Ethan’s voice was steady, but something underneath it wasn’t. I swore that if I ever had the chance to help someone the way no one helped my mother, I would take it. The chain rattled. The door opened wider. Clara stood in the doorway of the saddest apartment Ethan had ever seen. A hot plate on a rickety table, a mattress on the floor, a crib from a garage sale,and the empty formula can on the counter like a monument to everything gone wrong. I’m Clara. This is Lily.
Ethan Mercer. He stepped inside, setting down the bags. I believe someone is hungry. The clock hit midnight just as Lily started eating. Fireworks boom somewhere outside. Probably the wealthy neighborhoods celebrating in style. The sound couldn’t quite reach this apartment. Only a faint glow made it through the thin window.
But Clara wasn’t watching fireworks. She was watching her daughter drink for the first time in hours. Tiny hands grasping at the bottle, eyes slowly closing in contentment. There you go, sweetheart. There you go. Ethan stood by the window, giving her space. She studied him while Lily fed.
He looked different than she’d expected a billionaire to look. She knew who he was. Everyone in finance knew Ethan Mercer. Magazine covers, perfectly tailored suits, settings that screamed money and power. But here in her crumbling apartment, he looked almost human. His coat was expensive, yes, but he’d unbuttoned it and pushed up the sleeves.
His hair was slightly disheveled, and his eyes held something she hadn’t expected. Loneliness. She recognized it because she saw it in her own mirror every day. “You didn’t have to do this,” Clara said finally. “I asked for $50.” “I know. You also apologized four times in three sentences.” Clara flushed. “I don’t usually.
I’ve never asked for help like that. What happened?” His voice was gentle, not demanding. She could have refused, but something about him, his calmness, his lack of judgment made her want to tell the truth. I got fired 3 months ago from Harmon Financial. She tested whether the name registered. If it did, he didn’t show it. I was an accountant and I found something in the books.
Transactions that didn’t make sense. Small, but a lot of them. Money going to vendors that didn’t seem to exist. Ethan’s posture shifted slightly. Attentive, I asked my supervisor about it. Just a question. A week later, they called me into HR. Position eliminated. They took my laptop before I could save anything. And you were really looking.
It’s my job. Was my job. Clara adjusted. Lily, the numbers stick in my head. They always have. Ethan was quiet for a long moment. Harmon Financial Services. I know that company. They’re a partner on several projects I’m involved with, including a charitable foundation. Clara looked up sharply. What foundation? Hope.
It provides grants to shelter supporting women and children in poverty. Ethan met her eyes, including a place called Harbor Grace Shelter. The room seemed to shrink around Clara. Harbor Grace, the shelter Evelyn Torres ran, the shelter she just tried to reach by texting a billionaire. You’re telling me the company that fired me is partnered with your foundation which funds the shelter where I was going to ask for help. It appears so.
That’s not. That can’t be coincidence. I don’t believe in coincidences either. Ethan reached into his coat and pulled out a business card. Cream colored embossed letters. Mercer Capital. Ethan Mercer, founder and CEO. Keep this. When you’re ready, when Lily is fed and you’ve had time to think, call the number on the back.
If what you found is what I think you found, I need to know more. Clara took the card. The paper was thick and smooth. What do you think I found? Ethan’s jaw tightened. I think you may have stumbled onto something happening under my nose for years. Something I should have caught and didn’t. He moved toward the door. Get some sleep.
Take care of Lily. When you’re ready, you know where to find me. He was at the door when Clara spoke again. Why are you helping me? Really? Rich people don’t. They’re not like this. Ethan turned back. In the flickering light, his face looked younger, more vulnerable. Because I remember what it feels like to have no one.
Leave a Comment