Chapter 1: The Night That Changed Everything
The kitchen, moments ago filled only with the comforting aroma of fresh bread and warm soup, suddenly became unbearably quiet.
Richard lowered the phone from his ear.
His expression had changed.
The kindness that had filled his face while helping the girls into dry blankets was gone, replaced by something heavier.
Something that made Owen's stomach tighten.
"Sir..." Richard said quietly.
Owen looked up from the bowl he had just placed in front of the youngest girl.
"What is it?"
Richard hesitated.
"I just spoke with Child Protective Services."
The room fell silent.
Even the rain tapping against the enormous windows seemed farther away.
"They identified the children."
Owen slowly stood.
"And?"
Richard looked toward the four little girls before lowering his voice.
"Their parents were killed six months ago."
The spoon slipped from Bella's hand.
It landed softly against the porcelain bowl.
None of the girls spoke.
Not one of them looked surprised.
That frightened Owen more than the news itself.
Because it meant...
They already knew.
Sophie quietly placed an arm around little Issa.
Issa buried her face into the old cloth doll she had refused to let go of all evening.
Luma stared at the floor.
Bella blinked rapidly, fighting tears she had clearly learned never to show.
Owen slowly sat back down.
His voice was gentle.
"I'm so sorry."
Sophie finally looked at him.
"We know."
No crying.
No screaming.
Just two words.
We know.
Children should never learn to say those words so calmly.
Richard continued.
"According to the report, both parents died in an apartment fire in Queens."
Owen frowned.
"A fire?"
Richard nodded.
"It was ruled accidental."
Sophie suddenly spoke.
"It wasn't."
Everyone turned toward her.
Her tiny hands tightened around the silver emergency blanket.
"It wasn't an accident."
Richard exchanged a quick glance with Owen.
"What makes you think that?" Owen asked carefully.
Sophie stared into her bowl.
"Because Mommy told us."
The room became perfectly still.
Owen leaned forward.
"What did she tell you?"
Sophie swallowed.
"She told us if anything happened..."
"...we had to run."
Bella started crying.
Not loudly.
Just little hiccups she couldn't stop.
Luma reached over and held her hand.
Sophie continued.
"Mommy said..."
"...never trust the man with the snake ring."
Richard looked confused.
"The snake ring?"
Sophie nodded.
"He came to our apartment."
"When?"
"The week before the fire."
Owen's heartbeat quickened.
"What did he want?"
Sophie shook her head.
"I don't know."
"I heard Mommy yelling."
"Daddy told us to stay in our room."
"He kept saying..."
"...'You'll never get it.'"
Owen frowned.
"Get what?"
"I don't know."
Issa suddenly whispered from behind her doll.
"The box."
Everyone looked toward the little girl.
She looked frightened that she had spoken.
"What box, sweetheart?" Owen asked gently.
Issa hugged the doll tighter.
"The blue box."
Sophie slowly nodded.
"There was a blue box."
"Daddy hid it."
"Mommy said nobody could ever find it."
Richard looked uncomfortable.
"Sir..."
Owen already understood what he was thinking.
This was becoming something much bigger than abandoned children.
If the girls were telling the truth...
Their parents may not have died by accident.
A knock interrupted the silence.
Three firm knocks echoed through the mansion.
Everyone froze.
Richard checked his watch.
"That must be Child Services."
Owen nodded.
"I'll answer."
The enormous front doors slowly opened.
Standing outside was a woman in her early forties wearing a navy raincoat.
She carried a leather folder beneath one arm.
Rain dripped from her umbrella.
"Mr. Hayes?"
"Yes."
"I'm Emily Carter with New York Child Protective Services."
She smiled politely.
"Thank you for keeping the girls safe."
Owen stepped aside.
"Please come in."
Emily entered the mansion.
The girls immediately huddled together.
Sophie instinctively stepped in front of her sisters.
Emily noticed.
She didn't move closer.
Instead she crouched several feet away.
"Hello."
"My name is Emily."
"I'm here to help."
No one answered.
Emily looked at Owen.
"They've clearly been through trauma."
Owen nodded.
"They barely spoke until dinner."
Emily opened her folder.
"There are many unanswered questions."
She looked toward Sophie.
"Sophie..."
"...do you know why you were living on the streets?"
Sophie hesitated.
Then quietly answered.
"We ran away."
Emily blinked.
"From where?"
"Our aunt's house."
Richard looked surprised.
"They had family?"
Emily nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Their legal guardian is their mother's sister."
Owen frowned.
"Then why weren't they with her?"
Sophie answered before Emily could.
"Because Aunt Karen hates us."
Emily looked shocked.
"Sophie..."
"You shouldn't say that."
"It's true."
The little girl's voice remained calm.
"She said we cost too much."
Bella lowered her head.
"She said Daddy wasted everything on us."
Luma quietly added,
"She locked the refrigerator."
Issa whispered,
"We weren't allowed to eat."
Emily slowly closed the folder.
She looked genuinely disturbed.
"Those details weren't in the report."
Sophie looked directly into her eyes.
"She told everyone we lied."
Owen felt anger rising inside him.
"What happened after that?"
Sophie took a deep breath.
"One day..."
"...she told us to leave."
Emily frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"She said..."
"...'If nobody wants you, maybe the streets will.'"
Bella finally burst into tears.
Luma hugged her tightly.
Issa started crying too.
The sound echoed through the enormous kitchen.
Tiny voices.
Broken hearts.
Owen looked away for a second.
His jaw tightened.
No child should ever hear those words.
Emily looked shaken.
"I'll need to verify everything."
Richard asked quietly,
"What happens tonight?"
Emily sighed.
"Normally..."
"...the girls would be placed in emergency foster care."
All four children immediately clung to each other.
Sophie looked terrified.
"No."
Emily softened her voice.
"It would only be temporary."
"No."
Sophie shook her head harder.
"We stay together."
Emily hesitated.
"The system tries..."
"You said tries."
The room became silent again.
Emily couldn't answer.
Because Sophie was right.
Brothers and sisters were often separated.
Then something happened that surprised everyone.
Little Issa slowly walked across the kitchen.
Straight toward Owen.
She reached up with tiny trembling hands.
And grabbed the sleeve of his soaked black suit.
She looked into his eyes.
Eyes far too old for a four-year-old.
Then she whispered the words that would change Owen's life forever.
"Please..."
"...don't let them split us up."
Owen looked down at the frightened little girl.
Then at Sophie.
Luma.
Bella.
Four sisters.
Four frightened children who had nobody left.
Or so they believed.
He slowly knelt beside Issa.
"I won't make you a promise I can't keep."
The girls looked at him anxiously.
"But..."
"...I'll do everything legally possible to keep you together."
For the first time that night...
Sophie allowed herself the smallest hint of hope.
Emily quietly watched the scene.
Then her phone vibrated.
She glanced at the screen.
Her expression instantly changed.
"What is it?" Owen asked.
Emily slowly lowered the phone.
"There may be a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
She looked directly at him.
"The girls' aunt..."
"...is on her way here."
Sophie turned completely pale.
Her lips trembled.
"No..."
Bella grabbed Luma's hand.
Issa started crying again.
Emily looked at Owen.
"She says she's coming to take the children home."
Sophie whispered only one sentence.
"You can't let her."
Then she looked toward the mansion's front entrance with absolute terror.
"Because if Aunt Karen finds us..."
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"...we'll disappear forever."
End of Chapter 1
→ Chapter 2: The Woman at the Gate
