on their angelic faces were a brutal contrast to the disturbing and frightening revelations of the previous night. “Good morning, my beloved children,” Eduardo said, calmly entering the room with a forced but loving smile, desperately trying to hide the devastating emotional storm raging inside him. “You slept soundly and peacefully, Papa. We had the exact same dream again,” Pedro said, his green eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
The three of us dreamed that we were on a beautiful, sunny beach, happily playing on the white sand with a gorgeous woman with long, silky hair, and she was singing us a very beautiful, sad song. “Yes,” Lucas finished with a dreamy expression, a song that we seemed to know from a very distant and special place. Mateus nodded enthusiastically, and added specific details that sent shivers down Eduardo’s spine. The beautiful woman had green eyes just like ours and lovingly told us that she had always cared for us with great love, even if we didn’t mean it.
Eduardo immediately recognized the detailed description without the slightest doubt. It was Patricia, as she had often appeared in his own nostalgic dreams during the painful first year after her untimely death. The deep and inexplicable spiritual connection between the three children and the mother they had never met in person was something that transcended any known scientific, medical, or rational explanation, a phenomenon that defied logic and touched the realm of the supernatural. “My dear children,” Eduardo said, sitting affectionately on the floor with them.
“Today, we will have a very special and important day. We will visit Grandma Elena again, and perhaps we will make other important visits for our family. Will we meet more interesting relatives?” Lucas asked with genuine curiosity and bright eyes, full of hope. “Perhaps you will meet some relatives, and perhaps you will discover something very important about yourself and our family,” Eduardo replied. Rosa quietly appeared at the door, carefully carrying an elegant tray with breakfast, specially prepared with love and attention.
Good morning, my dear little angels. Today I prepared special pancakes with honey, just the way you like them. While the children were happily eating breakfast in the luxurious dining room, Eduardo received an urgent call from his personal lawyer, Dr. Roberto. Eduardo, I have very important news about the detailed financial investigation you requested. I have obtained very interesting and revealing documents about your family’s suspicious financial transactions over the past five years. What kind of suspicious transactions? Eduardo asked. Large irregular transfers to unregistered medical clinics, significant payments to private and secret genetic laboratories, and a large sum carefully deposited in an offshore account in the name of Marcia Santos.
Eduardo felt his stomach tighten painfully as his worst suspicions were confirmed. Roberto, I need you to come to my house right now. We have a lot more to discuss in detail. Eduardo, there is something else that is very important and worrying. Marcia Santos was found dead last night in a cheap and dirty hotel in the city center. It seemed like a drug overdose, but there were suspicious circumstances. The news hit Eduardo like a devastating thunderbolt. Marcia was dead, carrying all the important secrets about what really happened to Lucas and Mateus in the early years of their lives.
Roberto, this cannot be a coincidence. Eduardo, I completely agree. A powerful person does not want to talk. We must act quickly to protect these innocent children. After hanging up the phone with trembling hands, Eduardo watched the three children happily playing in the luxurious living room, unaware of the real dangers surrounding them like invisible predators. Marcia’s convenient death certainly confirmed his worst suspicions. There are influential people who are willing to do anything to keep the dark secret about Lucas and Mateus’ artificial origins a secret.
At around 10:00 a.m., Eduardo carefully loaded the three children into the Mercedes and deliberately drove to his mother’s magnificent mansion. Driving quietly through the busy city streets, he prepared the difficult and confronting questions he would have to ask. This time, he would not accept diplomatic evasions, convenient half-truths, or elaborate lies. He needed the whole, raw truth, no matter how disturbing, shocking, or devastating to his understanding of reality.
Doña Elena waited patiently for him on the elegant terrace, but her posture was noticeably different and worried. She looked weaker, older, and more tired, as if she had aged several years in a night of torture. As she watched the car slowly approach, her expression changed to a complex mix of deep guilt, genuine fear, and deadly resignation. “Grandma Elena!” Pedro shouted happily, and ran to hug her as soon as she got out of the car. Lucas and Mateo followed immediately, but with more natural caution, intuitively sensing that something had changed in the respected old woman’s demeanor.
“Hello, my dear and precious ones,” Elena said, her voice completely choked with emotion, hugging the three children with a desperate, almost exhausting intensity. Every day they grew more handsome, smarter, and more like each other. Eduardo watched the interaction with obsessive attention, noticing how his mother hugged the children as if it were the last time she would see them. “Mom, can we talk in private right now, Rosa? You can stay and watch the children lovingly in the garden.”
Eduardo, first of all, I have to apologize to you. Sincere forgiveness for everything we have done, for all the elaborate lies, for all the unnecessary suffering we have caused. Eduardo felt a complex mixture of temporary relief and growing fear. His mother was finally ready to confess everything, but the confession could be more terrible and disastrous than she could have imagined, even in her worst nightmares. In the mansion’s elegant office, Elena sat in her favorite velvet armchair, suddenly looking older than her 65 years.
Eduardo, sit comfortably. What I am about to tell you will completely destroy everything you believe about our venerable family. Mother, I already know that you were directly involved in the artificial creation of Lucas and Mateo. What I need to know is exactly why you did it. Elena took a deep breath as if gathering all the courage she could muster to reveal the darkest and most shameful secret of her life. Eduardo, when Patricia became pregnant with Pedro naturally, we discovered through detailed testing that she had a rare genetic condition that could be passed on to the child.
What specific condition? A genetic predisposition to heart problems with severe congenital anomalies. Specialist doctors said that there was a 50% chance that Pedro would be born with serious and potentially fatal health problems. Eduardo leaned forward carefully, paying attention to every important word. He continued with every detail. His father and I were extremely anxious and scared. The Fernández family has always been characterized by robust health and extraordinary longevity. The terrifying idea of having a sick and frail heir was completely unacceptable to us.
So what exactly did they do? We carefully contacted a renowned scientist, Dr. Marcos Veloso, a world specialist in advanced genetic manipulation. He proposed a revolutionary experimental solution. What specific solution? To create two genetically modified and enhanced children who would be a perfect match for Pedro for organ transplants, but would also have genetically corrected versions of the problematic genes. Eduardo felt a violent rise in nausea in his stomach. They created Lucas and Mateo as spare parts for Pedro. It’s not that simple or cruel, Eduardo.
Dr. Veloso personally assured us that the children would be perfectly healthy and normal, with only a few significant genetic enhancements. What kind of genetic enhancements? Better natural resistance to disease, increased intelligence, extended longevity—it’s like giving them an objectively better life. And how about implanting the artificial embryos in Patricia. Elena is clearly skeptical, struggling with crushing guilt. During a routine prenatal appointment, Dr. Veloso slightly manipulates Patricia and implants the modified embryos. She doesn’t know what really happened.
You criminally violated my wife’s body without her consent. Eduardo. We sincerely thought we were doing everything for everyone. Patricia would have more children, and Pedro would have siblings who could save him if necessary. And when she sadly died in childbirth, it was a completely unexpected complication. Dr. Veloso said it had nothing to do with the experimental procedure. And Marcia? What exactly was her role? Marcia agreed to take care of the two children in exchange for a large sum of money.
She would be like a surrogate mother until they were needed. Needed. For what exactly? To save Pedro if he had heart problems, or to continue the family line with enhanced genes. Eduardo suddenly stood up, nervously pacing around the room with a growing and uncontrollable anger. Mother, they turned innocent children into commodities. They were not products or tools. Eduardo, I know it seems terrible now, but at the time, we thought we could play God in human life. Elena started crying hard.
Eduardo, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for everyone, but you have to understand that we did this out of love. Love for you, love for Pedro, love for the family, love, mother. That’s not love, it’s pure and cruel selfishness. Eduardo, there’s something else you need to know about Lucas and Mateo. What else? They weren’t created with your genes alone. Dr. Veloso uses genetic material from several sources to create perfect profiles. Eduardo stops walking, feeling like the world is spinning violently. From what other sources?
Genes of individuals with superior intelligence, Olympic athletes, people with extraordinary longevity—they’re like a compilation of the best human traits available. So, they’re not even my biological children. Biologically, about 60% of their genes are yours. The rest were artificially selected. Eduardo had to lean against the table to keep from completely losing consciousness. Where is the hooded doctor now? He died in a car accident two years ago. And last night, and Marcia—I already know about Marcia. Conveniently, all the people who know the truth are gone.
Eduardo, no… That’s not what, Mom, it wasn’t planned. It’s inconvenient for witnesses to disappear. Elena remained silent, her expression confirming Eduardo’s worst suspicions. Mom, who else knows about this? Only your Aunt Carolina and me. Your father died with the secret. Carolina knows. He helped fund the project. Yes, he was the one who found Dr. Veloso. Eduardo felt he had uncovered a family conspiracy that went deeper than he had thought. Where was Carolina now?
She had traveled to Europe last night. She said she needed to get away for a while. Run away, you mean? Eduardo looked at the children through the window, watching Pedro teach Lucas and Mateo how to climb the big tree in the garden. Their mothers had lost the right to be a family to these children the moment they decided to create them like pieces in a game. Eduardo’s last words echoed through the office like a final judgment, forever closing the family ties that had been forged over decades.
Elena remained silent for a long time, absorbing the extent of the damage her actions had caused. The weight of guilt seemed physical, her shoulders hunched and her contrite face growing older. Eduardo went to the window and watched the three children in the garden, completely oblivious to the conversation that was binding their fate. Pedro managed to climb the tree and was helping Lucas do the same while Mateo encouraged them from below.
The scene was one of pure innocence, a stark contrast to the sinister complexity of their origins. “Elena,” Eduardo finally said, his voice breaking, “I know I can’t undo what we did. I know I’ve lost the right to be a grandmother to these children, but at least let me contribute financially to their care. Money.” Eduardo looked at her, his eyes cold. “Do you think money can pay for what you did? I don’t know that it can’t be done, but at least I can make sure they have everything they need, that they have everything through my work and my love. “
“I don’t want to use a single cent of that money to finance that mess,” Eduardo replied. Elena lowered her head in acceptance. “And if something happens to you?” he asked. “If they need care that you can’t provide, they will have Rosa, who truly loves them; They will have Dr. Enrique, who is dedicated to taking care of them. They will have people who see them as people, not experiments,” Eduardo replied. Elena approached an old drawer where she kept important documents. “Eduardo, is there anything else you need to know?” she said and took out a folder.
Sealed. These were all the medical documents related to the procedure, everything that Dr. Veloso had documented, all the tests, all the specific changes that had been made. Eduardo hesitantly took the folder. Why are you giving it to me now? Because if anything happens to me, you will need this information. The doctors who treat you in the future need to know exactly what was done. Eduardo tucked the folder under his arm. Is there anything else I should know? One more thing. Carolina left a letter for you, Elena said.
Eduardo read it quickly, frowning. The letter indicated that Carolina had permanently fled to Europe and would never return to Brazil. “At least she had a decent departure,” Eduardo whispered, crumpling up the paper. He headed for the door. “I’ll get the kids.” Eduardo. “Wait.” Elena stopped him. “Can I say goodbye to them properly?” Eduardo paused. He thought for a moment and then thought about everything he had learned. “No, Mom.
They don’t have to bear the burden of saying goodbye to someone they consider a convenience.”
To them, you were the only grandmother they had visited a few times. Inside the house, he found the three children happily playing. “Guys, it’s time to go,” he announced, trying to keep his tone light. As they got into the car, Eduardo listened to the children’s voices in the back seat, feeling an immense amount of love and determination growing in his chest. No matter where they came from in the world, they were now his. That same afternoon, Dr. Henrique returned with more equipment, along with Dr.
Roberto and a new social worker. After examining the children and talking to them at length, everyone agreed that they were in a loving and appropriate environment. Dr. Roberto began the legal process to regularize the children’s status, creating official documentation recognizing them as Eduardo’s adopted children. The process took several months but was successfully completed. That evening, Eduardo gathered the three children in the living room for a momentous conversation. He told them a carefully edited version of the truth.
They were born together, but difficult circumstances separated them as babies, until fate brought them together on that special day on the street. “So, are we really brothers?” Lucas asked. “Yes, they are brothers in blood, heart, and soul,” Eduardo answered. “And we will always be together,” Mateo asked. “Forever. Nothing and no one will ever separate our family again.” In the following months, life settled into a new and stable routine. Lucas and Mateo enrolled in Pedro’s school, where they were noted for their extraordinary intelligence.
Rosa officially assumed the role of guardian of the three children. Dr. Enrique became the family’s exclusive pediatrician, carefully monitoring the children’s health. Three months later, Dr. Roberto concluded all legal proceedings. Lucas and Mateo Fernández officially existed with the proper documents and all the rights of biological children. Eduardo’s business flourished during that time as if a newfound love had revitalized every aspect of his life. Elena kept her promise to stay away by only sending cards occasionally.
Carolina remained in Europe, sending an annual letter full of regret. A year later, Eduardo organized a family reunion party, inviting only the people who were truly important. At dinner, he toasted. This party celebrated not only our first year together, but also the fact that families were formed in unexpected and miraculous ways. The years passed peacefully. The three children grew up as an inseparable unit, developing unique personalities but maintaining an unbreakable bond. Pedro became the natural leader, Lucas the brilliant academic, and Mateo the sensitive artist.
Eduardo watched their development with pride, noting that the genetic enhancements manifested themselves in subtle ways – extraordinary intelligence, resistance to disease, remarkable emotional intelligence – but he decided that it didn’t matter whether it was a result of the changes or simply the unconditional love he had created for them. When they were 10, Eduardo finally felt confident enough to talk about Patricia, showing pictures and telling stories about the mother who still appeared in the children’s dreams. By the age of 15, they had grown into extraordinary youth.
Pedro showed an interest in medicine. Lucas was passionate about scientific research, and Mateo emerged as a talented artist. Eduardo supported them unconditionally, always reminding them that their choices should be driven by passion, not by expectations of their enhanced abilities. Rosa and Dr. Enrique remained central figures in the family, offering constant love and guidance. Eduardo kept the original medical records locked away, rarely consulting them, accepting that his children’s identities transcended their artificial origins. On their 18th birthday, Eduardo offered to show them the complete records.
To their surprise, the three unanimously refused. Pedro said, “Dad, we know we were created specially, but that’s history. What matters is who we are now and who we choose to be.” In the years that followed, the three followed different but similar paths. Pedro became a pediatric cardiologist. Lucas earned a doctorate in bioethics focused on genetic manipulation. And Mateo became a well-known artist. They all married, started families, and maintained the special bond of childhood. Eduardo grew up well, surrounded by an extended family that included his three sons, their wives, and eventually seven grandchildren.
Rosa and Dr. Enrique remained in the family until their last days, loved like the pillars they truly were. When Eduardo was 70, the children threw a party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their reunion. During the celebration, Pedro gave a moving speech. “Dad, you could have continued that day, but you chose to stop, listen, and love. You taught us that family is not about genes, but about choosing to love and build something beautiful together.” Eduardo looked at his reunited family, three extraordinary children, their families, and all the people who chose to be part of this shared history.
He thought of the origins of science that had become meaningless in the face of the simple fact that they were complete people, capable of loving and finding meaning in their lives. The story began with manipulation and lies, but ended with love and family. That night, Eduardo slept peacefully, knowing that he had fulfilled the most important promise of his life. And for the first time that day on the street, he did not dream of the past, but of the beautiful future that his children would continue to build together.