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

The businessman felt pain in his chest when he saw him, but he tried to pull Pedro’s hand and continue walking toward the car. He had just picked him up from the private school he attended and, like every Friday afternoon, he was returning home by car. It was a route that Eduardo usually avoided, always preferring to go through the richer neighborhoods. But the traffic and the accident on the main avenue forced them to go through this poorer, more run-down area.

The narrow streets were filled with homeless people, wandering villagers, and children playing in the trash piled up on the sidewalks. However, the boy broke free with surprising force and ran toward the children, completely ignoring his father’s protests. Eduardo followed, worried not only by his reaction to seeing such misery up close, but also by the dangers the area represented. There were reports of robberies, drug trafficking and violence along the coast.

Her expensive clothes and the gold watch on her wrist made them easy targets. Pedro knelt down next to the cracked mattress and looked at the faces of the two children sleeping soundly, exhausted from life on the streets. One had light brown hair, soft and shiny despite the dust, just like his, and the other had dark skin, slightly darker. But both had very similar facial features: the same arched and expressive eyebrows, the same delicate, oval face, even the same dimple in the chin that Pedro had inherited from his late mother.

Eduardo approached slowly, his expression growing, but it soon turned into something close to panic. There was something deeply disturbing about this resemblance, something that went far beyond mere coincidence. It was as if he were seeing three versions of the same creature at different moments in his life. “Pedro, let’s go right now.” “We can’t stay here,” said Eduardo, trying to firmly lift his son, even if he couldn’t take his eyes off the sleeping children, unable to take his eyes off that impossible sight.

—He looks like me, Dad. Look at his eyes, —insisted Pedro. One of the little ones moved slowly and opened his eyes with difficulty. To stop him from sleeping, he revealed two green eyes identical to Pedro’s, not only in color, but also in their almond shape, in the intensity of their gaze and in that parental shine that Eduardo knew well too. The boy was startled to see strangers nearby and quickly woke up his brother with gentle, but urgent, pats on the shoulder.

The two of them jumped, hugging each other, visibly trembling, not just from the cold, but from pure fear. Eduardo noticed that they both had exactly the same curls as Pedro, only they were all different, and had the same body posture, the same way of moving, even the same breathing when they were nervous. “Please don’t hurt us,” said the brunette, moving in close to his better brother, a protective gesture that Eduardo immediately recognized with a shiver.

It was exactly the same as Pedro protecting his younger classmates at school when the bully tried to intimidate them. The same defensive move, the same brave stance despite his visible fear. The businessman noticed his legs were trembling violently and he had to lean against a brick wall to avoid falling. The resemblance between the three children was astonishing, terrifying, impossible to attribute to chance. Every gesture, every expression, every body movement was identical. The dark-skinned boy opened his eyes wide, and Eduardo almost fainted at the moment.

It was Pedro’s penetrating green eyes, but there was something even more disturbing in them. The expression of curiosity mixed with caution, the particular way his brow furrowed when he was frowning or angry, even the way it twitched slightly when he looked afraid. Everything was exactly the same as what his son saw every day. All three of them had the same height, the same slim build, and together they seemed like perfect reflections in a fragmented mirror. Eduardo pressed himself closer to the wall, feeling the world spinning around him.

“What’s your name?” asked Pedro, with the innocence of his five years, sitting on the sidewalk, not worrying about spending his expensive school year. “I’m Lυcas,” replied the brown-haired boy, relaxing when he realized that this boy his age didn’t represent a threat, unlike the adults who used to chase them out of public spaces. “And this is Mateo, my better brother,” he added, pointing sideways at the dark-haired boy standing next to him. Eduardo felt the world spinning even faster, as if the ground had disappeared beneath 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 jotted down on a notepad fondly saved in the drawer of the nightstand, scribbled for long nights, names he had never mentioned to Pedro or to anyone since his wife’s death. It was an absolutely impossible and terrifying coincidence that defied all logic and reason. “He lives here on the street,” Pedro said, talking to the children about parental responsibility, brushing against Locas’s harsh familiarity with a familiarity that bothered Eduardo even more.

“We don’t have a real home,” Mateo said in a weak, raspy voice, probably trying to cry or ask for help. The aunt who was taking care of us said she already had money for us and brought us here tonight. She said someone would show up to help us. Eduardo approached even more slowly, desperately trying to process what he was seeing and hearing without losing his mind. The three of them not only seemed to have the same age and the same physical features, but they also shared the same automatic and icy gestures.

All three of them scratched their heads behind their right ear in the same way when they were nervous. All three of them bit their lower lips in the same way when they did before speaking. All three of them blinked in the same way when they were concentrating. These were small details, imperceptible to most people, but devastating to the father, who knew his son’s every gesture. “How long have you been here alone on the street?” asked Eduardo, his voice completely broken, kneeling next to Pedro on the dirty sidewalk, not caring about the expensive suit.

“Three days and three nights,” Locas replied, touching them carefully with his sharp little fingers, but with a precision that betrayed his intelligence. “Aunt Marcia brought us here at dawn, just as we had left the street, and said she would return the next day with food and clean clothes. But she hasn’t returned yet. Eduardo felt his blood run cold in his veins, as if an electric shock had passed through his body. Marcia.” That man resounded like a deafening crash, awakening memories that he had tried to bury for years.

Marcia was the name of Patricia’s older sister, a troubled and unstable woman who had completely disappeared from the family’s life immediately after her sister’s traumatic pregnancy and death. Patricia had spoken of her on numerous occasions, describing her severe financial difficulties, drug problems, and abusive relationships. She had borrowed money countless times during Patricia’s pregnancy, always with various excuses, and then vanished without a trace of her address.

A woman who was present at the hospital during the entire birth, asking 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 real tears, gently touching Locas’s arm. Dad, you’re so hungry. Look how thin and weak you are. We can’t leave you here alone. Eduardo looked more closely at the two children under the light and saw that, indeed, they were seriously injured.

Their threadbare, patched-up clothes hung like rags from their fragile bodies. Their faces were pale and chapped, covered with deep dark circles. Their dull, tired eyes betrayed days of inadequate rest and restful sleep. Next to them, on the cracked mattress, lay a nearly empty water bottle and a torn plastic bag with scraps of paper. Their little hands were dirty and bruised, with cuts and scrapes, probably from rummaging through the garbage for something edible.

“Did you eat anything today?” Eduardo asked, kneeling down at the children’s feet, trying to control the emotion that crept into his voice. “Yesterday morning, the man who works at the bakery on the corner gave us an old sandwich to share,” Mateo said, his gaze lowered, embarrassed by the situation. “But today I gave them nothing. Something happened, I looked at them with pity, but I figured I saw them and kept walking quickly.” Pedro immediately took a whole package of filled cookies out of his expensive school backpack and offered them to the children in a spontaneous and generous gesture that filled Eduardo with parental pride and existential terror at the same time.

You can eat anything. My dad always buys me more, and we have tons of delicious food at home. Lúcas and Mateo looked directly at Eduardo, asking for permission with grateful, hopeful eyes, a paternal gesture of courtesy and respect that contrasted dramatically with the desperate and degrading situation they found themselves in. Someone had taught these dejected children good manners and values. Eduardo nodded, still desperately trying to understand what was happening to him, what force of fate had put them on their path.

They shared the cookies with such delicacy and affection that deeply moved Eduardo. They carefully broke each cookie in half. They always offered them to each other before eating. They chewed slowly, savoring each piece as if it were the real thing. No rush or greed, just for gratitude. “Thank you very much,” they said to the other. And Eduardo was absolutely sure that he had heard those voices before, or just once or twice, maybe thousands of times.

It wasn’t just the sharp, uneasy tone, but the specific phasing, the particular rhythm of speech, the exact way each word was pronounced. Everything was absolutely identical to Pedro’s voice. It was like listening to recordings of your son at different moments in his life. As I watched the three young children, sitting alone, the similarities became more and more evident and terrifying, impossible to ignore or rationalize. It wasn’t just the striking physical resemblance, the eccentric and automatic gestures, the particular way he tilted his head slightly to the right that paid attention to something, even the specific way he looked, first showing the upper limbs.

Everything was identical in every detail. Pedro seemed to have found two exact versions of himself, living in miserable conditions. “Do you know anything about your real parents?” Eduardo asked, trying to keep his voice controlled and quiet, his heart beating so hard it hurt in his chest. “Aunt Marcia always said that her mother died in the hospital with us,” Locas explained, repeating the words as if they were a lesson memorized and repeated a thousand times, and that her father couldn’t take care of them because he already had another small son to raise alone and he wasn’t up to anything.

Eduardo felt his heart beating hard, so hard that he was sure everyone could hear it. Patricia had died during the complicated birth, losing a lot of blood and suffering from shock. And Marcia had mysteriously disappeared right after the funeral, claiming she couldn’t bear to stay in the city where her sister had died so young. But now everything took on a terrifying and devastating meaning. Marcia hadn’t only died of pain and sad memories. He had taken something precious, someone, two children.

“And do you remember anything about each other as babies?” Eduardo insisted, his hands visibly trembling as he obsessively observed every detail of the children’s angelic faces, searching for more similarities. “More evidence. We hardly remember anything,” Mateo said, shaking his head sadly. Aunt Marcia always said that we became another brother on the same day, but that he stayed as the father because he was stronger and wiser. And we became hers because we needed special care.

Pedro opened his green eyes in a way that Eduardo knew only too well, that repetitive and terrifying expression of understanding that appeared when solving a difficult problem or understanding something complex. Dad, you’re talking about me, right? I’m the brother who stayed with you because he was stronger, and they are my brothers who were left with their aunt. Eduardo had to lean with both hands against the rough wall in order to avoid fainting completely. The pieces of the most terrible puzzle of your life are brutally and definitely in front of your eyes.

Patricia’s extremely complicated pregnancy, the consistently high blood pressure and constant costs, the threats of premature labor, the traumatic delivery that lasted more than 18 hours, the severe hemorrhages, the desperate struggles the doctors had to fight tirelessly to save the mother and children. She vaguely remembered the doctors talking urgently about serious complications, about difficult medical decisions, about saving whoever was possible. He remembered Patricia dying slowly in his arms, whispering clipped words that he could have heard at that moment, but that now felt terrible.

And he remembered Marcia perfectly, always present at the hospital during those stressful days, always compassionate and attentive, always asking detailed questions about the medical procedures and what exactly would happen to the children in case of serious complications or the mother’s death. “Crazy, Mateo,” Eduardo said, his voice trembling and breaking, while tears ran freely down his face without trying to hide them. “Would you like to go home, have a warm shower, and eat something delicious and nourishing?”

The two children looked at each other with parental distrust and, due to cruel circumstances, were forced to understand in the worst possible way what all adults had against them. They had spent days and days on the dangerous streets, exposed to all kinds of risks, violence and exploitation. “Aren’t you going to hurt us later?” Locas asked, her voice weak and harsh, revealing 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 hands to Locas and Mateo. “My dad is very good and loving. He takes care of me well every day, and he can take care of you too, like a real family.” Eduardo watched, fascinated, the impressive parental way 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 positively, as if there were an emotional and spiritual bond between them that completely transcended logic and reason. “Okay,” Mateo finally said, slowly getting up and carefully taking the torn plastic bag that contained the few meager possessions he had in his hand. “But if we’re bad or you hurt us, we know how to run fast and hide. We’ll never be bad,” Eduardo assured them with absolute sincerity, watching with a heavy heart as Mateo carefully kept the remains of the bread in the bag, since he already knew he would eat something much better.

It was a matter of survival, typical of someone who knows real, devastating hunger firsthand. As he walked slowly through the crowded streets toward the luxury car, Eduardo noticed that virtually everyone he passed looked at them, stopped, talked to each other, and discreetly pointed at them. It was impossible to realize that they looked like identical triplets. Some curious people stopped completely. They made admiring comments about the uncanny resemblance. Others even took photos surreptitiously with their phones. Pedro firmly took Luke’s hand, and Luke took Mateo’s, as if it were something completely institutional and patrimonial, as if he had always walked the streets of life like this.

“Dad,” Pedro said repeatedly, stopping in the middle of the dead sidewalk and looking directly into his father’s eyes. “I always dreamed of having brothers who looked just like me. I dreamed that we played together every day, that he knew the same thing I did, that we were never alone and sad. And now he’s here for real, as if by magic.” Eduardo felt a shiver run through his body when he heard Pedro’s words.

During the walk to the car, I watched every movement of the three of them with an obsessive attention that bordered on paranoia. The way Locas helped Mateo walk whenever he stumbled was identical to the way Pedro always helped the most fragile or needy people. The way Mateo carefully held the plastic bag with his miserable belongings was exactly the same as the extreme care Pedro showed with his favorite toys and objects he considered important.

Even the patral cadence of their steps was perfectly syncopated, as if the three of them had meticulously rehearsed this walk for years. Eduardo noticed that all three of them landed with their right foot first when they stepped onto the sidewalk, that each of them slightly balanced their left arms as they walked, that each of them looked selectively to the sides before crossing any street. These were small details that might go unnoticed by the casual observer, but were devastatingly significant to the father who knew his son’s every move intimately.

When they finally reached the black Mercedes parked on the busy corner, Locas and Mateus stopped and stared at the vehicle, their eyes wide open, filled with wonder and amazement. “Is it really me, sir?” Locas asked, touched by the shiny, immaculate bodywork and reverence. “It’s my dad’s,” Pedro replied with the patrimony of someone who grew up surrounded by love. We always take him to school, to the club, to the mall and anywhere else we have to go.

Eduardo watched intently as the children’s ecstatic reaction to the aesthetic beige leather interior and the subtle gold details was revealed. There was no trace of envy, greed, or resentment in his eyes, only curiosity and respectful admiration. Mateus walked around the soft seats with extreme reverence, as if touching something sacred and untouchable. “I’ve never traveled in such a beautiful and frigate car in my life,” he exclaimed, his voice filled with joyful admiration.

It looks like one of those cars on TV where rich celebrities ride. During the entire silent ride to the imposing mansion located in the most exclusive neighborhood in the city, Eduardo couldn’t take his eyes off the rearview mirror for a second. The three children chatted affectionately in the back seat, as if they were old friends reunited after a long and painful separation. Pedro, coп eпtυsiasmo, pointed out from the sidewalk the tourist attractions and important places in the city.

Pedro asked intelligent and insightful questions about everything he saw along the way. And Mateus listened, rapt, occasionally making insightful comments that revealed an impressive and disturbing experience for his barely 5-year-old boy. “That tall building you see over there is where my dad works every day,” Pedro explained, pointing with rapt attention at the mirrored glass skyscraper. “There’s a big company that builds nice houses for wealthy people, and you’re going to work there when you’re big?” Locas asked curiously.

I still don’t know. Sometimes I think about being a doctor to help sick children who don’t have money to pay for their treatment. Eduardo almost lost control of the steering wheel when he heard those words. Being a doctor had been exactly the dream he himself had cherished as a passion in his profession, long before being forced by family circumstances to inherit the lucrative family business. It was an old and deep desire that Pedro shared with him because he did not want to artificially influence his future professional decisions.

“I want to be a doctor when I grow up too,” Mateus said repeatedly, with a surprising determination to take good care of poor people who don’t have the money to pay for expensive medicines. “I want to be a teacher,” Locas added, with the same conviction, to teach them reading, writing, and arithmetic, even if they were poor. Tears glistened in Eduardo’s eyes. The three children had poor and altruistic dreams, totally aligned with the ethical and moral values ​​that he had strived to instill in Pedro since he was a child.

It was as if they shared not only the physical appearance, but also his character, principles, and even his deepest dreams. When they finally arrived at the majestic mansion, with its vast, manicured gardens and imposing classical architecture, Lucas and Mateus were completely paralyzed at the main entrance. The three-story house, with its enormous white domes and shimmering vegetation, looked like an aesthetic royal palace for two children who had slept so many nights outdoors on the dangerous streets of the city.

“Do you really live in this huge house?” Mateus asked, his voice almost trembling with astonishment. “It’s huge and beautiful. It must have hundreds of different rooms. There are 22 in total,” Pedro corrected him with a proud, ignorant smile. “But in reality, there are only a few of us. The rest always remain closed because it’s too big for two people.” Rosa Oliveira, the experienced housekeeper who had been dedicatedly looking after the house for exactly 15 years, appeared immediately at the door with her always elegant bearing and impeccable professionalism.

When she saw Eduardo arrive unexpectedly with three identical children, her expression went from interest to complete surprise. She had known Pedro intimately since he was a baby, and the physical resemblance was so incredible that she dropped the heavy keys she was holding with a thud. “My God!” she muttered in a low voice, shaking herself three times in a row. “Señor Eduardo, what impossible story is this? How can there be three identical Pedros?” “Rosa, I’ll explain everything to you soon, calm down,” said Eduardo, rushing out of the house with the three children.

“For now, I urgently need you to prepare a very warm bath for Locas and Mateus, and something tasty and nourishing for them to eat.” The woman, still completely bewildered by this surreal situation, immediately regained her material and protective composure. She looked at the two visibly devastated children with practical compassion and concern. “These little ones need urgent specialized medical attention, Mr. Eduardo. They are extremely thin, pale, and covered in wounds. It seems they haven’t eaten well in weeks.” Eduardo nodded in silence, although his mind was focused on much more urgent and complex issues.

He desperately needed to confirm his growing suspicions before making any definitive decisions that could affect everyone’s future. While Rosa carefully escorted Locas and Mateus to the spacious bathroom downstairs, Pedro stood thoughtfully next to his father in the luxurious living room, looking across the window at where his possible siblings were bathing. “Dad, are you really my brothers?” he asked with the seriousness of someone who already knew the answer. Eduardo knelt in front of his son, took his small shoulders in his hands and looked directly into his bright green eyes.

Pedro, it’s very possible, my son, but I need absolute scientific certainty before I say anything definitive. I’m completely sure now. Pedro affirmed with unshakeable conviction, bringing his little hand to his chest. I feel it right there inside. It’s as if a very important part of me, which had always been missing, had finally come home. Eduardo hugged him tightly, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that threatened to completely overflow. Pedro’s attitude coincided perfectly with all the accumulated evidence, but he needed irrefutable scientific proof before accepting such a shocking and life-changing reality.

When Lúcas and Mateu finally emerged from the long bath, dressed in Pedro’s clean clothes, which fitted them perfectly in every detail, their physical resemblance became even more evident and surprising. With their clean, shiny, and neatly combed hair, and their angelic faces, free of the grime of the street, the three children seemed like identical reflections in perfect mirrors. It was impossible to distinguish any significant differences between them, except for the slight differences in the color of their hair. Then Rosa appeared with a large tray full of tasty sandwiches, a variety of fresh fruit, cold milk and warm homemade cookies.

The children began to eat with impeccable courtesy, but Eduardo watched with a heavy heart as they absolutely devoured everything at a desperate speed, like the primitive plague of chronic hunger still present and subdued. “Bring them here, little angels,” Rosa said with great maternal affection. “There’s much more delicious food in the kitchen. There’s no hurry. You can eat whatever you want. I’m sorry, Doña Rosa,” Locas said, embarrassed, stopping immediately. “We haven’t eaten well in a long time. We’ve forgotten how to behave.”

You don’t have to apologize, my dear boy. Eat it and be at peace. This house is yours now too. Eduardo strategically took advantage of that moment of calm to make some urgent and important calls. First, he contacted his trusted personal physician, Dr. Erika Almeida, a well-known and respected pediatrician who had followed Pedro closely since his infancy and knew his entire family medical history. Dr. Erika, I need a very urgent personal favor. Could you come to my house tonight?

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

The second call was directed to his personal trusted attorney, Dr. Roberto Méndez, a renowned specialist in family law and child custody. Roberto, I urgently need your specialized help with an extremely delicate family matter. What happened, Eduardo? It’s possible that he has two other biological children in addition to Pedro. Children who, let’s say, were illegally separated from him at birth. How is that possible? Irregularly separated? Eduardo, you leave 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 go early tomorrow. Don’t rush until we discuss this together. While Eduardo made those calls in his office, the three children played harmoniously in the luxurious living room, as if they were lifelong brothers. Pedro proudly showed off his expensive toys and collections. Lcas showed off creative games she had learned during her life on the streets. And Mateυs coпtaba fanпtastic stories that he iпveпtaba at the moment.

The patrimonial psyche between the three of them was both disturbing and beautiful to observe. They laughed like the same people, their gestures were identical when they spoke. They even breathed at the same rhythm when they concentrated. “Pedro,” Eduardo said as he walked calmly back into the living room after finishing his calls. “I need to ask Lúcas and Mateús some important questions. Can you help your dad? Of course, Dad. You can ask anything you want.” Eduardo sat comfortably on the rug next to the children, remaining very formal and relaxed, despite the critical importance of the information he was desperately seeking.

Locas manages to remember something specific about each baby. Every detail, no matter how small. “Aunt Marcia always said we met at a very big and famous hospital,” Locas said thoughtfully, his brow furrowed in confusion. He said it was very difficult and dangerous, that he had to make tough decisions about who to save first. “Choosing who to save,” Eduardo repeated, feeling his heart pounding. He also said that his mother was very sick and weak, and that the chief doctor said he couldn’t save everyone at once.

So he had to decide to save us. Eduardo felt like the world was spinning in his tracks. This version fit perfectly with his fragmented and painful memories of the hospital on that terrible night. He clearly remembered the doctors speaking with great seriousness about difficult decisions, about emergency priorities, about saving whoever was possible given the circumstances. And he knew exactly which hospital. “Hospital Sa Viceprete,” Mateus answered immediately, without hesitation. Aunt Marcia always took us there when we were sick or needed medicine.

Eduardo almost fainted. Saп Viceпte Hospital was the same expensive, private hospital where Pedro died, where Patricia fought for her life and finally died. A hospital frequented exclusively by the city’s economic elite. It didn’t make sense that deceased children should receive regular medical care there, unless there had been a legitimate, documented family member. And Aunt Marcia, what was she like? Do you remember her well? She looked a lot like her real mother, Lucas said thoughtfully.

She had long, straight, black hair, large, dark eyes, and always smelled sweetly of cigarettes mixed with sweet perfume. Eduardo’s blood ran cold. It was a perfect, detailed description of Marcia, Patricia’s best sister. Every detail coincided exactly with her memories of her troubled sister-in-law, but she was always very nervous and agitated, Mateus said with a very serious and concerned tone, especially when she saw police officers on the street or when someone she didn’t know asked her questions.

What kind of questions made her uncomfortable exactly? About what her real father was, about her family? About her origins? She explained them in detail. She always told us not to talk about things so important and unknown to us 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 serious legal consequences and the possibility of going to jail. And you were really happy?

So, were they happy living with Aunt Marcia? The two children looked at each other with a deep, mad sadness that broke Eduardo’s heart. It was an expression of pain that the child should have known intimately. “We loved her because she cared for us,” Mateus said diplomatically, choosing his words with care. “But he always said that taking care of us was very difficult and exhausting, that he had sacrificed his whole life for us, and sometimes he would disappear for days,” Locas added, his voice breaking.

He left us completely alone at home or with unknown neighbors who didn’t even know our names. Eduardo felt the angry anger that was growing progressively in his chest. Anger at Marcia for having screwed up and manipulated the situation. Anger at himself for not having sought out more information. Anger at the cruel fate that had brutally separated his children, but at the same time, he felt a profound and liberating relief at having found them alive and relatively well. “Dad,” Pedro said repeatedly, shattering his father’s woeful condolences.

“Now we can be together forever. Lǎcas and Mateǎs can live here, in this other house, with us like a true family.” Eduardo stared into the three identical pairs of green eyes, fixed on him with expectation and hope, awaiting the definitive answer that would forever and irreversibly change everyone’s lives. The responsibility was crushing and terrifying, but the certainty growing in his heart was absolutely unbreakable. “If he really wants to stay, and if all the evidence confirms what I firmly believe he will, the three of them will not separate again, for just one day,” he said solemnly.

Eduardo’s words echoed in the luxurious room like a sacred promise, and the three children embraced with overwhelming emotional force, forming a perfect circle of long-awaited joy. Lúcas and Mateu burst into tears, but they were crystalline tears of relief and renewed hope, or of sadness and despair. Pedro took his little hands with protective firmness, as if he wanted to physically guarantee that nothing else would separate, as if he could prevent cruel fate from separating them from each other.

Eduardo contemplated that moving scene, his heart literally overflowing with contradictory and overwhelming emotions. On the one hand, he felt indescribable happiness at having found the children he thought were lost forever since the tragic moment of his death. On the other hand, 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 competent authorities? How could he justify the repeated appearance of two children identical to his son? How could he prove that there was no irregularity or crime behind it all?

At that moment, Rosa appeared silently at the elegant door of the hall, carefully bringing more delicious food on a silver platter. She stopped in her tracks at the sight of the three children huddled together on the marble floor, and her experienced eyes filled with tears of understanding and material compassion. “Mr. Eduardo,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion, “in all these long years of dedicated work in this house, I have only seen Pedro so very happy and fulfilled.”

It’s as if he’s finally found that fundamental part of himself that he didn’t even know he’d lost. Rosa, you can stay and look after them lovingly while I wait for the doctor to arrive. I need to make some very important calls urgently. Of course, Mr. Eduardo, I will look after the three of you as if you were my own children. Eduardo went slowly up to the elegant office on the second floor, but before he got there, he heard melodious laughter coming from the main room. It was the purest and crystal-clear sound he had ever heard.

Pedro laughed with full joy, without reservation and melancholy. During the five years of his beloved son’s life, Eduardo had always perceived an inexplicable sadness in the boy, as if something essential had been forever missing. Now, upon hearing that spontaneous and joyful laugh, he understood with absolute clarity that Pedro had always felt the painful absence of his brothers, even though it was beyond his knowledge of his existence. In the orderly silence of the office, Eduardo stepped onto his modern computer and began meticulously investigating everything he could about Marcia Saetos, Patricia’s troubled sister.

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

The Fernandezes had always been notoriously traditionalist, conservative, and obsessed with maintaining an impeccable public image. Having triplets in a complicated and unplanned pregnancy, with the young mother dying tragically in childbirth, could have been interpreted as a devastating scandal, something that had to be hidden at all costs. Perhaps their own parents, authoritarian and cold, Pedro’s conservative grandparents, had orchestrated this cruel and cruel separation. Suddenly, the phone rang with force, filled with somber sorrow. It was Dr.

Erik calls from his car. Eduardo, I’ll be there in a few minutes. I brought everything necessary for the DNA tests, but I must warn you that the full results won’t be ready for another 72 hours. Doctor Erik, in addition to the DNA, I need you to carefully examine both children. They’ve been living on the streets and could have developed serious health problems. Don’t worry, I brought my full kit. We’ll do a detailed evaluation of everything. When Eduardo came trembling down the marble stairs, he encountered a domestic scene that moved him more than any other adult life.

Rosa had lovingly prepared an impeccable snack on the elegant living room table, and the three children, seated politely and like gentlemen, chatted affectionately about their dreams and photo opportunities. There was a parental harmony between them that transcended all logic. “If I’m a doctor,” said Pedro, his green eyes shining, “I’ll have a big hospital just to care for poor children who don’t have any money.” “And I will also be a doctor,” added Mateυs with equal determination.

But I’m going to care for the dejected animals with love, because they are just like people. And I’m going to be a teacher, said Lucas with admirable conviction, teaching with patience to children that he had only had the opportunity to truly study. Eduardo was deeply impressed by the parenthood with which the three of them projected a united and integrated future, as if he had always known that they would be ready to face life. It was as if they shared not only tendencies, but also values, dreams and the same vision of the world.

Dr. Erika arrived promptly at the appointed time, carefully carrying two heavy professional medical bags. He was a distinguished man of 60 years old, with completely shaggy hair and elegant gold glasses who inspired immediate trust and credibility. He had known Eduardo since university and had professionally handled the whole devastating tragedy of Pedro’s death and Patricia’s death. —Edward said, hastily leaving the room, stopping abruptly when he saw the three children arguing.

“My God, what an impossible resemblance this is. It is precisely about this inexplicable resemblance that I need to speak to you urgently,” Eduardo responded seriously. Dr. Erika approached the children with caution, with the care and delicacy typical of an experienced pediatrician who had dedicated decades to child care. “Hello, dear children. I am Dr. Erika, Pedro’s personal physician for many years. You may affectionately call me Dr. Erika.” “Hello, doctor,” said Lυcas and Mateυs to the patient with the impeccable courtesy that Eduardo had repeatedly noticed and admired.

“I need to run some very simple medical tests. No problem, it won’t hurt at all, I promise.” While the doctor meticulously examined the children with a specialized medical technician, Eduardo explained the entire complex situation in painstaking detail. Dr. Enrique listened intently, with growing astonishment and medical and ethical concern. Eduardo, if all of this is scientifically confirmed, we are entering an extremely delicate illegal medical situation. These children were criminally deprived not only of their biological family but also of adequate and irregular medical care.

A detailed medical examination revealed that Locas and Mateus had visible detrition, mild but worrying anemia, and significant vitamin deficiencies. However, there was nothing that could be completely reversed with proper trition, supplements, and regular medical care. They will require intensive tritional support and medical supervision for the next six months, the doctor explained with professional seriousness. However, her children are strong and resilient due to patency. With proper care, she will make a full recovery. Collecting material for DNA testing was surprisingly quick and painless.

Dr. Erika 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, 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 attending physician left, Eduardo promptly brought the three children into the cozy living room for a serious and important conversation. Children, I need to explain something very important to you so that you understand it completely.

There’s a real possibility that they’re biological brothers, but we must wait patiently for scientific evidence to officially confirm it. We already know with absolute certainty that we’re brothers, Pedro said with firm conviction. Scientific proof isn’t needed to confirm what we already know. I know that perfectly well, my son. But adults and authorities need irrefutable scientific evidence to make important legal decisions. And if the test shows that we really are brothers, asked Locas with visible anxiety.

We can stay in this house forever. If the result is positive, the three of us will not separate again 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 first question was like a blow to Eduardo’s stomach. For exactly five years of solitude, only Pedro had called him Dad.

Hearing that sacred word from the mouth of a boy she had known only hours ago stirred her heart to deep fears that she hadn’t even known existed. “Can you call me whatever you feel most comfortable with?” she replied, her voice cracking with emotion. “So, from now on, you’re my dad,” Locas said with touching simplicity. “And the more we’ll be alone, the more we’ll fall.” That moment is special and transforming, Eduardo carefully arranged for Locas and Mateus to sleep in their luxurious rooms next to Pedro’s, but the three children insisted on sleeping together in Pedro’s family room.

“We’ve slept apart our entire lives,” Pedro explained, with seriousness and heartwarming ease. “Now we want to be close to make up for lost time.” Eduardo agreed immediately, deeply moved by his need to remain physically close after years of forced separation. He placed extra mattresses on the floor of Pedro’s room and organized a sort of cozy family retreat. While the children quietly prepared to sleep, Rosa discreetly approached Eduardo with a serious expression. “Mr. Eduardo, may I tell you something important?” “Sure, Rosa, speak freely.”

I have worked dedicatedly with children for more than 30 years of my life. I have seen many different and complex situations, but what happened today in this house was the work of God. Those children recognized each other in a way that has no possible explanation. Do you really think you are real brothers? Mr. Eduardo, I don’t need DNA proof to be sure. Just carefully observe how you behave together paternally. Soп like three perfect pieces of a puzzle that fiпally fit together.

Before bed, Eduardo went quietly to the children’s room to wish them good morning with love. He found the three of them lying next to each other on the mattresses, with Pedro strategically placed between them, firmly holding Lúcas and Mateús’s hands like a parental protector. “Dad,” Pedro whispered into the darkness, “Thank you so much for finding my lost brothers. Thanks for picking us up off the street,” Locas whispered, gratefully. “Thanks for helping us,” Mateus added, his voice filled with emotion.

Eduardo delicately kissed the foreheads of the three children, feeling the emotional and spiritual joy he had experienced throughout his adult life. Good evening, my beloved children. Keep them safe. Dad is here, watching over them forever. Later, completely alone in his quiet room, Eduardo determinedly called his mother, Doña Elépa Fernández, the dominant matriarch of the traditional family. Mom, I need to tell you something very important. What happened now, Eduardo? Has something serious happened to Pedro?

Pedro is perfectly fine, but today I discovered two dead children who could be my biological children. There was a long and significant silence on the other end of the line. How is that, Eduardo? Two children absolutely identical to Pedro. I firmly believe that they are the other babies who died with him on that terrible night. Eduardo, you are completely delusional. Pedro was an only child from the beginning. There was no other baby at birth. Mom, I clearly remember fragments of that traumatic birth.

I remember the doctors speaking urgently about difficult decisions, about saving whoever was possible. And these children know intimate details that I could only know if I had been in that hospital, that very day. That is completely impossible and absurd. If other babies had existed, I would have known everything. You knew perfectly well, Mom. Now I am completely sure of that, and I want to know immediately what exactly happened to my missing children. The silence that followed was deafening and filled with tension.

Eduardo could clearly hear his mother’s labored, shallow breathing on the other end of the line. Eduardo, come home early tomorrow. We need to talk about all this urgently. Why can’t you tell me right now? Because it’s an extremely delicate conversation that must be done face to face, and you’ve brought the children with you. I need to see them with my own eyes. After hanging up the phone with trembling hands, Eduardo stayed awake all night, staring at the window and obsessively thinking about everything that had happened on that extraordinary day that changed his life.

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

He had deliberately separated them, criminally hidden them, and raised them far from him for reasons he still didn’t fully understand. Through the silent window, Edward could see the first ray of golden sunlight rise majestically over the horizon. A new day was dawning slowly, and with it the concrete promise of definitive answers to questions that had tormented him for years. “Tomorrow, finally, we’ll know the whole truth,” he muttered to himself, thinking about the three children who were sleeping peacefully in the next room, finally reunited after five cruel years of forced and unnecessary separation.

Morning arrived earlier than expected, ushered in by the soft sounds of the children moving about in the next room. It was barely six o’clock when Eduardo heard low laughter and hushed conversations coming from Pedro’s room. He got up in silence 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 the box.

Locas was showing Mateus his hand game while Pedro watched intently, eager to learn too. It was as if he were recovering years of lost games that morning. “Good morning, guys,” said Eduardo, emerging from the room with a sincere smile. “Did you sleep well? Dad, it was the best night of my life,” Pedro responded immediately. “I dreamed we were flying together in the sky. I dreamed we were flying too,” Locas added, amazed. And there was a beautiful woman smiling down at us from the sky. Eduardo felt a shiver run down his spine.

Patricia had always said that when she died she wanted to fly free like a bird. It was possible that the children had dreamed of the mother they knew. “And I dreamed that we lived in a big house with a garden full of flowers,” Mates added. “And we had a brown dog that played with us.” Eduardo almost stumbled. Before Patricia died, she had planned to buy a golden retriever to keep the baby who had still died company, but she had only given him Pedro.

At that moment, Rosa appeared at the door with a tray of warm chocolate and freshly baked rolls. Good morning, angels. Have a good breakfast, because today is an important day. While the children were having breakfast, Eduardo received an unexpected call. It was Dr. Roberto, his lawyer, calling earlier than expected. Eduardo, I need to speak with you urgently. Something serious happened last night. What happened, Roberto? Police have received a warrant for kidnapping minors. Someone said she has two children being held in her home against her will.

Eduardo felt his blood run cold. What do you mean, kidnapping? Those children were found in the street. I know, but the complaint was filed and now the Council of Tutela wants to visit them. I could arrive at any time. Roberto, those children are my children. I’m sure I know it, Eduardo, but until we have the DNA evidence, they are still legally missing children. You must fully cooperate with the authorities. After hanging up, Edυardo gathered the children back into the living room.

I had to prepare you for whatever might happen. Guys, today I might see some important people asking you questions. I want you to always answer truthfully. Okay? What kind of questions? Locas asked, hearing the concern in Eduardo’s voice about how he’d gotten here, how he was feeling, if anyone was forcing them to stay. “No one forced you,” Mateus said firmly. “We decided to stay because this is our home.” Then Pedro approached his father and took his hand. “Dad, he’s not going to separate us, right?”

I’ll do everything possible to avoid it, son. At 9:00 am, two men stopped by the house. From the first, a social worker, a psychologist, and a representative from the Tütela Council got out. From the second, two police officers came out, informed. Eduardo opened the door before the bell rang. “Good morning. I imagine you’re here for the children, Mr. Eduardo Fernández,” asked the social worker, a middle-aged woman with glasses and a rigid posture.

I am Dr. Marisa Silva, from the Ttela Council. We received a report about two children who were allegedly being held at their residence. The children are not being held, but under care because I found them on the streets. So, we need to speak with them separately to assess the situation. Eduardo agreed, but asked to attend the interviews. The psychologist, Dr. Carme, was more understanding than the social worker. Mr. Eduardo, we’ll talk to the young children first, and then individually. It’s important that they feel comfortable.

The three little boys were taken to the living room, where they sat next to each other on the large sofa. The resemblance between them didn’t go unnoticed. “My God,” one of the police officers moaned to his partner. “They look like identical triplets.” Dr. Carme knelt in front of them. “Hello, children. I’m Dr. Carme, 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 back from school when we saw Locas and Mateo sleeping scared in the street.”

I told my dad he looked like me. “And would you like to see us here?” the psychologist asked Locas and Mateo. “Yes,” Locas replied doubtfully. Pedro said this would also be our home. “We are happy here. Very happy,” said Mateo. “For the first time in our lives, we have a real family.” The social worker intervened even more severely. “Children, do you know that you can’t stay unknown? Where are the adults who took care of you? Aunt Marcia left you on the street and you came back,” Lúcas explained.

She told us she would look for their family, but she refused. “And who is this Aunt Marcia? She was your mother’s sister,” Mateo replied, but he didn’t like looking after us very much. For two hours, the staff asked detailed questions and spoke with the children individually, with Eduardo and also with Rosa. The domestic worker was key to 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, I’ve only seen children who are so happy and integrated, but the similarity between them is surprising,” the social worker observed.

“How do you explain it?” “I explain it because we are brothers,” Eduardo stated firmly. “We have already collected samples for the DNA test. In two days we will have the confirmation. Until then, the children must remain under state guardianship,” the social worker declared. “It is standard procedure.” “No,” Pedro shouted, getting up from the couch. “You can’t take my brothers.” Lúcas and Mateo began to cry, hugging Pedro. “Please, don’t separate us again,” Lúcas pleaded. The psychologist observed his reactions to professional care.

Dr. Marisa, these children have a very strong emotional bond. Separating them now could cause psychological trauma. But the protocol must consider their well-being. The psychologist interrupted: “I suggest that they remain here under supervision until the DNA results are obtained.” After a long discussion, the officials reached a temporary agreement. The children could stay with Eduardo, but there would be daily visits from the Ttela Council and the situation would be carefully re-evaluated. “Mr. Eduardo,” the social worker said before leaving, “any irregularity and the children will be removed immediately.” After the authorities left, Eduardo hugged all three of them.

—Everything will be fine. In two days we’ll have proof that we’re brothers. Come on, Dad, said Pedro, why do some people want to separate families? Sometimes, Pedro, people understand that family isn’t just about sharing the same last name, but about truly loving each other. That afternoon, Eduardo decided to take the children to visit Grandma Elea. It was time to face the past and discover the truth about what happened five years ago. The Fernandez house was in the most luxurious neighborhood, with its gardens and impeccable architecture.

When she arrived, Doña Elepa was waiting for her 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 moaned, bringing her hand to her chest. “How is this possible?” “Hello, Grandma Elepa,” said Pedro, running to hug her. “I brought my brothers so you can meet them.” Elepa looked at Locas and Mateo as if she were seeing ghosts. Her hands were visibly trembling. “Edward,” she said, her voice breaking, “we have to talk right away.” “First, I want you to meet Locas and Mateo,” Eduardo replied, bringing them closer.

Children, let me introduce you to Grandma Elea, Dad’s mom. “Hi, Grandma,” I greeted timidly. Elea knelt down in front of them, observing every detail of their faces. Tears began to roll down her cheeks. “He looks exactly like baby Pedro,” she gasped. “And he also looks like Patricia.” Eduardo realized that his mother knew more than she had let on. “Mom, do you recognize these children?” Elea stood up slowly, wiping away her tears. Eduardo, sends the children to play in the yard.

We need to talk about things I shouldn’t hear yet. Children, go out and play. Rosa will go with you. When the little ones were gone, Elea sank heavily into the chair. Eduardo, sit down. What I’m about to tell you will change everything you believe about that terrible night. Eduardo sat next to his mother, ready to hear what he had suspected for years. Mom, I want to know exactly what happened in the hospital. Eduardo, you have to understand the context. Patricia was dying. There were three premature babies, and the doctors said they couldn’t save them all.

Come on. Your father and I made a terrible decision that night. We decided it was better to save the strong baby than to lose all three of them. Eduardo felt his anger rising in his chest. We 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 you only told me so. Eduardo. You were devastated by Patricia’s death. We thought it would be better not to complicate your pain further.

Complicate it. Mom, you stole two of my children. You made me live five years believing them dead. Elea began to cry. Eduardo, I’m sorry. We thought we were doing the best for everyone. The best. And where was Marcia all these years? Why did she abandon the children? Marcia. Marcia developed a drug problem. Two years ago we lost all contact with her. Eduardo got up, pacing the room with growing rage. You destroyed these children’s lives. They could have grown up with me with love and affection.

Eduardo. The decision was made out of desperation. It was a criminal decision. Eduardo stopped in front of his mother. Now I want you to help me fix this situation. I want all the documents, all the papers related to the peace of the three of us. Elea nodded, crying. Eduardo, there’s something else you should know. What else? Babies aren’t just premature babies, they’re also rare genetic conditions that could cause health problems in the future. Eduardo shuddered. What kind of problems?

Heart problems. All three of them might need corrective surgery when they get older. And they also hid it. The doctors said that Pedro was fine for now and that the other two preferred to die far from me. Elepa couldn’t respond. Eduardo left the living room and went to find the children in the garden. He found them happily with Rosa, completely oblivious to the tragic conversation that had taken place. “Children, let’s go home,” said Eduardo, trying to control his emotions. “Do we know Grandma yet?” Pedro asked, “and she wants them just like me.”

On the way home, Pedro noticed that his father was upset. “Dad, Grandma Elea said something sad.” Eduardo took a deep breath before answering. “Pedro, sometimes we adults make very serious mistakes when trying to protect those we 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 anyone can separate us again.” That night, while the children were sleeping, Eduardo received an unexpected call. It was Dr. Erike.

Eduardo, I need to talk to you urgently. It’s about the children’s tests. Any problem, Eduardo? I found something about the blood tests that you need to know about immediately. Eduardo’s heart raced violently as he heard Dr. Enrique’s extremely concerned and serious tone. There was something about the way the doctor, always experienced and controlled, spoke that awoke a primal and devastating fear in the businessman’s chest. During the last two emotional and exhausting days, Eduardo had experienced a mountain of emotions, quickly moving from the overwhelming joy of reuniting with his children, who…

He believed them lost forever, he was paralyzed by the terror of losing them again to the competent authorities, and now he was faced with the terrifying possibility that something much more complex, sinister and disturbing was happening in his life. “Dr. Erika, what specific medical problem was going on in the children’s exams?” Eduardo asked, desperately trying to keep his voice steady as his hands trembled like leaves in a breeze. “Edgardo, I’d rather discuss this over the phone. It’s an extremely delicate, complex, and potentially dangerous matter that needs to be explained in detail to each person.”

I can stop by your house right now. The children have been sound asleep for several hours. Wouldn’t it be better to talk early tomorrow? Eduardo, this can’t wait until tomorrow. It’s about his critical health condition and something extremely disturbing that I discovered in the old medical records I can access through special contacts at the hospital. A cold, terrifying chill ran through Eduardo’s body. Medical records that were specific, complete, and detailed records of Patricia’s tragic condition. There is critical information that completely contradicts everything you think you know about that terrible night.

Doctor, you’re scaring and upsetting me terribly. What exactly are you talking about? I’ll be home for exactly 20 minutes. Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally, because what I’m about to reveal to you will radically and irreversibly change your understanding of everything that happened. Eduardo hung up, his hands trembling as if he’d received an electric shock. He went quietly to the children’s room and watched them sleeping peacefully, cuddled together, as he did every night. Pedro was in the middle, protecting Luke and Matthew with his small but determined arms.

It was a moving image of innocent and kind brotherly love that contrasted sharply with the growing storm of uncertainty and terror in Eduardo’s troubled mind. Exactly 20 minutes later, Dr. Erika arrived, carrying a large, heavy file, and with the somber, worried expression that Eduardo had never seen on his normally friendly and reassuring face. There was something profoundly disturbing in the doctor’s posture, a palpable alertness that put Eduardo on high alert.

Eduardo, let’s go to your private office immediately. We need complete privacy for this delicate conversation. In the busy, secluded office, Dr. Erika carefully placed the folder on the mahogany desk and slowly opened it, revealing old medical documents, complex lab tests, and yellowed photographs that Eduardo didn’t immediately recognize but were still suspicious of family members. 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 go straight to the point. I’m desperate with worry and anxiety. Very well. First, the blood tests will definitively confirm my initial medical suspicions. Lúcas and Mateo have exactly the same rare cogenital heart disease as Pedro. It’s an extremely rare genetic abnormality that affects approximately 0 in every 100,000 babies. Eduardo breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the theory was slipping away from him. So they are my biological children. The DNA test will scientifically confirm it, Eduardo.

Herein lies the devastating problem. The DNA will likely confirm that they are biological siblings, but it may not confirm that he is the direct biological father. How so? I don’t get it. Dr. Erika carefully pulled an old, yellowed document from the folder. This is the complete and detailed medical report of Patricia’s traumatic birth, which you can access through special, confidential contacts at the hospital. Eduardo, that terrible night was much more complicated and disturbing than you remember or were led to believe.

Please explain. Patricia had patriarchal triplets; she was pregnant only with Pedro. But during the prolonged and painful labor, a serious and unexplained medical emergency occurred. She began to suffer purple convulsions and massive intrauterine hemorrhage that the doctors could not adequately control. Eduardo leaned forward, obsessively listening to every crucial word. The experienced doctors performed an emergency cesarean section to save Pedro and desperately try 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 born. Eduardo was paralyzed. What do you mean, they weren’t born? She’s been visibly 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 superperfetation, an extremely rare condition in which a pregnant woman ovulates early and becomes pregnant again during the same pre-existing pregnancy. Is that really possible?

Yes, it is possible, but extremely rare. It happens when a woman ovulates an already established pregnancy and has sex with another man or through artificial intervention. Eduardo felt like his whole world was falling apart around him. He is telling me directly that Patricia cheated on me with another man. It is not necessarily a voluntary betrayal. There is another, even more disturbing possibility. Dr. Henrique carefully removed detailed medical photographs from the folder. They were technical photos from the surgical intervention performed that night. The two children found in Patricia’s belly 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 is the most disturbing and terrifying thing. These children had physical and genetic characteristics that strongly suggest they were conceived patrally. What do you mean by “patrally”? Explain that in detail, Doctor.” There is irrefutable medical evidence that these children were the direct result of advanced artificial insemination, or in vitro fertilization. Some specialized medical professionals implanted artificially developed embryos in Patricia’s uterus, if they were conceived.

Eduardo bolted upright, tumbling wildly around the room in a state of total, devastating shock. This is crazy. Who would do something so monstrous and cruel? Eduardo, that is precisely the question that kept me awake all night. Who had regular physical access to Patricia? Who knew her health in detail? Who would benefit significantly from such a complex situation? Doctor, are you referring to someone in my own family? I affirm that someone with considerable resources orchestrated this entire deliberate and cold-blooded situation.

And that person had important financial resources and direct access to cutting-edge medical technology. Eduardo stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the doctor. Marcia… Marcia was always present at the hospital, asking specific, detailed medical questions. Marcia may have been instrumental in the plan, but she was definitely the main mind behind it all. She just didn’t have the financial resources and the technical knowledge for something so sophisticated and complex. “And what exactly?” asked Eduardo. Dr. Enrique gave instructions 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 longed for more children. But, Eduardo, what would happen if someone in your family decided, coldly, to artificially create more heirs through genetic manipulation? The suggestion was so absurd and disturbing that Eduardo had to sit back again, dizzy. Doctor, this sounds like something out of an impossible science fiction movie. Eduardo, the medical technology for this existed perfectly five years ago, and your family has the financial resources and the necessary medical connections to pull off something exactly like this.

But why would I do something so drastic without telling me anything? Maybe because I knew perfectly well that you would accept it voluntarily, or because I wanted complete control over these artificially created children. Eduardo raked his hands through his hair with zeal, trying to process information that completely challenged his basic understanding of reality. Even if this were true, these children were completely ignorant. She desperately needs proper medical care and unconditional love. I totally agree, but, Eduardo, there are more serious medical complications. If these children really were artificially created with genetic material mapped from your family, she could have other serious health problems.

Nothing has been detected in the initial tests, so I need to perform much more detailed and specific tests. What kind of medical problems? Degenerative neurological problems, severe deficiencies, or even a significantly reduced life expectancy. Children created through experimental genetic manipulation can have unpredictable and devastating long-term consequences. Eduardo located the inflammatory bones in his stomach. You’re telling me straight up that Locas and Mateo could be seriously ill. What I’m saying is, we need to investigate much more thoroughly and quickly. And Eduardo, there’s something else of extreme importance you need to know about immediately.

What else could there be, doctor? Eric took the last crucial document out of the folder. It’s a detailed, factual report that can be obtained through confidential contacts. Someone paid exactly 2 million reales to the illegal fertility clinic, precisely during Patricia’s pregnancy. 2 million reales. Eduardo, this was definitely not an accident or an emotional betrayal. This was a meticulously planned and executed medical project with absolute surgical precision. Doctor, I need to get my family to see you immediately.

Eduardo, wait calmly. Before we rub anyone, we need to have all the irrefutable evidence. And most importantly, we must guarantee the children’s physical safety. Safety. Why would they be in real danger? If someone invested two million reales to artificially create these children, they may desperately want their investment back. How exactly do you want to get it back? Forced legal custody, total control of their lives, or even worse scenarios. Eduardo felt a deep panic take over her breast. Doctor, these children are not scientific experiments and financial investments.

They are my beloved children. Eduardo, my heart, is your children, but legally the situation could be much more complicated and dangerous than we imagined. What exactly should I do? First, we will conduct exhaustive genetic testing on Lucas and Mateo. Second, we will discreetly investigate what this sinister project has done. Third, we will prepare an absolutely solid legal defense. And meanwhile, take care of these children like the loving father they deserve, because, regardless of how you act, you desperately need unconditional love and protection.

Eduardo looked out the window toward the room where his three children were sleeping peacefully. Doctor, knowing all this, I could not love these children as much as I do now. Eduardo, this makes you a truly honorable man, but prepare yourself mentally because when this truth comes to light, there will be ignorant people who will try to resolve this situation against you. What kind of people? People who believe that artificially created children do not deserve the same legal rights as parentally conceived children.

That is completely absurd and insipid. Eduardo, you and I both know it’s absurd, but society isn’t always rational when it comes to ethical issues like this. Eduardo stood up and walked toward the door, looking at the path that lit up the garden where his three children had spent happy hours before. Dr. Enrique, don’t you depend on how you acted, Lucas and Mateo, you are now my children and I will fight to the death to protect you. Eduardo, I will help you in every way possible, but you must understand that this fight may be more difficult than you imagine.

Why exactly? Because if my theory is correct, there are extremely powerful people involved in this situation. People who won’t easily relinquish the control they think they have over these children. Who would those powerful people be? Doctor. Eric carefully put the documents in the folder and looked Eduardo straight in the eyes. Eduardo, based on everything I’ve learned, I firmly believe that your own family is at the center of this elaborate conspiracy. And tomorrow, when you confront your mother with this devastating evidence, you’ll discover the lengths she’s willing to go to keep her darkest secrets.

Dr. Erik’s devastating words resonated in the silent hospital room like a death knell, leaving Eduardo completely paralyzed and without an immediate emotional reaction. The revelation that her respected family might be involved in an elaborate, secretive, and hypothetical conspiracy to genetically manipulate the artificial creation of children completely challenged everything she had firmly believed about the people she had loved, respected, and admired throughout her adult life. The betrayal was not provided by strangers and known enemies, but by the closest people in whom he had placed his absolute trust and covetous love.

During the night of sleep and torture that followed, Eduardo remained seated rigidly in his Italian leather chair, staring out into the wide window as he obsessively processed the devastating and incomprehensible information he had received. Every time I closed my exhausted eyes, I saw clearly the angelic faces of Locas and Mateus, peacefully asleep, completely oblivious and ignorant of the fact that their own existence could be the direct result of a cruel and artificial scientific experiment, coldly orchestrated by people who, of course, should have protected them and loved them wholeheartedly.

The inflammatory idea that these innocent, innocuous children were considered commercial products, physical investments, or scientific experiments by someone in his own family filled him with the cold, calculating, and implacable anger that he had never experienced in his life. It was a anger that transcended common anger, transforming itself into something more primitive and dangerous. At five in the morning, as the first golden rays of the sun began to illuminate the distant horizon, Eduardo heard the first melodious sounds coming from the children’s room.

Low, crystalline laughter, smiles, joyful conversations, as always, magically happened when the three of them woke up in a patrimonial way. He stood in silence and walked with cautious steps towards the half-open door, observing once again the touching scene that had become precious and sacred in his daily routine. Pedro patiently taught Lucas and Mateus how to make airplanes out of colored paper from pages of a children’s magazine, and the three of them had a friendly competition to see who could fly the farthest around the spacious room.

The absolute patrality with which they interacted, the perfect syncretization of their movements and the geeky joy of their angelic faces contrasted brutally with the unsettling and terrifying revelations of the previous night. “Good morning, my dear children,” said Eduardo, brought back to the room with a forced but affectionate smile, desperately trying to hide the devastating emotional storm that was sweeping through him. “You slept well and peacefully, Dad. We had the same dream again,” said Pedro, his green eyes shining with ecstasy.

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, who was seeing us with a very pretty and melancholic look. “Yes,” Locas finished with a dreamy expression, a look that we seemed to already know from some very far away and special place. Mates nodded with rapture, adding specific details that sent shivers down Eduardo’s spine. The beautiful woman had green eyes exactly like his and told them fondly that she had always cared for them very dearly, even though we knew it for sure.

Eduardo immediately recognized the detailed description as the best it could be. It was Patricia, just as she had appeared to him in his condolence dreams during the painful first years after her premature death. The profound and inexplicable spiritual connection between the three children and their mother, whom he had known personally, was something that transcended any known scientific, medical, or rational explanation, a phenomenon that defied logic and bordered on the supernatural. “My dear children,” said Eduardo, affectionately referring to himself as only one of them.

“Today is going to be a very special and important day. We’ll soon visit Grandma Elea, and then perhaps make other important visits to our family. Will we meet any more interesting relatives?” Locas asked, her curiosity filling her eyes with bright anticipation. “Perhaps you’ll meet some relatives and discover very important things about yourselves and our family,” Eduardo replied. Rosa appeared silently at the door, carefully bringing an elegant tray with breakfast, specially prepared with love and attention.

Good morning, my dear little angels. Today I prepared special honey cakes, 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 attorney, Dr. Roberto. Eduardo, I have some 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. “Illegible transfers to unregistered medical clinics, large payments to private and classified genetic laboratories, and a considerable amount discreetly deposited abroad in the name of Marcia Saatos.”

Eduardo felt a chill in his stomach when his worst suspicions were confirmed. Roberto, I urgently need you to come to my house today. We have a lot to discuss about this detail. Eduardo, there’s something else very important and interesting. Marcia Satos was found dead last night in a cheap hotel and clubhouse. It appears to have been an overdose, but there are suspicious circumstances. The news hit Eduardo like a devastating bolt of lightning. Marcia was dead, taking with her all the crucial secrets about what had really happened to Lucas and Mateus during their early formative years.

Roberto, this can’t be a mere coincidence. Eduardo, I totally agree. Someone powerful wanted me to talk. We need to act quickly to protect these innocent children. After hanging up the phone with trembling hands, Eduardo watched the three children playing happily in the luxurious living room, completely unaware of the very real dangers that surrounded them like invisible predators. Marcia’s sudden death definitively confirmed his worst suspicions. There were clever people willing to do anything to reveal the dark secrets about the artificial origin of Lucas and Mateus.

At 10:00 a.m., Eduardo carefully led the three children into the Mercedes and with determination guided him toward his mother’s imposing motherhood. During the silent drive through the crowded city streets, he mentally prepared the difficult and confrontational questions he had to ask. This time, he would not accept diplomatic evasions, disguised half-truths, or elaborate lies. I desperately needed the complete, raw truth, no matter how disturbing, shocking, or devastating it was to my understanding of reality.

Doña Elepa waited patiently for him on the elegant terrace, but her posture was visibly different and worried. She seemed physically more fragile, older, and more married, as if she had aged several years alone on a night of tortuous sleep. When she saw the car slowly approaching, her expression transformed into a complex mixture of deep guilt, grim fear, and fatalistic resignation. “Grandma Elea!” Pedro shouted excitedly, running to hug her as she jumped out of the car with energy. Lυcas and Mateo immediately followed her, but with greater caution, feeling that something fundamental had changed in the respected wife’s behavior.

“Hello, my darlings,” Elea said, her voice cracking with emotion, hugging the three children with desperate, almost suffocating emotion. Every day they look younger, smarter, and more alike. Eduardo watched the interaction with obsessive attention, noting how his mother held the children as if it were the last time she would see them. “Mom, can we talk privately right now, Rosa? You can stay and lovingly take care of the children in the garden.”

Eduardo, before anything happens, I desperately need to ask for your forgiveness. I’m truly sorry for everything we did, for all the elaborate lies, for all the unnecessary suffering we endured. Eduardo felt a complex mix of temporary relief and growing terror. His mother was finally ready to confess everything, but the confession could be far more terrible and devastating than she had ever imagined, if only it were her worst nightmares. In the elegant house office, Elea sat heavily in her favorite velvet chair, repeatedly looking much older than her 65 years.

Eduardo, sit comfortably. What I’m about to tell you will completely destroy everything you believe about this respectable family. Mother, I already know that you were directly involved in the artificial creation of Locas and Mateo. What I desperately need to know is exactly why you did it. Elea sighed deeply, as if summoning all the courage she could muster to reveal the darkest, most shameful secret of her life. Eduardo, when Patricia became pregnant maternally with Pedro, we discovered through detailed tests that she had a rare genetic covetousness that could be transmitted to the child.

What specific coercion? A genetic predisposition to heart problems and serious congenital abnormalities. The medical specialists stated categorically that there was a 50% chance that Pedro would experience serious, life-threatening health problems. Eduardo leaned forward attentively, paying obsessive attention to every crucial word. He paid attention to every detail. His father and I were completely distraught and terrified. The Fernández family had always been characterized by robust health and exceptional longevity. The terrifying idea of ​​having a sick and frail heir was completely unacceptable.

What exactly did they do? We discreetly contacted renowned scientist Dr. Marcos Veloso, a global specialist in advanced genetic mapping. The purpose was a revolutionary experimental solution. What specific solution? Create two genetically modified and improved children who were perfectly compatible with Pedro for future organ transplants, but who also had genetically corrected versions of the problem children. Eduardo suffered terrible stomach ulcers. Locas and Mateo were created as replacement parts for Pedro. It wasn’t that simple, cruel, Eduardo.

Dr. Veloso personally assured them that the children would be completely healthy and normal, with only a few significant genetic improvements. What kind of genetic improvements? Greater parental resistance to disease, greater intelligence, greater longevity; it was like giving them objectively better life. And how the artificial embryos were implanted in Patricia. Ella visibly wavered, crying out in shock with overwhelming guilt. During the prenatal appointment, Dr. Veloso lightly maimed Patricia and implanted the modified embryos. She only knew what had actually happened.

You criminally violated my wife’s body if you were self-conscious. Eduardo. Yes, we sincerely believed we were doing what was best for everyone. Patricia would have more children, and Pedro would have siblings who could be saved if necessary. And when she tragically died giving birth, it was a completely unforeseen complication. Dr. Veloso said it had nothing to do with the experimental procedure. And Marcia? What exactly was that? Marcia agreed to take care of the two children in exchange for a considerable sum.

It would be like a substitute mother until she needed them. Necessary. What exactly? To save Pedro if he developed heart problems, or to share the family line with improved babies. Eduardo got up briskly, pacing nervously around the room with his growing, uncontrollable anger. Mother, transform children into products and merchandise. Not just products and tools. Eduardo, I know it seems terrible now, but back then, we thought we could play God with human lives. Elea burst into tears.

Eduardo, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for everything, but you have to understand that we did it out of love. Love for you, love for Pedro, love for the family, a mother’s love. That wasn’t love, it was pure and cruel selfishness. Eduardo, there’s something else you should know about Locas and Mateo. What else? They weren’t created just for you. Dr. Veloso used genetic material from various sources to create perfect profiles. Eduardo stopped walking, feeling that the mode was turning violet. From what other sources?

The parents of individuals with superior intelligence, Olympic athletes, people with exceptional health… are like a compilation of the best human traits available. So if they were even my biological children. Biologically, approximately 60% of their parents are uncles. The rest were artificially selected. Eduardo had to lean on the table to stop himself from passing out completely. Where is that veiled doctor now? He died in a car accident two years ago. And last night, Marcia… I already know about Marcia. Really, everyone who knew the truth is missing.

Eduardo, it wasn’t… It wasn’t what was planned, Mother, it wasn’t planned. I didn’t want the witnesses to disappear. Elea remained silent, her expression confirming Eduardo’s worst suspicions. Mother, who else knows about this? Only Aunt Carolia and me. Your father died carrying the secret. Carolia knew. She helped finance the project. Yes, she was the one who snatched Dr. Veloso. Eduardo felt that a much deeper family conspiracy than he imagined had been uncovered. Where is Carolía now?

He traveled to Europe last night. He said he needed to get away for a while. To go, you mean? Eduardo looked at the children across the street, saw Pedro teaching Locas and Mateo how to climb the big tree in the garden. Their mothers lost the right to be these children’s family the moment they decided to create them as game pieces. Eduardo’s last words were spoken in the office as a final judgment, forever closing the family ties that had been built for decades.

Elea remained silent for long moments, absorbing the magnitude of the tragedy her actions had caused. The weight of the blame seemed physical, hunching her shoulders and aging her already repentant face even further. Eduardo approached the window and watched the three children in the garden, completely oblivious to the conversation that was sealed to their destinies. Peter had managed to climb the tree and was helping Luke do the same, while Matthew encouraged them from below.

The scene was one of pure innocence, a stark contrast to the mysterious complexity of its origins. “Elephant,” Eduardo said finally, his voice cracking, “I know I can’t undo what we’ve done. I know I’ve lost the right to be these children’s grandmother, but at least let me contribute financially to their care. Money.” Eduardo turned to look at her, his eyes shining coldly. “Do you think money can make up for what you did? I don’t know if it can, but at least I can make sure that you have everything you need, that you have it all thanks to my work and my love.”

“I don’t want you to have just a portion of that money used to pay for that aberration,” Eduardo replied. Elea lowered her head in acceptance. “What if something happens to you?” she asked. “If they need care that you can’t provide, you’ll have Rosa, who truly loves them; you’ll have Dr. Erike, who is committed to caring for them. You’ll have people who see them as human beings, not as experimental ones,” Eduardo replied. Elepa approached the old drawer where she kept important documents. “Edward, is there anything else you need to know?” she said, taking out the folder.

Sealed. These are all the medical documents related to the procedure, everything Dr. Veloso documented, all the tests, all the specific modifications that were made. Eduardo took the folder reluctantly. Why are you giving me this now? Because if something happens to me, you’ll need this information. The doctors who treat you in the future will need to know exactly what was done. Eduardo tucked the folder under his arm. Is there anything else I should know? Just one more thing. Carolía left you the letter, Eleá said.

Eduardo read it quickly with a frown. The letter indicated that Carolina was definitely going to Europe and would be returning to Brazil. “She had the desire to disappear,” Eduardo said, tearing up the paper. He headed for the door. “I’m going to find the children.” Eduardo. “Wait.” Elea stopped him. “May I now say goodbye properly to them?” Eduardo paused. He reflected for a moment and then weighed everything he had learned. “No, Mother. You don’t have to bear the burden of saying goodbye to someone who considered you a friend.”

To them, you’ll just be the grandmother they visit from time to time. In the garden, he found the three children who were still playing happily. “Guys, it’s time to go,” he said, feeling very careless. During the car ride, Eduardo heard the children’s voices in the back seat, feeling the love and determination growing in his chest. No matter how he got into the world, it was now up to him. That same afternoon, Dr. Heriqe returned with more equipment, accompanied by Dr.

Roberto and her social worker. After examining the children and talking at length with them, everyone agreed that they would be 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 completed successfully. That night, Eduardo brought the three children back to the room for an important discussion. They liked the 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. “Are we really brothers?” Lúcas asked. “Yes, we are brothers of blood, heart, and soul,” Eduardo replied. “And we will always be together,” Mateo asked. “Forever. Nothing will ever separate this family again.” In the following months, life settled into a peaceful and stable relationship. Lucas and Mateo enrolled in Pedro’s school, where they stood out for their exceptional intelligence.

Rosa officially assumed the role of caregiver for the three children. Dr. Erika became the family’s exclusive pediatrician, carefully overseeing the children’s health. Three months later, Dr. Roberto completed all the legal paperwork. Lúcas and Mateo Fernández officially existed with valid documents and all the rights of biological children. Eduardo’s business prospered during that period, as if renewed love had revitalized every aspect of his life. Elepa kept her promise not to send them letters, sending them only occasionally.

Caroliá remained in Europe, sending a letter to the family in repentance. A year later, Eduardo organized a family reunion party, inviting only the people who really mattered. He gave a toast. This party celebrates not only their first year together, but also the fact that families are formed in unexpected and miraculous ways. The years brought peace. The three sons grew up as an inseparable family, developing unique personalities but maintaining an unbreakable bond. Pedro became the powerful leader, Lυcas the brilliant academic, and Mateo the sensitive artist.

Eduardo watched their development with pride, noting that the genetic improvements were clearly evident—exceptional intelligence, resistance to disease, impressive emotional maturity—but decided that it didn’t matter whether this was a result of the modifications or simply the ionic love he had imposed on them. When they turned 10, Eduardo finally felt safe enough to talk about Patricia, showing photos and telling stories about the mother who still appeared in the children’s shared dreams. At 15, they had become exceptional young people.

Pedro showed an interest in medicine. Locas was passionate about scientific research, and Mateo emerged as a talented artist. Eduardo was strongly supportive, always reminding them that their decisions should be motivated by passion, not by the expectation of their improved abilities. Rosa and Dr. Erika remained central figures in the family, offering constant love and guidance. Eduardo kept the original medical records under lock and key, rarely sharing them, accepting that his children’s identities transcended their artificial origins. When he turned 18, Eduardo offered to show them the complete records.

To their surprise, all three declined in unison. Pedro said, “Dad, we know we were created in a special way, but that’s history. What matters is who we are now and who we chose to be.” In the following years, the three followed different but parallel paths. Pedro became a pediatric cardiologist. Lúcas earned a doctorate in bioethics with a specialization in geoethics. And Mateo became a renowned artist. They all married, started families and maintained the unique bond of family. Eduardo grew old with dignity, surrounded by an extended family that included his three children, his wives and, in time, his seven grandchildren.

Rosa and Dr. Erika remained with the family until the end of their days, loved like the pillars they truly were. When Eduardo turned 70, the children organized a party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his reunion. During the celebration, Pedro gave a moving speech: “Dad, you could have gone on that day, but you chose to stop, listen, and love. You taught us that family isn’t about twins, it’s about choosing to love and building something beautiful together.” Eduardo looked at his close family, three exceptional children, their families, and all the people who chose to be a part of this shared story.

He thought in the scientific origins that they had become irrelevant to the simple reality that they were complete human beings, capable of love and finding meaning in their lives. The story had begun with hype and lies, but ended with love and family. That night, Eduardo slept soundly, knowing that he had fulfilled the most important promise of his life. And for the first time that day in the street, he dreamed not of the past, but of the brilliant future that his children would continue to be built together.