“I know.”

The words stayed between them.

Devin’s mouth went dry.

“You know me?”

Aaron nodded.

“Maya told us.”

“What did she tell you?”

The boy hesitated.

“That you were rich.”

Devin almost laughed.

It came out as a broken breath instead.

Rich.

He owned H๏τels overlooking oceans. Buildings with marble floors and private elevators. Apartments that cost more than entire neighborhoods.

And five feet away, his son—if the trembling feeling in his bones was telling him the truth—was standing barefoot in the rain.

“What else did she tell you?”

Aaron looked at Aiden.

“She said you didn’t want us.”

Devin went completely still.

Victor grabbed his father’s coat.

“That’s not true.”

Devin looked down.

His son’s eyes were wet.

“I wouldn’t leave my brothers.”

The sentence tore through him.

Because he knew Victor.

He knew how the boy cried when a toy broke.

How he saved the last piece of chocolate for his father.

How he slept with one hand curled around Devin’s finger.

And now Victor was looking at two strangers as though he’d already accepted them as family.

Devin slowly reached toward Aaron.

The boy flinched.

Devin stopped immediately.

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

Aaron’s eyes remained guarded.

“Then why are you crying?”

Devin touched his own cheek.

His fingers came away wet.

He hadn’t realized.

“I knew your mother.”

Aaron’s expression changed.

“Maya?”

“No.”

Devin swallowed.

“Priya.”

Aiden suddenly lifted his head.

“Mama?”

The word nearly destroyed him.

Devin stared.

“What did you say?”

Aiden clutched the locket.

“Mama.”

Devin couldn’t breathe.

Priya.

His wife.

The woman he had buried five years ago.

The woman whose face was trapped inside that little gold locket.

He dropped to his knees again.

“Tell me about her.”

Aaron sat very still.

“She used to sing.”

Devin closed his eyes.

Of course she did.

Priya sang when she cooked.

When she drove.

When she couldn’t sleep.

Aiden continued.

“She smelled like flowers.”

Devin’s hand covered his mouth.

He knew that perfume.

Jasmine.

Always jasmine.

“What happened to her?”

The boys exchanged a look.

Then Aaron whispered,

“Maya said she died.”

Devin’s heart sank.

“She did.”

Aaron shook his head.

“No.”

Devin looked at him.

“She said Mama died.”

The boy’s eyes filled with confusion.

“But she also said you were the reason.”

Devin froze.

Behind him, Victor whispered,

“Dad…”

A car appeared at the far end of the street.

Its headlights swept across the wet pavement.

Aaron suddenly grabbed Aiden’s hand.

His face changed.

Fear.

Real fear.

“We have to go.”

“Why?”

“Maya said if a black car comes…”

He stopped.

The headlights turned.

A black SUV slowly approached the curb.

Devin rose.

His entire body went rigid.

The boys pressed against him.

For the first time, Aaron didn’t pull away.

He grabbed Devin’s coat instead.

And Devin understood something terrifying.

Whoever had abandoned these children beside the garbage hadn’t necessarily left them there to die.

They might have left them there to hide.

And someone had just come looking for them.