My Son Found His Twin Begging on the Stree

CHAPTER 1 — The Boy With My Son's Face

"Hey, Mom... that kid looks exactly like me."

Nicholas stopped so suddenly that Caroline nearly lost her grip on his hand.

A boy sat beside a lamppost across the sidewalk. His clothes were torn, one knee was bleeding, and dirt covered his face.

But beneath the grime was Nicholas's face.

The same brown eyes.

The same small scar above the eyebrow.

Even the same nervous movement of his lower lip.

Caroline removed her sunglasses.

The homeless boy stood cautiously and reached beneath his sweatshirt. He pulled out a golden pocket watch and offered it to her.

Her hands trembled as she opened it.

Inside were two photographs of identical babies.

Beneath them were four engraved words.

To our twin suns.

"No... this can't be real."

Nicholas looked at her.

"Mom, what's going on?"

Caroline could not answer.

Eight years earlier, she had given birth to twin boys. Nicholas survived. The second baby, whom she had named Noah, was declared dead minutes after delivery.

Caroline had begged to see him.

Her husband, Richard, said the body had already been taken away because of an infection.

The golden watch had disappeared that same night.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Noah Reed."

The street seemed to tilt beneath her.

"Who gave you this?"

"My foster mother, Ruth. She died last month."

Noah had escaped an overcrowded group home after older children stole his shoes. He had been sleeping near the train station and collecting food from restaurants.

Caroline touched the faded hospital ribbon tied inside the watch.

Baby B. Vale.

She immediately called her driver and private doctor.

Noah stepped backward.

"Ruth told me not to trust rich people."

"Why?"

"Because a rich man paid her to keep me hidden."

Caroline showed him a family photograph on her phone.

Noah pointed directly at Richard.

"That's him. That's the man who said nobody could ever know I was alive."