STORY

The Homeless Boy with His Eyes

By Dr. Sarah JenkinsMay 14, 2026Page 4 of 5

Chapter 4: The Truth Claire Died For

Sebastian took his mother downstairs to the library and shut the door.

For the first time in years, he did not feel like a son standing before his mother. He felt like a man facing the person who had broken his family.

"What did Claire find out?" he asked.

Evelyn sat slowly. She looked tired, but not sorry.

"Your wife discovered our family company was collapsing," she said. "Your father had hidden debts. Investors were ready to leave. If news got out, everything would fall apart."

Sebastian stared at her. "What does that have to do with my son?"

"Everything," Evelyn snapped. "Two newborn children. A dying business. A wife from a modest family who was telling you to sell assets and leave the board. Claire was becoming a threat."

"She was my wife."

"And she was preparing to take you away from us."

He went still. "What?"

Evelyn gave a bitter laugh. "Claire found legal papers. She knew how bad the finances were. She planned to leave the estate with both babies as soon as she recovered."

Sebastian's hands curled into fists. "So you took one child?"

"I made a decision," Evelyn said sharply. "The boy was weak. The doctors said he might not survive. I thought if one child disappeared, Claire would be too devastated to fight, and you would stay focused on Lily and the company."

Sebastian could barely believe it.

"You decided which child I was allowed to keep?"

Evelyn's voice dropped. "I told the doctor to arrange a quiet transfer. Maria overheard everything. She panicked, took the baby, and disappeared before we could stop her."

"And Claire?"

Evelyn looked away for the first time. "She woke up before the plan was complete. She heard enough to know something was wrong. She got out of bed, collapsed in the corridor, and never recovered."

The room went silent.

Claire had not died simply from complications.

She had died trying to get to her son.

Sebastian stepped back as if the air around Evelyn had turned poisonous.

At that moment, the library door burst open.

Lily stood there crying.

Behind her was Ethan, pale and shaken.

They had heard enough.

Lily ran straight to Sebastian. Ethan stayed frozen in the doorway.

Evelyn looked at the boy and said coldly, "You should never have come here."

Before Sebastian could answer, the head of security rushed in.

"Sir," he said. "We have a problem. Ethan's room is empty. The window is open. Someone left this on the bed."