“Father, those two children sleeping in the trash look like me,” said Pedro, pointing to the little ones huddled together on an old mattress on the sidewalk. Eduardo Fernández stopped and followed his 5-year-old son’s finger with his eyes. Two children, seemingly the same age, slept huddled together among garbage bags, dirty, with torn clothes, their bare feet bruised and injured.

The bus driver felt a pang in his chest when he saw him, but he tried to take Pedro’s hand and walk together toward the car. He had just picked him up from the private school he attended, and, as every Friday afternoon, they were heading home through the city center. It was a route Eduardo usually avoided, always preferring to go through the wealthier neighborhoods. But the heavy traffic and accidents on the main avenue had forced them to go through this poorer, more run-down area.

The narrow streets were filled with homeless people, street vendors, and children playing among the garbage piled up on the sidewalks. Yet, with surprising strength and speed, the boy broke free and darted toward the children, completely ignoring his father’s protests. Eduardo followed him, worried not only about how he would react to seeing so much misery up close, but also about the dangers the area posed. There were police reports of robberies, drug trafficking, and violence.

Their expensive clothes and the gold watches on their wrists made them easy targets. Pedro knelt beside the filthy mattress and watched the faces of the two boys, who slept soundly, exhausted from life on the streets. One had light brown hair, wavy and disheveled despite the dust, just like his father’s; the other was dark-haired, with slightly darker corners of his eyes. But both had facial features very similar to his own: the same arched, expressive eyebrows, the same delicate, oval face, even the same dimple in his upper lip that Pedro had inherited from his late mother.

Eduardo approached slowly, his composure growing, but it soon transformed into something close to pain. There was something deeply disturbing about that resemblance, something that went far beyond mere coincidence. It was as if he were seeing three versions of the same creature at different points in its life. “Pedro, let’s go right now. We can’t stay here,” Eduardo said, trying to raise his shoulder firmly, though without taking his eyes off the sleeping children, unable to tear his gaze away from that impossible vision.

“They look a lot like me, Dad. Look at their eyes,” Pedro insisted as one of the little ones stirred slowly and opened his eyes with difficulty. To the sleepy boy, they revealed two green eyes identical to Pedro’s, not only in color, but also in their almost identical shape, the intensity of their gaze, and that natural sparkle that Eduardo knew so well. The boy startled at the sight of strangers nearby and quickly woke his brother with gentle, though somewhat rough, taps on his shoulder.

The two jumped, hugging each other, visibly trembling, not just from the cold, but from sheer, intuitive fear. Eduardo noticed that they both had the exact same curls as Pedro, only in different shades, 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 boy, instinctively pulling away from his younger brother, in a protective gesture that Eduardo immediately recognized with a shiver.

It was exactly like how Pedro protected his younger classmates at school when a bully tried to intimidate them. The same defensive movement, the same courageous stance despite his obvious fear. The bully felt his legs tremble violently and had to lean against a brick wall to keep from falling. The resemblance between the three boys was striking, terrifying, impossible to attribute to chance. Every gesture, every expression, every body movement was identical. The dark-haired boy’s eyes widened, and Eduardo nearly fainted from fright.

They were Pedro’s piercing green eyes, but there was something even more unsettling about them. The expression of curiosity mixed with caution, the particular way he frowned when he was confused or frightened, even the way he shuddered slightly when he felt afraid. Everything was exactly the same as what Eduardo saw in his shop every day. The three of them were the same height, the same slender build, and together they seemed like perfect reflections in a broken mirror. Eduardo pressed himself even harder against the wall, feeling as if the world were spilling out around him.

“What are your names?” Pedro asked with the innocence of a five-year-old, sitting on the dirty sidewalk, worried about getting his expensive school uniform dirty. “I’m Lucas,” the brown-haired boy replied, relaxing as he realized that this boy his own age posed no threat, unlike the adults who usually chased them away from public spaces. “And this is Mateo, my little brother,” he added, gesturing affectionately to the dark-haired boy beside him. Eduardo felt the world spin even faster, as if the ground had vanished beneath his feet.

Those were the same names he and Patricia had chosen for their other two children in case the complicated pregnancy resulted in triplets; names written on a piece of paper carefully kept in the bedside table drawer, discussed during long sleepless nights, names he had never mentioned to Pedro or anyone else after his death.

Life’s death. It was an utterly impossible murder, a terrifying crime that defied all logic and reason. “They live here on the street,” Pedro remarked, hiding behind the children as if it were the most natural thing in the world, rubbing Lucas’s dirty hands with a familiarity that disturbed Eduardo even more.

“We don’t have a real home,” Mateo said, his voice weak and hoarse, probably from crying or begging for help. “The nanny who was looking after us said she didn’t have any more money to help us and had brought us here in the middle of the night. She said someone would show us how to get help.” Eduardo approached even more slowly, desperately trying to process what he saw and heard without losing his composure. The three of them not only seemed to be the same age and had similar physical features, but they also shared the same automatic and cognitive gestures.

All three of them scratched their heads behind their right ear in the same way when they were expectant. All three bit their lower lip in the same spot when they hesitated before speaking. All three blinked in the same way when they were concentrating. They were small details, imperceptible to most, but devastating to a father who knew his son’s every gesture. “How long have you been here alone on the street?” Eduardo asked, his voice cracking, leaning against Pedro on the dirty sidewalk, not caring about the filth.

“Three days and three nights,” Lucas answered, carefully linking his small, dirty fingers, but with a precision that belied intelligence. “Marcia brought us here at dawn when the pastor was out on the street and said she’d come back the next day with food and clean clothes. But she still hasn’t returned.” Eduardo felt his blood run cold, as if a bolt of lightning had struck him. Marcia. That name echoed in his mind like a dull rumble of thunder, stirring 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 right after her sister’s traumatic birth and death. Patricia had spoken many times, describing how she suffered severe financial hardship, drug addiction, and abusive relationships. She had borrowed money countless times during Patricia’s pregnancy, always with different excuses, and then vanished without a trace.

A woman who had been present at the hospital throughout the delivery asked strange questions about the medical procedures and what would happen to the babies in case of complications. Pedro looked at his father with green eyes, filled with tears, and gently touched Lucas’s arm. “Dad, they’re so hungry. Look how thin and weak they are.” We can’t leave them here alone. Eduardo looked more closely at the two boys in the dim light and saw that, indeed, they were badly injured.

Their patched clothes hung like rags from their frail bodies. Their faces were pale and gaunt, with deep dark circles under their eyes. Their dull, tired eyes betrayed days without proper nutrition or restful sleep. Beside them, on the filthy 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 scavenging in the garbage for something to eat.

“Did you get anything to eat today?” Eduardo asked, crouching down to the children’s level, trying to control the rising excitement in his voice. “Yesterday morning, a lady who works at the bakery on the corner gave us a stale sandwich to share,” Mateo said, looking down, embarrassed by the situation. “But we haven’t gotten anything today. Some people walk by, look at us with pity, but pretend not to see us and keep walking briskly.” Pedro immediately pulled a whole package of filled cookies from his expensive school backpack and offered it to the children with a spontaneous and grotesque gesture that filled Eduardo with paternal pride and existential terror at the same time.

They can eat anything. My dad always buys me extra, and we have lots of delicious food at home. Lucas and Mateo looked directly at Eduardo, asking permission with wide, hopeful eyes, a natural gesture of courtesy and respect that contrasted sharply with the desperate and degrading situation they were in. Someone had taught these abandoned children good manners and values. Eduardo was perplexed, still trying to understand what was happening before his eyes, what force of fate had placed these children in his path.

They shared the cookies with a tenderness and care that deeply moved Eduardo. Gently, they broke each cookie in half. They always offered each other their hands before eating. They chewed slowly, savoring each piece as if it were a real cake. There was no hurry, no greed, only pure gratitude. Thank you.

“That makes perfect sense,” they said aloud. And Eduardo was absolutely certain he had heard those voices before, not just once or twice, but thousands of times.

It wasn’t just the childlike, high-pitched tone, but the specific pronunciation, the particular rhythm of their speech, the exact way each word was pronounced. Everything was absolutely identical to Pedro’s voice. It was like listening to recordings of his voice at different times in his life. As I watched the three children together, sitting on the dirty floor, the similarities became increasingly obvious and unsettling, impossible to ignore or rationalize. It wasn’t just the striking physical resemblance, the cognitive and automatic gestures, the particular way they tilted their heads slightly to the right when they were paying attention to something, even the specific way they smiled, showing their upper teeth first.

Everything was identical in every detail. Pedro seemed to have found two exact versions of himself, living in miserable conditions in the world. “Do you know anything about who your real parents are?” Eduardo asked, trying to keep his voice controlled and casual, even though his heart was beating so hard it hurt in his chest. “Marcia always said that our mom died in the hospital when we were born,” Lucas explained, repeating the words as if they were a lesson memorized and recited a thousand times, “and that our dad couldn’t take care of us because he already had another young child to raise and couldn’t.”

Eduardo felt his heart race violently, pounding so hard he was sure everyone could hear it. Patricia had indeed died during the complicated delivery, losing a lot of blood and going into shock. And Marcia had mysteriously disappeared right after the fire, claiming she couldn’t bear to stay in the city where her sister had died so young. But now everything was terrifying and devastating. Marcia hadn’t just run away from the pain and the painful memories. She’d taken something precious with her, someone with her: two children.

“And do you remember anything from when you were babies?” Eduardo insisted, his hands visibly trembling as he obsessively examined every detail of the children’s angelic faces, searching for more similarities. “More evidence. We almost remember,” Mateo said, shaking his head sadly. “Marcia always said that we were born with another brother on the same day, but that he stayed with our father because he was stronger and healthier. And we stayed with her because we needed special care.”

Pedro opened his green eyes in a way Eduardo knew all too well: that expression of sadness, of terrifying understanding, that appeared when he solved a difficult problem or grasped something complex. “Dad, they’re talking about me, aren’t they? I’m the brother who stayed with you because I was stronger, and they’re my brothers who stayed with their father.” Eduardo had to brace himself with both hands against the rough wall to keep from collapsing completely. The pieces of the most terrible puzzle of his life fell into place brutally and defiantly before his eyes.

Patricia’s extremely complicated pregnancy, her perpetually high blood pressure and constant threats of premature labor, the traumatic delivery that lasted over 18 hours, the severe hemorrhaging, the desperate moments when the doctors fought tirelessly to save both mother and child. He vaguely remembered the doctors talking endlessly about serious complications, about difficult medical decisions, about saving whoever could be saved. He remembered Patricia slowly dying in his arms, whispering broken words that he couldn’t understand at the time, but which caused him terrible pain.

And he remembered Marcia perfectly, always present at the hospital during those days, always expectant and anxious, always asking detailed questions about the medical procedures and what exactly would happen to the children in case of serious complications or their mother’s death. “Lucas, Mateo,” Eduardo said, his voice trembling and broken, as tears began to stream freely down his face, undeterred. “Would you like to come home, take a hot shower, and eat something delicious?”

The two children looked at each other with the natural, learned anguish of those forced by cruel circumstances to believe, in the worst possible way, that all adults had ill intentions toward them. They had spent entire days in the dangerous streets, exposed to all kinds of risks, violence, and exploitation. “You’re not going to hurt yourself later, are you?” Lucas asked in a frightened little voice that revealed both a desperate hope and a pure, irrational fear.

“Never, I promise,” Pedro replied immediately, before his father could even open his mouth, quickly sitting up and extending both little hands toward Lucas and Mateo. “My dad is very good and loving. He takes very good care of me every day, and he can take care of you too, like a real family.” —Eduard

I watched, fascinated, the absolutely stunning naturalness with which Pedro spoke to the children, as if he had known them intimately for years. There was an inexplicable and powerful connection between the three of them, something that went far beyond their striking physical resemblance.

It was as if they recognized each other intuitively, as if an emotional and spiritual bond existed between them that completely transcended logic and reason. “Okay then,” Mateo finally said, stopping slowly and carefully taking the plastic bag containing the few meager possessions they had in the world. “But if they attack us or try to hurt us, we know how to run away quickly and hide. We’ll always be vulnerable,” Eduardo assured them with absolute seriousness, watching with a heavy heart as Mateo carefully packed the remains of the stale bread into the bag, even though he already knew they would eat something much better.

It was pure survival instinct, typical of someone who knows reality and its devastating consequences intimately. As they walked slowly through the crowded streets toward the luxury car, Eduardo noticed that practically everyone who passed by stared at them, stopped, whispered to each other, and discreetly pointed. It was impossible not to notice that they looked like identical triplets. Some more curious passersby stopped completely. They made admiring comments about the striking resemblance. Others even surreptitiously took photos of them with their phones. Pedro held Lucas’s hand firmly, and Lucas held Mateo’s, as if it were something completely intuitive and natural, as if they had always walked the streets of life like this.

“Dad,” Pedro said softly, stopping abruptly in the middle of the crowded sidewalk and looking directly into his father’s eyes. “I always dreamed I had brothers who looked like me. I dreamed we played together every day, that they knew the same things I did, that we were never alone or sad. And now they’re really here, as if by magic.” Eduardo felt a shiver run through him at Pedro’s words.

On the way to the car, he watched the three of them with an obsessive attention, bordering on parapoia. The way Lucas helped Mateo walk when he stumbled was identical to the way Pedro always helped the most fragile or weak people. The way Mateo carefully held the plastic bag with his meager belongings was exactly the same as the extreme care Pedro showed with his favorite toys or objects he considered important.

Even the natural cadence of their steps was perfectly synchronized, as if the three of them had meticulously rehearsed that walk for years. Eduardo noticed that they all stepped right onto the sidewalk first, that they slightly swung their left arm as they walked, and that they instinctively glanced sideways before crossing the street. These were small details that a casual observer might overlook, but they were devastatingly significant to a father who knew his children’s every move intimately.

When they finally reached the black Mercedes parked on the busy corner, Lucas and Mateus stopped abruptly in front of the vehicle, their eyes wide with admiration and amazement. “Is it really yours, sir?” Lucas asked, reverently touching the immaculate, gleaming body. “It belongs to my dad,” Pedro replied with the naturalness typical of someone raised in luxury. “We always take it to school, to the club, to the mall, and anywhere else we need to go.”

Eduardo watched intently as the children’s astonished reaction was revealed by the beige leather interior and gleaming gold details. There was no trace of envy, greed, or resentment in their eyes, only pure curiosity and respectful admiration. Mateus ran his small, dirty hand over the plush seats with profound reverence, as if touching something sacred and untouchable. “I’ve never in my life traveled in such a beautiful and fragrant car,” he whispered, his voice filled with deep admiration.

“It looks like one of those cars on TV where rich celebrities drive.” Throughout the silent drive to the imposing mansion in the city’s most exclusive neighborhood, Eduardo didn’t take his eyes off the rearview mirror for a single second. The three children chatted animatedly in the back seat, like old friends reuniting after a long and painful separation. Pedro excitedly pointed out the city’s tourist attractions and landmarks out the window.

Lucas asked intelligent and insightful questions about absolutely everything he saw along the way. And Mateus listened with rapt attention, occasionally making perceptive comments that revealed an impressive and unsettling maturity for a child of only 5 years old. “That tall building you see over there is where my dad works every day,” Pedro explained, pointing enthusiastically at the mirrored glass skyscraper. “He owns a big company that builds paint houses.”

“Is it for rich people, and are you going to work there with him when you grow up?” Lucas asked curiously.

“I don’t know yet. Sometimes I think about becoming a doctor to help sick children who can’t afford treatment.” Eduardo almost lost control of the steering wheel when he heard those words. Being a doctor was precisely the dream he himself had passionately cherished in his childhood, long before family circumstances forced him to inherit the lucrative family business. It was a long-held and profound desire he had always shared with Pedro, because he didn’t want to artificially influence his future career decisions.

“I want to be a doctor when I grow up, too,” said Mateus with surprising determination to take good care of poor people who can’t afford expensive consultations or medicine. “I want to be a teacher,” added Lucas with the same conviction, “to teach them to read, write, and do math, even if they’re poor.” Eduardo’s eyes filled with tears. The three boys had noble and altruistic dreams, completely aligned with the ethical and moral values ​​he had worked hard to instill in them. Pedro had been much loved since childhood.

It was as if they shared not only physical appearance, but also character, principles, and even their deepest dreams. When they finally arrived at the majestic mansion, with its sprawling, perfectly manicured gardens and imposing classical architecture, Lucas and Mateo were completely awestruck. The three-story house, with its enormous white columns and gleaming glass windows, seemed like a true royal palace to two boys who had spent so many nights outside the city.

“Do you really live here, in this mansion?” Mateus asked, his voice almost inaudible with astonishment. “It’s very big and beautiful. It must have about a hundred rooms.” “It has twenty-two in total,” Pedro corrected with a proud, innocent smile. “But we only really use a few. The others are always closed because it’s too big for just two people.” Rosa Oliveira, the experienced housekeeper who had lovingly cared for the house for exactly fifteen years, appeared immediately in the front door with her ever-elegant bearing and impeccable professionalism.

When Eduardo arrived unexpectedly with three identical children, her expression shifted from interest to utter astonishment. She had known Pedro since he was an aristocrat, and the physical resemblance was so uncanny that she dropped the heavy keys she was holding with a loud clatter. “My God,” she murmured softly, crossing herself three times. “Mr. Eduardo, what an impossible story! How can there be three identical Pedros? Rosa, I’ll explain everything to you later, calmly,” said Eduardo, hurrying into the house with the three children.

“For now, I urge you to prepare a very hot bath for Lucas and Mateus, and something rich and nutritious for them to eat in abundance.” The woman, still completely bewildered by this surreal situation, immediately regained her maternal and protective instincts. She observed the two visibly malnourished children with great compassion and practical care. “These little ones urgently need specialized medical attention, Mr. Eduardo. They are extremely overweight, pale, and covered in wounds. They appear not to have eaten properly in weeks.” Eduardo murmured to himself, though his mind was focused on far more complex and confusing matters.

He desperately needed to confirm his growing suspicions before making any final decisions that could affect everyone’s future. While Rosa carefully guided Lucas and Mateus to the spacious downstairs bathroom, Pedro stood thoughtfully beside his father in the luxurious living room, gazing out the window at where his possible siblings were bathing. “Dad, are they really my brothers?” he asked with the earnestness of someone who already knew the answer. Eduardo crouched down, gently took his small shoulders in his hands, and looked him straight in his bright green eyes.

Pedro, it’s quite possible, my boy, but I need absolute scientific certainty before stating anything definitively. I’m completely sure—Pedro affirmed with growing conviction, placing his little hand on his chest. I feel it inside. It’s as if a very important part of me, which had always been… After his disappearance, he finally returned home. Eduardo hugged him tightly, trying to contain the avalanche of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. Pedro’s pure intuition coincided perfectly with all the accumulated evidence, but he needed irrefutable scientific proof before accepting such a shocking reality that would change his life.

When Lucas and Mateo finally emerged from the bathroom, dressed in Pedro’s clothes that fit them perfectly, the physical resemblance became even more obvious and striking. With their shoes, shoes, and carefully styled hair

With their hair and angelic faces free from the grime of the streets, the three children looked like idyllic reflections in perfect mirrors. It was impossible to distinguish any significant difference between them, except for the slightly different shades of their hair. Rosa appeared with a large tray full of delicious sandwiches, a variety of fresh fruit, cold whole milk, and still-warm homemade cookies.

The children began to eat with impeccable politeness, but Eduardo watched with a heavy heart as they devoured absolutely everything with desperate speed, still driven by the primal instincts of gluttony and predation. “Slow down, my little ones,” Rosa said with materialistic affection. “There’s much more delicious food in the kitchen. You’re not in a hurry. You can eat all you want. I’m sorry, Doña Rosa,” Lucas said, embarrassed, stopping immediately. “It’s been a long time since we ate properly. We’ve forgotten how to behave.”

You don’t have to apologize, my son. Eat in peace and quiet. This house is yours too. Eduardo strategically used this moment of calm to make some very important phone calls. First, he contacted his trusted family doctor, Dr. Erika Almeida, a renowned and respected pediatrician who had closely followed Pedro since birth and knew the family’s entire medical history. “Dr. Eriksson, I need a very big personal favor. Could you come to my house tonight?”

It’s a very delicate medical situation involving children. Of course, Eduardo, did something serious happen to Pedro? Pedro is perfectly fine, but unfortunately, I need to perform detailed DNA tests on three children, including him. There was a long and significant gap at the other end of his life. DNA. Eduardo, what is this complicated situation about? I prefer to explain everything to you in person when you arrive. Can you bring the complete kit for collecting samples? Yes, no problem. I’ll be there in two hours at the most.

The second call was to his trusted lawyer, Dr. Roberto Méndez, a renowned specialist in family law and child custody. “Roberto, I urgently request your expert assistance with an extremely delicate family matter. What happened, Eduardo? You may have two other biological children besides Pedro. Children who, let’s say, were irregularly separated from you at birth.” “How so, irregularly separated?” “Eduardo, you have me very worried and confused. It’s a long and complicated story.”

I urgently need to know what my legal rights are as a biological father and how I should proceed correctly. I’ll come in early tomorrow. Don’t do anything rash until we’ve discussed it in detail. While Eduardo was making those calls in his office, the three boys played harmoniously in the luxurious living room, as if they were lifelong brothers. Pedro proudly showed off his expensive toys and collections. Lucas demonstrated creative games he had learned during his hard life on the streets. And Mateus told fantastic stories that came to him on the spot.

The natural synchronicity between the three was both disconcerting and beautiful to observe. They laughed in unison, gestured idiosyncratically as they spoke, and even breathed in sync. “Pedro,” Eduardo said, calmly returning to the room after finishing his calls. “I need to ask Lucas and Mateus some important questions. Can they help their dad?” “Of course, Dad. You can ask anything you want.” Eduardo sat comfortably on the bench next to the boys, trying to maintain a casual and relaxed demeanor despite the crucial importance of the information he desperately sought.

Lucas manages to recall something specific from when they were babies. Every detail, no matter how small. “Marcia always said we were born in a very big and famous hospital,” Lucas said thoughtfully, frowning in awareness. “She said it was very difficult and dangerous, that she had to make tough decisions about who to save first.” “Choosing who to save,” Eduardo repeated, feeling his heart pound. “She also said our mother was very sick and weak, and that the head doctor said they couldn’t save everyone at the same time.”

Then he had to decide to save us. Eduardo felt like the world was spinning uncontrollably around him. This version fit perfectly with his fragmented and painful memories of the hospital that terrible night. He clearly remembered the doctors speaking gravely about difficult decisions, about emergency priorities, about saving whoever was possible given the circumstances. And they knew exactly which hospital they had been born in. “Hospital Sap Vicepte,” Mateus answered immediately, without hesitation. Marcia always took us there when we were sick or needed medicine.

Eduardo fainted. The Sap Vicepte Hospital was the same expensive private hospital where Pedro had been born, where Patricia had fought for her life and ultimately died. A hospital frequented exclusively by the elite.

by the city’s economic elite. It made sense that supposedly abandoned children would receive regular medical care there, unless there was legitimate, documented family protection. And Marcia, what was she like? Do you remember her well? She looked a lot like our biological mother, Lucas said thoughtfully.

She had long, straight black hair, large, dark eyes, and always smelled strongly of cigarettes mixed with sweet perfume. Eduardo felt a chill. It was a perfect, detailed description of Marcia, Patricia’s younger sister. Every detail matched his memories of his troubled sister-in-law exactly, but she was always very nervous and agitated—Mateus remarked with unsettling seriousness—especially when she saw police officers in the street or when a stranger asked her questions.

What kind of questions exactly made her uncomfortable? About who our real father was, about our family? About where we came from? Lucas explained in detail. She always told us never to talk about those important things with… strangers because it was dangerous. Eduardo immediately understood that Marcia lived in constant fear of being discovered and exposed. The behavior the children described was absolutely typical of someone hiding something extremely serious with grave legal consequences and the possibility of going to prison. And were they really happy?

So, were they happy living with Marcia? The two boys looked at each other with a deep, mature sadness that broke Eduardo’s heart. It was an expression of pain that a child must know so intimately. “We loved her because she took care of us,” Mateús said diplomatically, choosing his words carefully. “But she always said that taking care of us was very difficult and exhausting, that she had sacrificed her whole life for us, and sometimes she would disappear for days,” Lucas added, his voice breaking.

She would leave us completely alone at home or with unknown neighbors who didn’t even know our names. Eduardo felt a growing oppression in his chest. He was angry with Marcia for having lied and manipulated the truth. He reproached himself for not having sought more information. He reproached himself for the cruel fate that had brutally separated his children, but at the same time, he felt an immense and liberating relief at finding them alive and relatively well. “Dad,” Pedro said softly, interrupting his father’s thoughts.

“Now we can be together forever. Lucas and Mateus can live here in our house with us as a real family.” Eduardo gazed into the three pairs of utterly idyllic green eyes that watched him with expectation and hope, awaiting a final answer that would forever and irreversibly change all their lives. The responsibility was overwhelming and terrifying, but the certainty growing in his heart was absolutely unshakeable. “If you truly want to stay, and if all the tests confirm what I firmly believe they will, the three of you will never be separated again, not even for a single day,” he said solemnly.

Eduardo’s words echoed in the Room of the Lustful, like a sacred promise. The three children embraced each other with overwhelming emotional force, forming a perfect circle of pure and unexpected joy. Lucas and Mateo began to weep inconsolably, but their tears were crystalline, born of relief and renewed hope, without a trace of sadness or despair. Pedro held their little hands with a protective firmness, as if he wanted to physically ensure they would never be separated again, as if he could prevent cruel fate from tearing them apart once more.

Eduardo watched the scene unfold, his heart literally overflowing with contradictory and overwhelming emotions. On one hand, he felt indescribable happiness at having found the children he believed lost forever since the traumatic moment of their birth. On the other, he was overcome by a growing and paralyzing anxiety. How could he explain this impossible situation to the outside world, to conservative society, to the competition authorities? How could he justify the strange appearance of two children identical to his soul? How could he prove that there was no wrongdoing or crime behind it all?

At that moment, Rosa appeared silently in the elegant doorway of the drawing room, carefully carrying more food from the party on a silver tray. She stopped short when she saw the three children huddled together on the marble floor, and her eyes, full of experience, filled with tears of deep sadness and heartache. “Mr. Eduardo,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion, “in all these long years of dedicated work in this house, I have never seen Pedro so…” Very happy and content.

It’s as if he’s finally found an essential part of himself that he wasn’t even consciously aware he’d lost. Rosa, you can stay and take good care of them while I anxiously await the doctor’s arrival. I need to make some very important calls. Of course, Mr. Eduardo, I will.

Take care of the three of them as if they were my own grandchildren. Eduardo slowly made his way up to the elegant second-floor office, but before he arrived, he heard a melodious laugh coming from the living room. It was a pure, crystalline laugh, the purest he had ever heard in his life.

Pedro laughed with unrestrained joy, without reservation or melancholy. During his beloved son’s five years of life, Eduardo had always perceived in the boy a certain inexplicable sadness, as if something essential were forever missing. Now, hearing that nervous and contagious laughter, he understood with absolute clarity that Pedro had always felt a deep sadness for the absence of his siblings, even though he hadn’t consciously known of their existence. In the orderly silence of the office, Eduardo turned on his modern computer and began meticulously researching everything he could about Marcia Satos, Patricia’s troubled sister.

He found detailed records of address changes, some police reports for minor offenses, and a very troubling history of chronic financial instability. But what shocked him most was discovering that Marcia had mysteriously received a considerable sum of money from an unknown source right around the time of the children’s traumatic birth. It was as if someone powerful had deliberately paid her to disappear with the babies and never return. Eduardo’s growing suspicions immediately turned to his own family.

The Ferpádez family had always been excessively traditional, conservative, and obsessed with an impeccable public image. Having triplets in a complicated and uncontrolled pregnancy, with the young mother tragically dying in childbirth, could have been interpreted as a devastating tragedy, something that had to be hidden at all costs. Perhaps her own conservative and cold parents orchestrated that cruel and inhumane separation. Suddenly, the telephone rang loudly, interrupting her somber thoughts. It was Dr.

Eprique calling from his car. Eduardo, I’ll be there in a few minutes. I brought absolutely everything necessary for the DNA tests, but I must warn you that the full results will be ready in exactly 72 hours. Dr. Eprique, in addition to the DNA, I need you to carefully examine the two children. They’ve been living on the streets and may have developed serious health problems. Don’t worry, I brought my full first-aid kit. We’ll do a thorough evaluation of everything. When Eduardo calmly descended the marble stairs, he found a domestic scene that moved him more than anything in his adult life.

Rosa had meticulously prepared an impeccable dinner on the elegant living room table, and the three boys, seated politely like little gentlemen, chatted animatedly about their dreams and plans for the future. A natural harmony existed between them that transcended all logic. “When I’m a doctor,” said Pedro, his green eyes twinkling, “I’m going to have a big hospital just to take care of poor children who don’t have a penny. And I’m going to be a doctor too,” added Mateo with equal determination.

“But I’m going to lovingly care for abandoned animals, because they suffer just like people.” “And I’m going to be a teacher,” Lucas said with admirable conviction, “patiently teaching children who have never had the opportunity to truly study.” Eduardo was deeply impressed by the natural way the three of them projected a shared and integrated vision of the future, as if they had always intuitively known they were destined for life. It was as if they shared not only spirits, but also values, dreams, and an ideological worldview.

Dr. Eprique arrived promptly at the agreed-upon time, carefully carrying two heavy, professional medical bags. He was a distinguished 60-year-old doctor with completely gray hair and elegant gold-rimmed glasses that inspired immediate confidence and credibility. He had known Eduardo since university and had professionally handled the entire devastating tragedy of Pedro’s birth and Patricia’s death. Eduardo left the room calmly, stopping abruptly when he saw the three children together.

“My God, what an incredible resemblance! It is precisely because of this inexplicable resemblance that I feel an overwhelming need to speak with you,” Eduardo replied seriously. Dr. Eprique approached the boy cautiously, with the care and gentleness of an experienced pediatrician who had dedicated decades to children’s care. “Hello, dear child. I am Dr. Eprique, Pedro’s family doctor for many years. You can affectionately call me Dr. Eprique.” “Hello, doctor,” Lucas and Mateus said with the impeccable courtesy that Eduardo had repeatedly noticed and admired.

“I need to run some very simple medical tests on you. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt at all, I promise.” While the doctor meticulously examined the children with specialized instruments, Eduardo explained everything to them.

A complex situation with meticulous detail. Dr. Eprique listened attentively, with growing astonishment and medical and ethical understanding. Eduardo, if all this is scientifically confirmed, we are facing an extremely delicate and illegal medical situation. These children were criminally deprived not only of their biological family, but also of adequate and irregular medical care.

The detailed medical examination revealed that Lucas and Mateus were in visibly deteriorated health, with mild but persistent anemia and some significant vitamin deficiencies. However, there was a problem that could not be fully reversed with proper nutrition, nutritional supplementation, and regular medical care. They will require intensive nutritional support and medical follow-up for the next six months, the doctor explained with professional seriousness. But they are naturally strong and resilient children. With proper care, they will make a full recovery. The collection of material for the DNA test was surprisingly quick and painless.

Dr. Eprique carefully took saliva samples from the three children using special sterile swabs. He meticulously labeled everything with specific codes and stored it in appropriate airtight containers. “Eduardo,” he said, “I will personally take this valuable material to the most reliable and discreet 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 the cozy room for a serious and important conversation. “Children,” he said, “I need to explain something very important to you so that you fully understand.”

“There’s a real possibility you’re biological brothers, but we must wait patiently for scientific proof to officially confirm it.” “We already know with absolute certainty that we’re brothers,” said Peter with wavering conviction. “No scientific proof is needed to confirm what we already feel. I know it perfectly well, my dear friend. But adults and the authorities require irrefutable scientific proof to make important legal decisions.” “And if the test says we really are brothers?” asked Lucas with visible anxiety.

We can stay here in this house forever. If the result is positive, the three of you will never be separated again, not even for a single day. That is my most sacred promise. Mateus, who had remained thoughtful and silent throughout the conversation, finally spoke in a soft but firm voice. Mr. Eduardo, can we really call you Dad? The sudden question was like an emotional punch to Eduardo’s gut. For exactly five wonderful years, only Pedro had called him Dad.

Hearing that sacred word from the lips of a child he had met just hours before awakened profound feelings he hadn’t even known existed in his heart. “Can I call myself whatever I feel most comfortable with?” he replied, his voice breaking with emotion. “You’ve always been our dad,” Lucas said with touching simplicity. “And we’ll never be alone or abandoned again.” On that special and transformative night, Eduardo made sure Lucas and Mateus slept in luxurious rooms next to Pedro’s, but the three boys insisted on sleeping together in Pedro’s living room.

“We’ve slept separately our whole lives,” Pedro explained with a mixture of seriousness and tenderness. “Now we want to be together to make up for lost time.” Eduardo immediately agreed, deeply moved by his compelling desire to be physically close after years of forced separation. He placed extra mattresses on the floor of Pedro’s room and arranged a sort of cozy family camp. As the children quietly settled down for bed, Rosa discreetly approached Eduardo with a serious expression. “Mr. Eduardo, may I tell you something important?” “Of course, Rosa, speak frankly.”

I have worked diligently with children for over 30 years of my life. I have seen many different and complex situations, but what happened here today in this house was the work of God. These children recognized each other in a way that defies human explanation. Do you really believe they are twins? Mr. Eduardo, I don’t need a DNA test to be sure. Just observe closely how they normally behave together. They are like three perfect puzzle pieces that fit together flawlessly.

Before going to bed, Eduardo quietly went to the children’s room to say a loving goodnight. He found the three of them lying side by side on their mattresses, with Pedro strategically positioned in the middle, firmly holding Lucas and Mateus’s hands like a protector. “Dad,” Pedro whispered into the darkness, “thank you so much for finding my lost brothers. Thank you for taking us in off the street,” Lucas whispered with boundless gratitude. “Thank you for not throwing us out,” Mateus added, his voice filled with emotion.

Eduardo gently kissed the foreheads of the three children, feeling an emotional and spiritual fullness he had never experienced in his entire adult life. Good night, my beloved children. Sleep in peace.

Safe. Dad is here watching over you forever. Later, completely alone in his quiet room, Eduardo resolutely called his mother, Doña Elepa Fernández, the traditional matriarch of the family. “Mom, I have to tell you something very important.” “What happened, Eduardo? Did something serious happen to Pedro?”

Pedro is perfectly fine, but today I found two abandoned children who could be my biological sons. There was a long, painful silence on the other side of life. How exactly is that, Eduardo? Two children identical to Pedro. I firmly believe they are the other babies who were born with him that terrible night. Eduardo, you’re completely delusional. Pedro was an only child from the beginning. There were absolutely no other babies at the birth. Mom, I clearly remember confused fragments of that traumatic birth.

I remember the doctors talking with great concern about difficult decisions, about saving whomever humanly possible. And these children know intimate details that they could only know if they were actually born in that specific hospital, or on that exact day. That’s completely impossible and absurd. If there had been other babies, I would know everything. You know that perfectly well, Mom. Now I’m absolutely certain of it, and I want to know immediately what exactly happened to my missing children. The silence that followed was deafening and filled with anguish.

Eduardo could clearly hear his mother’s ragged, labored breathing on the other side of the room. “Eduardo, come back early tomorrow. We need to talk about all this in person.” “Why can’t you tell me right now?” “Because it’s a very delicate conversation that needs to be done 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 trembling hands, Eduardo lay awake all night, staring out the large window and obsessively thinking about everything that had happened on that absolutely extraordinary day, the day that had changed his life.

In less than twelve hours, his life had changed completely and irreversibly. From being a loving father of an only child, he had become the devoted father of triplets. From a small, controlled family, he had become responsible for three children who desperately needed care, unconditional love, and constant protection. But the most painful thing of all was discovering that for five long years he had lived an elaborate and cruel lie. His other two biological children had not died at birth, as he had always sincerely believed.

They had been deliberately separated, criminally hidden, and raised away from him for reasons he still didn’t fully understand. Through the silent window, Eduardo could see the first ray of golden sunlight peeking majestically over the horizon. A new day was slowly dawning, and with it the tangible promise of definitive answers to the questions that had tormented him for years. “Tomorrow, at last, we will know the whole truth,” he murmured to himself, thinking sadly of the three children sleeping peacefully in the next room, finally reunited after five cruel years of forced and unnecessary separation.

Morpig arrived earlier than expected, drawn by the soft sounds of the children moving in the next room. It was barely six o’clock when Eduardo heard giggles and whispers coming from Pedro’s room. He got up quietly and, peeking through the half-open door, saw a scene that filled him with both sadness and melancholy. The three of them were sitting in a circle on the floor, still in their pajamas, sharing cookies that Pedro had hidden in a drawer.

Lucas was teaching Mateus a magic trick while Pedro watched intently, trying to learn as well. It was as if they were making up for years of lost playtime. “Good morning, boys,” said Eduardo, coming out of the room with a radiant smile. “Did you sleep well?” “Dad, it was the best night of my life,” Pedro replied immediately. “I dreamt we were flying together through the sky. I dreamt we were flying too,” Lucas added, amazed. “And there was a beautiful woman smiling down at us from above.” Eduardo felt a shiver run down his throat.

Patricia had always said that, upon dying, she wished to fly free like a bird. It was possible the children had dreamed of the mother they never knew. “And I dreamed we lived in a big house with a garden full of flowers,” added Mateus. “And we had a brown dog that played with us.” Eduardo almost fell over. Before she died, Patricia had planned to buy a Golden Retriever to keep the baby company, a dream she had always told Pedro about.

At that moment, Rosa appeared in the doorway with a tray of hot chocolate and freshly baked rolls. “Good morning, my little ones. Eat a good breakfast, because today will be an important day.” While the children were eating breakfast, Eduardo received an unexpected call. It was Dr. Roberto, his lawyer, calling early.

It was more than expected. Eduardo, I need to talk to you urgently. Something serious happened last night. What happened, Roberto? The police received an urgent report of child abduction. Someone said you have two children in your house against their will.

Eduardo felt a chill. “What do you mean by kidnapping? Those children were abducted off the street.” “I know, but the report has already been filed, and now the Child Protection Council is waiting for the visit. They could arrive at any moment.” “Roberto, those children are my children.” “I’m sure they are, Eduardo, but until we have the DNA test, legally they are still missing children. You must fully cooperate with the authorities.” After getting up, Eduardo gathered the children in the living room.

I had to prepare them for whatever might happen. Boys, important people might come today and ask you questions. I hope you always answer truthfully. Okay? What kind of questions? Lucas asked, listening to Eduardo’s voice, about how they had gotten there, how they felt, if anyone had forced them to stay. “No one forced us,” Mateus said firmly. “We chose to stay because this is our home.” Then Pedro went up to his father and took his hand. “Dad, they’re not going to separate us, are they?”

I’ll do everything I can to prevent that from happening, so… At 9:00 a.m., two cars pulled off the road. A social worker, a psychologist, and a representative from the Guardianship Council came out of the first building. Two uninformed police officers came out of the second. Eduardo opened the door before the doorbell rang. “Good morning. I imagine you’re here about the children, Mr. Eduardo Fernández,” asked the social worker, a middle-aged woman with glasses and a stiff posture.

I’m Dr. Marisa Silva from the Guardianship Council. We received a report about two children who were supposedly being held against their will at your home. The children aren’t being held against their will; they’re being cared for because I found them abandoned on the street. Even so, we need to speak with them separately to assess the situation. Eduardo agreed, but asked to attend the interviews. The psychologist, Dr. Carmel, was more interested than the social worker. Mr. Eduardo, we’ll first speak with the children together and then with each one separately. It’s important that they feel comfortable.

The three little boys were taken to the living room, where they sat side by side on the large sofa. The resemblance between them did not go unnoticed. “My God!” one of the police officers murmured to his partner. “They look like identical triplets.” Dr. Carmel stopped in front of them. “Hello, children. I’m Dr. Carmel, and I’m here to talk to you. Can you tell me how you got to this house?” Pedro answered first, “My dad and I were coming home from school when we saw Lucas and Mateo sleeping in the street.”

I told my dad they looked like me. “And you expected to come here?” the psychologist asked Lucas and Mateo. “Yes,” Lucas answered without hesitation. Pedro said this would be our home too. “They’re happy here. Very happy,” Mateo said. “For the first time in our lives, we have a real family.” The social worker intervened in a more stern tone. “Children, do you know you can’t stay with strangers? Where are the adults who used to take care of you?” “Marcia left us on the street and never came back,” Lucas explained.

“She told us she was going to get us as a family, but she lied. And who is this Marcia?” “She was our mother’s sister,” Mateo replied, “but she didn’t really like taking care of us.” For two hours, the staff asked detailed questions and spoke with the children individually, with Eduardo and also with Rosa. The housekeeper was very insistent on clarifying the situation. “Doctor,” Rosa told the psychologist, “I’ve been working with children for over 30 years. These little ones aren’t being coerced or abused.” “On the contrary,” the social worker observed, “I’ve never seen such happy and well-adjusted children, but the resemblance between them is striking.”

“How do you explain this?” “I explain it because they’re siblings,” Eduardo stated firmly. “We’ve already collected samples for the DNA test. We’ll have confirmation in two days. Until then, the children must remain in state custody,” the social worker declared. “It’s standard procedure.” “No!” Pedro shouted, jumping up from the sofa. “You can’t take my brothers away from me.” Lucas and Mateo began to cry, hugging Pedro. “Please, don’t separate us again,” Lucas pleaded. The psychologist observed their reactions with professional attention.

“Dr. Marisa, these children are highly emotionally sensitive. Separating them now could cause them psychological trauma. But the protocol must consider the children’s well-being,” the psychologist said, interrupted. “I suggest they remain here under supervision until the DNA test results are available.” After a lengthy discussion, the officials reached a provisional agreement. The children could stay with Eduardo, but there would be daily visits from the Guardianship Council and staff from the institution.

The situation would be reassessed immediately. “Mr. Eduardo,” the social worker said before leaving, “any irregularities will result in the children being removed immediately.” After the authorities left, Eduardo hugged all three of them.

“Everything will be alright. In two days we’ll have proof that they’re siblings. Come on, Dad,” said Pedro, “why do some people want to tear families apart? Sometimes, Pedro, people don’t understand that family isn’t just about those who share the same last name, but about those who truly love each other.” That afternoon, Eduardo decided to take the children to visit Grandma Elepa. It was time to confront the past and uncover the truth about what had happened five years earlier. The Fernández mansion was located in an even more luxurious neighborhood, with immense gardens and imposing architecture.

When they arrived, Doña Elepa was waiting for them on the terrace, elegantly dressed as always. When she saw the three children get out of the stroller, her expression changed drastically. “My God,” she murmured, placing her hand on her chest. “How is this possible?” “Hello, Grandma Elepa,” said Pedro, hugging her. “I brought my brothers so you can meet them.” Elepa looked at Lucas and Mateo as if she were seeing ghosts. Her hands were visibly trembling. “Eduardo,” she said, her voice breaking, “we need to talk right away. First, I want you to meet Lucas and Mateo.” Eduardo replied, bringing the two boys closer.

Children, this is Grandma Elepa, Dad’s mother. “Hello, Grandma,” they said shyly. Elepa stared at the children, taking in every detail of their faces. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. “They look so much like Pedro when he was a baby,” she whispered. “And they also look so much like Patricia.” Eduardo realized his mother knew more than she had let on. “Mom, do you recognize these children?” Elepa stood up slowly, wiping away her tears. Eduardo sent the children out to play in the yard.

We need to talk about things you shouldn’t hear yet. Children, go outside and play. Rosa will go with you. When the little ones left, Elepa slumped heavily into an armchair. Eduardo, sit down. What I’m about to tell you will change everything you believe about that terrible night. Eduardo sat across from 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 was dying. There were three premature babies, and the doctors said they couldn’t save them all.

Look. Your father and I made a terrible decision that night. We decided it was better to save one strong baby than to lose all three. Eduardo felt a lump in his throat. They chose Pedro and abandoned my other children. We didn’t abandon them. Marcia offered to take care of the other two. We thought it would be best. And they never told me. Eduardo, you were devastated by Patricia’s death. We thought it would be better not to complicate your grief any further.

Complicate things. Mom, you stole two of my children from me. You made me live five years believing they were dead. Elepa began to cry. Eduardo, I’m sorry. We thought we were doing what was best for everyone. The best. And where was Marcia all these years? Why did she abandon the children? Marcia… Marcia developed problems with drugs. Two years ago we lost all contact with her. Eduardo stood up, pacing the room with growing anger. You destroyed these children’s lives. They could have grown up with me, with love and care.

Eduardo. It was a desperate decision. It was a criminal decision. Eduardo stopped in front of his mother. Now I want you to help me fix this situation. I waited for all the documents, all the paperwork related to the birth of the three of them. Elepa shuddered, weeping. Eduardo, there’s something else you should know. What else? The babies weren’t just born prematurely, they were born with a rare genetic condition that could cause them health problems in the future. Eduardo shuddered. What kind of problems?

Heart problems. All three might need corrective surgery when they’re older. And they hid it, too. The doctors said Pedro was fine to live, and the other two preferred to die away from me. Elepa couldn’t answer. Eduardo left the room and went to find the children in the garden. He found the three of them playing happily with Rosa, completely unaware of the traumatic conversation that had taken place. “Children, let’s go home,” Eduardo said, trying to control his emotions. “Have we met Grandma yet?” Pedro asked, “and does she love you as much as I do?”

On the way home, Pedro noticed his father was nervous. “Dad, Grandma Elepa said something sad.” Eduardo took a deep breath before answering. “Pedro, sometimes adults make very serious mistakes when trying to protect those they love. Grandma made a mistake a long time ago, but now we’re going to fix everything and we’ll be together forever, my son. Nothing and no one will ever separate us again.” That night, while the children slept, Eduardo received an unexpected call.

It was Dr. Eprique.

Eduardo, I need to speak with you urgently. It’s about the child’s tests. Is there a problem, Eduardo? I found something in the blood tests that you need to know about immediately. Eduardo’s heart raced at the sound of Dr. Eprique’s extremely composed and serious tone. There was something about the way the doctor, always so experienced and controlled, spoke that stirred a primal and devastating fear in the young man’s chest. For the past two intense and emotionally draining days, Eduardo had experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, swinging rapidly from the immense joy of being reunited with his children, whom he thought he had lost forever, to the paralyzing terror of losing them again to the authorities. Now he faced the terrifying possibility that something far more complex, stranger, and more disturbing was happening in his life. “Dr. Eduardo, what specific kind of medical problem did you find in the children’s tests?” Eduardo asked, desperately trying to keep his voice steady as he felt his hands tremble involuntarily like leaves in the wind. “Eduardo, I prefer to discuss this over the phone. It’s an extremely delicate, complex, and potentially dangerous matter that requires a detailed, personal explanation.”

I can come by your house right now. The children have been sound asleep for several hours. Wouldn’t it be better to talk first thing tomorrow? Eduardo, this can’t wait until tomorrow. It concerns her critical condition and something extremely disturbing I discovered in the old medical records I was able to access through special contacts at the hospital. A chilling, terrifying shiver ran through Eduardo’s body. Specific, complete, and detailed medical records of Patricia’s traumatic delivery. There is crucial information that completely contradicts everything you think you know about that terrible birth.

Doctor, you’re scaring and distressing me greatly. What exactly are you talking about? I’ll be at your house in 20 minutes. Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally, because what I’m about to reveal will radically and irreversibly change your understanding of everything that has happened. Eduardo sat up, his hands trembling as if he’d been given an electric shock. He walked slowly to the children’s room and watched them sleeping peacefully, curled up together, as they did every night. Pedro was in the middle, protecting Lucas and Mateo as always with his small but determined arms.

They were a poignant image of pure, unconditional brotherly love, a stark contrast to the growing storm of certainty and terror in Eduardo’s tormented mind. Exactly 20 minutes later, Dr. Eriksie arrived promptly, carrying a large, heavy folder and wearing a somber, worried expression—the most serious Eduardo had ever seen on his normally childlike and reassuring face. There was something deeply unsettling about the doctor’s demeanor, a palpable alertness that put Eduardo on high alert.

Eduardo, let’s go to your private office immediately. We need complete privacy for this very delicate conversation. In the quiet, secluded office, Dr. Eriksie carefully placed the folder on the mahogany desk and slowly opened it, revealing old medical documents, complex laboratory analyses, and yellowed photographs that Eduardo didn’t immediately recognize, but which felt strangely familiar. Eduardo, first I want you to sit comfortably and prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for what I’m about to reveal to you. This is an extremely complex, delicate, and potentially explosive medical and ethical situation.

Doctor, please get straight to the point. I’m desperate, very worried, and anxious. Very well. First, the blood tests definitively confirmed my initial medical suspicions. Lucas and Mateo have the exact same rare congenital heart defect as Pedro. It’s an extremely rare genetic anomaly that affects approximately one in every 100,000 people. Eduardo sighed momentarily in relief, feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders. “So yes, they are my biological sons. The DNA test will confirm it scientifically, Eduardo.”

“Here’s the devastating problem. DNA will likely confirm you’re biological siblings, but it might not confirm you’re their direct biological father. How is that possible?” “I don’t understand.” Dr. Eprique carefully removed an old, yellowed document from the folder. “This is the complete and detailed medical report of Patricia’s traumatic birth, which I was able to access thanks to special, confidential contacts at the hospital. Eduardo, that terrible birth was far more complicated and disturbing than you remember or were led to believe.”

Please explain. Patricia wasn’t having triplets; she was only pregnant with Pedro. But during the prolonged and painful labor, a serious and unexplained medical emergency occurred. She began having violent seizures and massive internal bleeding that the doctors were unable to control adequately. Eduard

Or he lunged forward, obsessively listening to every crucial word. The experienced doctors performed an emergency cesarean section to save Pedro and desperately tried to save Patricia, but during the surgery they discovered something completely unexpected and scientifically disturbing.

What exactly did they discover, doctor? There were two more developed children in Patricia’s womb, but they weren’t biologically hers. Eduardo was paralyzed. What do you mean they weren’t hers? She’d been pregnant for months. Eduardo, this may seem impossible and absurd, but the medical evidence is irrefutable and scientifically documented. Patricia suffered from what doctors call superfetation, an extremely rare condition in which a pregnant woman ovulates again and becomes pregnant again during the same pre-existing pregnancy. Is that really possible?

Yes, it’s possible, but extraordinarily rare. It happens when a woman ovulates during an established pregnancy and has sex with another man or through artificial insemination. Eduardo felt like his world was collapsing around him. He’s telling me straight up that Patricia cheated on me with another man. Not necessarily a deliberate betrayal. There’s another possibility, even more disturbing. Dr. Heriquoe carefully removed detailed medical photographs from the folder. They were technical photographs of the surgical procedure performed that night. The two children found in Patricia’s womb were approximately two weeks younger than Pedro’s.

“And what does that mean scientifically?” Eduardo asked. “It means they were conceived exactly two weeks after Pedro.” “But Eduardo, here comes the most disturbing and terrifying part. These children had physical and genetic characteristics that strongly suggest they weren’t conceived naturally. What do you mean by ‘naturally’? Explain in detail, Doctor. There is irrefutable medical evidence that these children were the direct result of in vitro fertilization (IVF), or advanced artificial fertilization. Someone with specialized medical knowledge implanted artificially developed embryos into Patricia’s uterus, without her knowledge or yours.”

Eduardo ran out, pacing frantically around the room in a state of total and devastating shock. This is absolutely insane. Who would do something so monstrous and cruel? Eduardo, that’s precisely the question that kept me awake all night. Who had regular physical access to Patricia? Who knew her medical history in detail? Who stood to gain significantly from such a complex situation? Doctor, are you implying that someone in my family is involved? I maintain that someone with considerable resources deliberately and in cold blood orchestrated this entire situation.

And that person certainly had significant financial resources and direct access to extremely advanced medical technology. Eduardo stopped abruptly and stared at the doctor. Marcia… Marcia was always present at the hospital asking specific and detailed medical questions. Marcia may have been an important part of the plan, but she definitely wasn’t the mastermind behind it all. She simply didn’t have the financial resources or the technical expertise for something so sophisticated and complex. Then who exactly? Eduardo asked. Dr. Eriksie hesitated before answering cautiously.

Eduardo, I need to ask you an extremely difficult and delicate question. Your family has always shown an obsessive interest in having more direct heirs. My parents always desperately longed for more grandchildren. But, Eduardo, what if someone influential in your family coldly decided to artificially create more heirs through genetic manipulation? The suggestion was so absurd and disturbing that Eduardo had to sit down again, feeling dizzy. Doctor, this sounds like something out of an impossible science fiction movie. Eduardo, the medical technology for this existed perfectly well five years ago, and your family has the financial resources and influential medical connections to carry out something like this.

But why would they do something so drastic without telling me anything at all? Perhaps because they knew perfectly well that you would never agree to it willingly, or because they wanted to have total and absolute control over these artificially created children. Eduardo ran his hands through his hair fervently, trying to process information that completely defied his basic understanding of reality. Even if this is true, these children are completely irresponsible. They desperately need proper medical care and universal love. I completely agree, but, Eduardo, there are more serious medical complications. If these children were indeed artificially created using manipulated genetic material from your family, they could have other serious health problems.

Not yet detected in the initial screenings, I need to undergo much more detailed and specific testing. What kind of medical problems? Degenerative neurological issues, severe immune deficiencies, or a significantly reduced lifespan?