A shock passed through him as he knelt beside Alicia. Her breathing was shallow but steady. One of the boys tugged at his sleeve and whispered, “Mommy needs help.”
Within minutes, Sebastian had called an ambulance. Watching as medics lifted Alicia onto a stretcher, his attention kept returning to the twins. He did not recognize the woman—or thought he did not—but a deep part of his memory stirred.
At the hospital, nurses confirmed her identity: Alicia Moore, twenty-nine, homeless for months, malnourished and dehydrated. She clutched a threadbare backpack containing only a blanket and two bottles of milk.
Sebastian waited in the corridor, ignoring his schedule and empire, as the twins fell asleep beside him. For the first time in years, he felt an overwhelming weight that no business success could alleviate.
When Alicia regained consciousness, her first concern was her children. “Are they safe?” she asked weakly.
“They’re fine,” Sebastian reassured her. “You passed out. The doctors say you will recover soon.”
She turned toward him in disbelief. “Sebastian Clarke,” she murmured. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
Confused, he asked, “Do I know you?”
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