“Let me play with her. I know how to make your sick daughter walk again,” a small street boy told a millionaire as he approached his daughter in a wheelchair. When the powerful man finally allowed the boy to approach, and the little one noticed a shocking detail about the girl’s illness that no doctor had ever seen, the man fell to his knees, weeping in disbelief at what the small street boy had discovered.

“Don’t take that, it will hurt you!” shouted Gabe, a boy barely 10 years old, thin, with worn clothes and a look of anguish. He was a street kid, but his heart beat stronger than any fortune. And at that moment, he was trying to stop his best friend from swallowing another pill.

In the wheelchair, with a tired expression, sat Laura, also 10 years old. A delicate little girl with pale skin and fragile hands. She held the box of medications as if it were the only hope in her life, parked in the middle of the mansion’s garden.

Charles, her father, appeared, his eyes glazed with desperation, quickly approaching. “Don’t come near my daughter!” he said in a desperate tone, then tried to calm himself. “My daughter has fragile health and cannot be exposed to dirt. The only thing that can alleviate her pain are these medications. Please, I can’t let you get close to her.”

He immediately placed himself between the boy and his daughter like a human shield, hugging Laura against his chest as if he feared she might vanish at any moment.

His breathing was heavy, and with a broken voice, he implored, “Please, go away. I can’t risk her getting even sicker.”

The small street boy lowered his head. His heart seemed to be shattering inside his chest. All he wanted was to play with his friend like before, but her health was weakening every day, and no one knew why.

He took a deep breath, trying to hold back tears. “Don’t you understand? I’m not going to hurt her. I just want to help her smile again, to play like we always did.” The boy looked up, his eyes shining with sincerity. “But every day, even taking these pills, she gets worse. Please, listen to me, sir. I can help your daughter. I can make her walk again.”

The girl’s father remained motionless. The weight of the child’s words moved him. The millionaire businessman looked into Gabe’s eyes, and for an instant, he saw the truth reflected there. The boy had nothing but his own honesty, but doubt corroded his heart. How could he believe a street kid over a renowned doctor paid a fortune?

Charles took a deep breath, his voice almost failing, but he tried to remain firm. “Forgive me, little one. I know you care about my daughter, and I understand your frustration, but what would you know about Laura’s illness? You’re just a child.” He paused, adjusted his daughter in the wheelchair, and finished with a broken voice. “I wish you were right, truly. I wish my girl could walk again, but that won’t happen if she stops taking the medication.”

Silence settled in the garden. Only the distant singing of birds broke the tension. Laura, silent until then, took a deep breath. The girl placed her small, trembling, pale hand on her father’s. Her voice was weak but firm.

“But Daddy, if these medications are going to help me, why do I feel weaker every day? Why can’t I get better and walk again to play with Gabe?”

Laura’s words resonated in the millionaire’s heart. Charles swallowed, unsure how to respond. How to explain to a child that the treatment was slow and might never bring the improvement she dreamed of? He took a deep breath, caressing his daughter’s face, and tried to compose himself.

“Sweetheart, what you have can’t be treated as quickly as Daddy would like. We have to wait. It’s slow, and meanwhile, you might feel worse, as the doctor said.”

Gabe felt despair rise within him. He couldn’t miss the chance to convince them. He gathered his courage and stepped forward, his heart racing. He was ready to speak one more time when a sudden, shrill voice echoed through the garden, cutting the air.

“Darling, get that filthy thing away from our little girl right now, or she’ll get even sicker!”

Pamela, Laura’s stepmother, appeared on the mansion porch with a look of disdain, spitting words as if they were venom. Her accusing finger pointed directly at Gabe, as if the boy were a plague crawling across the family’s perfect garden.

The boy’s eyes widened, his breath catching. “I’m not doing anything wrong!” he shouted.

But the pressured millionaire did not want to prolong the confusion. He turned sharply to Gabe with an expression of pain and determination. “Boy, please leave. You are giving my daughter false hope with what you said. Even my wife is nervous about your presence, worried that Laura might get worse. You are dirty. You can only harm my daughter. Her health is very fragile.”

His voice sounded harsher than he intended. The millionaire lowered his gaze, feeling the weight of his decision, and added, “Please, go. Don’t worry about my daughter’s well-being anymore. If the treatment continues, she will get well. If you truly want her to improve, just disappear from here.”

Silence once again took hold of the place. Gabe stood there, his chest heaving, feeling the man’s words strike his soul. His tear-filled eyes looked at Laura, who seemed to be pleading with her gaze for him not to give up. But faced with her father’s order and her stepmother’s contempt, the small street boy didn’t know what to do.

It was as if his words hit an unbreakable wall and never reached Charles’s ears. Everything seemed to have gotten worse since Pamela arrived. She was an arrogant shadow that floated through every corner of the mansion, walking with her head held high, as if she owned the world and the absolute truth. Pamela treated everyone with contempt. But Gabe was not invisible to her; quite the opposite. From their first encounter, he seemed to have a target painted on his back, ready to receive every cruel word that came out of the woman’s mouth.

“Get away from here, brat!” the witch shouted, almost hysterically eager to be rid of him. Her eyes flashed with anger, and her lips curled into a twisted smile of pure disdain. “All you do here is obstruct our life and Laura’s recovery. Besides, she has nothing to gain from keeping a friendship with someone so useless. Not even your own parents wanted to keep you. The worst mistake we made was allowing that contact with our girl. You are refuse.”

The harpy’s words struck the boy. He felt his chest tighten, his throat burn, but he didn’t reply. He simply stood motionless, swallowing the pain that grew in silence. Charles heard every syllable, and his heart ached deeply, but he did not have the courage to confront his wife, trying to convince himself that Pamela only spoke that way out of concern for the girl. He simply nodded silently, avoiding any argument.

Gabe turned his face toward his friend. His eyes were already filled with tears, but seeing her there, so fragile, almost sunken in that wheelchair, the crying spilled over. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her alone, bearing the weight of a life without being able to walk.

When the first tear rolled down his face, a memory flooded his mind. He clearly remembered the day she ran towards him, laughing, with a colorful box in her hands.

“Here, this is for you,” Laura had said that afternoon, her face lit up by the sun and a smile so radiant it seemed to reflect all the joy in the world. She handed him a box wrapped in colored paper with a simple but lovingly tied bow.

Gabe looked at the gift with suspicion and asked anxiously, “What’s inside?” He shook the box carefully, trying to guess. His heart raced. After all, he had never received a gift in his life. With trembling hands, he began to unwrap the package, but he did it slowly, tearing off each little piece gently, as if the paper was as valuable as what was inside.

Laura burst out laughing, a laugh so pure it filled the air. “Hahaha. Why are you opening it like that? You were just supposed to rip it open. That paper was only there to make the box look prettier.”

The small street boy looked up, and although he smiled, he seemed to contain a greater emotion. “It’s just that I’ve never received anything so beautiful before, so I want to keep it as a souvenir. That way, I’ll never forget the day you gave me a gift.”

His words made Laura frown. She watched him carefully fold the paper and put it in his pocket as if it were a treasure. With a curious look, she said, “Sometimes you’re a little weird, you know? But I think I like that. I prefer you to be like that than the annoying boys at my school, who only know how to bother me. Maybe being different from others is a good thing.”

The boy let out a cheerful laugh and finally sat on the grass and opened the box. Inside, he found a simple leather bracelet with his name embroidered in firm letters. His eyes shone; his heart almost leaped out of his chest. “My God, how beautiful. It fits me perfectly,” Gabe said, jumping for joy. He put the bracelet on his arm and admired the embroidery.

“I expected an answer, and the girl, also sitting on the ground, shook her head from side to side, smiling mischievously. ‘Of course not, silly. How would I embroider leather? I just asked my dad to buy the bracelet, and then I asked my nanny to take me to an embroidery store. We had your name made there.’ While she talked, she was tearing small pieces of grass, distracted. Gabe continued to admire the gift, enchanted. ‘But why did you do this?’ he asked, sitting beside her, without taking his eyes off the bracelet. Laura turned her face toward her friend. Her eyes took on a different sparkle, and her voice came out sincere. ‘You told me last week that today was the day they found you in front of the orphanage, right?’ The place you ran away from. Gabe nodded silently, the memory weighing on his chest. ‘So, maybe it’s your birthday,’ the girl continued. ‘I thought I’d give you something as a gift. I just missed the cake, but I couldn’t buy it without my dad or Pamela finding out.’ The girl’s words entered the small street boy’s mind like a breath of hope. In that instant, he understood how much he meant to Laura, and that made him feel special, perhaps for the first time in his life.

But now, back to the present, the memory of that happy moment contrasted cruelly with the scene in the garden. Pamela was chasing him away, Charles was pushing him aside, and his friend was trapped in a wheelchair, getting weaker every day. The bracelet was still on his arm, reminding him that the friendship between them was real, even if everyone tried to destroy it.

His mind returned to the past. Gabe frowned, confused by his friend’s words before asking, “What’s the problem with them finding out? Would you get in trouble for spending money without permission?” Laura burst out laughing at that, laughing loudly, but the smile that lit up her face slowly faded until it disappeared completely. The girl sighed deeply, clutching the edge of her dress tightly, as if afraid to reveal a dangerous secret. “None of that, silly. My dad doesn’t care if I spend money, especially if it’s from my allowance. The problem isn’t how much I spend, but what I spend it on.” Gabe tilted his head, intrigued.

Laura’s expression changed. Her eyes became restless, and her voice dropped as if she feared someone might hear her. “Pamela saw me playing with you that day she returned from the salon. She told me that people who live on the street are useless. She ordered me to stay away from you or she would tell my dad, and he would scold me.” The little girl’s eyes filled with tears, but before they fell, Laura quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand, trying to look strong. “But I didn’t listen to her, Gabe. I don’t know if my dad would really get angry, but I don’t care because I know what a good person you are. I’m not going to stop being your friend just because Pamela is a bore and has no friends. Well, she only has that strange doctor who’s always glued to her like her shadow. You’re much better than him.”

Those words struck Gabe like a ray of hope. The tears streaming down his face suddenly dried, giving way to a firm, decisive gaze. The memory of Laura by his side brought him momentary relief, but reality quickly caught up with him. He blinked and realized where he was. There were no more laughs or gifts. His friend was not sitting next to him tearing small pieces of grass, but confined to a wheelchair, weakened, while Charles, as always, struggled to hide his own tears, drowning them in his eyes so his daughter wouldn’t notice his pain.

Gabe understood that there was nothing more he could do there. No one wanted to listen to him. His words were lost in the wind. Pamela dominated every conversation and would never allow his voice to be heard. The boy took a deep breath, held back his tears, and turned around.

He walked slowly through the mansion’s gardens with a heavy heart, but without giving up the promise he had made to himself. He would help Laura. He just needed to wait for the right moment, one where he had proof of what he was saying, an instant when neither Charles nor even Pamela could ignore him.

He continued through the streets until he reached an abandoned house at the back of the property. That’s where he usually took refuge. It was nothing more than an old shack, almost without tiles, with huge holes in the walls, if they could even be called walls anymore. Gabe had improvised a cardboard roof to protect himself a little from the sun, but one rain was enough for everything to collapse in seconds. Still, it was the closest thing to a home he had ever had. The boy looked at the shack and smiled bitterly. He thought to himself, Home, sweet home. It’s been a while since I was here. These last few days, I stayed hidden in the mansion just to be close to Laura and watch over her.

He entered slowly, looking for the least dirty corner to sit in. The walls were just cement remnants with moisture marks and holes opened by the passage of time. He spoke aloud in a release of emotion. “It will be difficult to get into the mansion now. I think the employees won’t let me wander around there. They won’t even give me anything to eat secretly. That witch Pamela must have already given orders not to let me set foot in the garden.”

He put his hand on his stomach, already feeling the emptiness of hunger that would soon arrive. “My diet in there wasn’t the best, but at least there was always someone good who helped me. Thinking about it, the only one who couldn’t stand me was the witch Pamela. She and Laura’s dad are too overprotective, but they’re wrong to think I’m a threat.”

Gabe stood up and walked through the shack. He reached a dark room where his makeshift bed was—a pile of old pillows found in the trash and a thin blanket full of patches sewn with pink thread. That was his only comfort on cold nights, although it wasn’t always enough to ward off the cold. He approached, touched the fabric, and noticed the marks of the stitching. A slight smile broke out on his face, soon replaced by tears that returned to his eyes.

That blanket had a history. It was Laura who had sewn it with the help of a nanny. Gabe closed his eyes and let the memory flood his mind once more. He remembered the day he received the blanket, right when he was given the most painful news: that Laura might not be able to walk again. The twisted, colorful threads of the patch were like a path guiding him through memories. It was a sunny day. Laura was on school vacation and spent most of her time at home. Gabe ran to the mansion, excited, almost unable to contain his anticipation. That day they planned to draw together as they always did.

“Finally, now that Laura doesn’t have to study all day, I can play with her. We’re going to have fun all day, and I’m sure she’ll bring me something tasty for a snack,” Gabe thought, smiling from ear to ear. But upon reaching the garden where they always met, the scene was different. He saw no one. The silence felt strange; it made him nervous. His heart began to beat strongly, trying to understand what was happening.

The day dragged slowly, and Gabe was still sitting in the same spot, waiting for his friend to appear. The sun began to set, painting the sky with orange and pink tones. And still, Laura did not appear. The boy looked around the garden restlessly, hugging his knees with the hope of seeing her come out the door or through the window. But nothing happened. Some mansion employees passed by. Everyone knew who that boy was who always appeared hidden to see Laura. They usually turned a blind eye, pretending not to see him, precisely because they knew about the pure friendship that existed between them. But that day something was different. They passed, casting quick glances at him and continuing on their way. No smiles, no words, just sad expressions laden with something that seemed to weigh on their souls.

Gabe noticed that those looks were not simple indifference. There was an intention in them to say something, as if they wanted to warn him, but lacked the courage. “How strange,” the boy thought, frowning. “Everyone looks at me, but no one says anything. What could be happening?”

Time kept passing, and the little one’s anguish only increased until he suddenly saw someone approaching. It was a woman in an elegant dress, her reddish hair shining under the sunset. Pamela. Beside her walked Laura’s nanny, carrying a heavy bag. Pamela fixed her eyes on him, and with a look full of contempt, she spoke loudly. “Listen, boy. Laura is sick and can’t play. You’d better leave now instead of staying here getting sun on your face like a wilted flower.”

The words cut the air, leaving Gabe in shock. He felt his heart race, and questions tumbled in his head. How is Laura sick? What happened? Why didn’t anyone tell me before? He tried to speak, but his voice was almost gone. Finally, he managed to stammer desperately, “How is Laura sick? What happened to her? Please tell me.”

But Pamela didn’t even deign to look him in the eye. She turned her face, disdainfully adjusted her hair, and answered coldly, “No one knows for sure what she has. All we know is that the disease has made her extremely sensitive to germs. That’s why she can’t have contact with someone dirty like you. Do us a favor. Don’t come near this mansion again.”

The cruelty of those words hit the small street boy like a dagger. He fell to his knees, his body trembling. In all his life, he had never had a true friend. And now his first and only friend was sick, so fragile that she could no longer play with him. The pain he felt at that moment was unbearable.

Pamela only lifted her chin and walked on, leaving him there as if his feelings were trash thrown on the ground. But the nanny, watching everything from a distance, couldn’t be so cold. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her hands trembled. With slow steps, she approached the boy and held out the bag she was carrying. Gabe looked up, confused. “What is this? What are you giving me?” he asked with a broken voice.

Mariana, as everyone called her, took a deep breath, fighting back her own tears, and replied in a low voice, “Last night, Laura asked me to gather some of her old blankets and sew them together. She said she had a friend who had nothing to cover himself with and wanted to give him a gift.”

Gabe’s eyes widened as he looked inside the bag. There was a patched blanket sewn with pink threads, Laura’s favorite color. He hugged the fabric to his chest and began to cry non-stop. She thought of me even when she was sick. Even then, she thought of me, he murmured through sobs while tears soaked the gift. The nanny walked away in silence, unable to say another word.

Gabe was left alone, submerged in sadness, but something inside him screamed that he couldn’t accept that separation. When night fell and the employees began to leave, the boy made a decision. He waited for the mansion to fall asleep, and in the early hours of the morning, he left his hiding place. Moving silently, he crept around the perimeter until he stopped in front of Laura’s room window. The problem was that the room was on the third floor. Climbing up there from the outside was risky, almost impossible for someone so small. But fear wasn’t enough to stop him. Gabe took a deep breath, placed the bag with the blanket between his teeth, and told himself, “I’m going to see her at least one last time. She’s my only friend. I can’t abandon her now. Right when she needs me most.”

Determining each movement, the boy began to scale the walls of the residence. His feet found support on small ledges of the wall. His hands clung to almost invisible protrusions. His heart was pounding, but he didn’t look down. Every inch conquered brought him closer to Laura.

He finally reached the window. Panting, he held on firmly to the sill and peered into the room. The scene he saw took his breath away. Laura was there in the wheelchair, paler than ever, with tears streaming down her delicate face. Charles, her father, knelt beside her, hugging her tightly, trying to contain her, but his own eyes were red, betraying his contained crying. With a broken voice, the father tried to reassure her.

“Calm down, sweetie. I’m sure you’ll get better. I’ll do everything for you. Dr. Grant is the family doctor, one of the brightest in the country. He will find a way to cure you, I promise.”

But words didn’t seem to be enough. Laura was sobbing, trying to speak between tears. “But, Daddy, what if I can never walk again? What if I can’t play? What if I can’t see Gabe again?”

Those questions resonated in the millionaire’s mind. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tears overflowed. Trying not to break down in front of her, he replied with a voice full of pain. “Forgive me, sweetheart, but Gabe… is that street boy who always sneaks in here, right? Unfortunately, you can’t play with him anymore.”

The words hit Laura like a truth impossible to swallow. Her little heart seemed to stop. Her eyes opened wide, and suddenly she burst into despair, screaming through sobs. “How can I not see him? Why can’t I see Gabe? He never did anything wrong, and neither did I. We always behaved well. Why are you punishing me like this by not letting me see my best friend?” She hit her fists against her own lap, making the chair tremble beneath her movements.

Charles hugged her even tighter, crying with her, but unable to find an answer that would relieve his daughter’s pain. And from outside, clinging to the window, Gabe cried silently, feeling the weight of every word, as if his heart were breaking once more.

Charles was lost. He didn’t know how to explain to his daughter that it wasn’t a punishment, but care. His heart ached, but the words didn’t come out right. He lowered his head, avoiding looking into the girl’s tear-filled eyes, and spoke with a broken voice. “Forgive me, daughter, but you can’t see your little friend. At least until you get better. Now sleep, please. I’ll come back later to see how you are.” He lifted her from the wheelchair and put her to bed. The little girl cried softly, her sobs echoing throughout the room. Charles took a deep breath, glanced at his daughter one last time, and before closing the door, gave her a look filled with sadness.

Then he left, leaving behind the fragile sound of the child’s crying. It was at that instant that Gabe, hidden outside, saw his opportunity. As soon as the father left the room, the little climber entered through the window. His heart raced, but the desire to see his friend was stronger than any fear.

Seeing him, Laura broke into a radiant smile, even with tears in her eyes. Moments before, she believed she would never see him again. Her whole body wanted to run to him, hug him like before, but when she tried to move her legs, she remembered the cruel reality. She couldn’t feel them anymore. Joy turned into despair, and she started crying again.

“Calm down, Laura, don’t cry,” Gabe said, gently placing his hand on the girl’s shoulder. His voice, tender and firm, seemed to want to transmit all the hope in the world. “Your dad is smart, and I’m sure he’s right. You’re going to walk again. I know it. Don’t be sad. You’ll be able to play outside again very soon.”

The girl sobbed, trying to contain herself, but fear escaped her lips. “But, Gabe, I won’t be able to see you while I’m sick. My dad forbade it just because I ended up like this. He’s punishing me for doing nothing wrong.”

The boy felt a tight knot in his chest. It wasn’t like the hunger pain he knew so well. It was something deeper, sharper—a soul ache. He looked into his friend’s eyes, fighting back tears, and replied sincerely. “It’s not a punishment, little Laura. He’s your dad. He only wants what’s best for you. I don’t understand why he thinks I can’t see you either, but I know I’ve never hurt anyone, including you. I’m going to keep coming every day. Even if we can’t play, I’ll stay close until you get better. I’ll come hidden.”

The boy’s words made Laura take a deep breath. For a moment, she calmed down, clutching her friend’s hand as if it were the only anchor in the midst of the storm. But the peace didn’t last. The room door burst open forcefully, and Pamela appeared. Her face was red with fury, her eyes sparkling.

She screamed with a voice that seemed to make the walls tremble. “I knew it! You sneaked in to hurt our little girl, you cursed boy! Even after I ordered you to disappear from here!”

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Now, back to our story, Gabe was scared. His whole body trembled. Without thinking twice, he ran toward the door to escape. But as he passed Pamela, she violently extended her foot. The result was inevitable. The boy tripped and fell to the floor, feeling the burning scrape on his knee. Before he could get up, two strong, relentless guards appeared. They grabbed him by the arms and began to drag him through the hallways as if he were a bag of trash.

Laura screamed desperately, “Don’t take him away, please, leave my friend here!” But no one listened to her. The girl cried helplessly as she watched her friend being dragged away. Pamela walked behind, firm, following every step to the main door. As soon as the guards threw Gabe outside the mansion walls, she approached the gate, crossed her arms, and said with contempt, “The next time I see you climbing the walls of my house, I’ll throw a stone just to see you fall. Brat.”

The words wounded the boy. He was on the other side, clutching the bag the nanny had given him tightly in his hands. The poor boy cried not only from the physical pain of the fall but because he knew that from that moment on, Laura could no longer play with him, stroll in the garden, or even share a quiet conversation. His days would be sad, silent, without the company of the only friend he had ever had. And worst of all, everyone would continue to believe that he, a simple street boy, posed a danger to the girl’s health.

With heavy steps, Gabe headed toward the abandoned shack he called home. He clutched the bag with Laura’s gift to his chest, as if it were the only thing he had left. That night he slept covered for the first time in weeks, but even though he was protected by the blanket that smelled of her friendship, the cold still dominated him, because colder than the morning wind was the feeling of loneliness. He curled up among the old pillows, closed his eyes, and let the tears flow. For the first time, he wasn’t crying from hunger, but from abandonment.

Back to the present, memories mingled with dreams. Every pink thread sewn into the blanket seemed to whisper Laura’s name. Until, amidst the crying, Gabe sat up decisively. “You can’t go on like this forever,” he murmured to himself, clenching his fists. “Weeks have passed, and she’s not getting better. Even with that brilliant Dr. Grant. Something is wrong. I’m going to find out what it is.”

He took a deep breath, reasoning out loud. “What could be making Laura so sick? I always avoid touching her when we talk, so it can’t be my fault. Besides, she hardly ever leaves that house. It’s not the dirt; it’s not the street. Then it has to be something else.” The boy’s eyes fixed on nothing, but inside him, the answer seemed to take shape. He spoke softly with conviction. “She was never that sick. Someone is hurting her, and I’m sure it has to do with those pills she always takes.” And there, alone within the shack’s broken walls, Gabe swore to himself that he would discover the truth, whatever the cost.

The boy was full of determination, but that strength was soon interrupted by a sharp pain in his stomach. Hunger was burning inside him. He hadn’t eaten properly for days. Before, it was Laura who always shared her snack with him, bringing fruit, cookies, or sandwiches secretly from the mansion kitchen. But now, separated from her, he had no one to help him. He remembered how she always looked after him, even though she was so fragile. And he, in turn, had always been protective, almost like a guardian. Now distant, they couldn’t support each other. They were alone.

With difficulty, Gabe got up, his body weak and his knees trembling. He walked to the front of the shack where he lived, the place where people dumped trash. Hope was minimal, but he had to try. “I can’t help anyone if I’m starving,” he thought, taking a deep breath. “I’ll look for something to eat while I think of a way to help Laura.”

Upon reaching the pile of bags and waste, he began to rummage with his small hands, stirring up dirty papers, dented cans, and broken wrappers. The smell was unbearable, but the need spoke louder. He was looking for anything that could calm the emptiness in his stomach, but what he found surprised him. Among the dirt was a pile of medicine boxes. He paused for a moment, frowning. “These boxes have been appearing here for months,” he murmured. “Come to think of it, they started showing up a few weeks before Laura got sick.”

His heart raced. A terrible suspicion began to form. Could this be the medicine she’s taking? But if it is, why did they buy so much even before she got sick? Gabe put his hand to his head. The reasoning seemed obvious, yet too terrifying to be true. Finally, something was starting to make sense, but he couldn’t jump to conclusions. He just needed to confirm it. “I have to take this box to Laura. If it really is the same medicine, then neither her father nor Pamela knows what’s going on. I have to warn them before it’s too late.”

With his heart burning and his legs trembling from weakness, Gabe grabbed the medicine box and ran toward the mansion. His feet stumbled, his bones ached, but he didn’t stop. Hunger, fatigue, and fear could not conquer the hope of saving his friend.

But when he arrived in front of the property, his world collapsed. An ambulance was parked right in front of the mansion gates, and inside it, Laura was being carried out on a stretcher. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, breathing with difficulty. The boy felt the ground disappear beneath his feet. “But what happened?” he shouted, his voice broken by despair.

He tried to run toward the ambulance, but his weakened body did not respond. The air left his lungs, and his heart clenched like never before. His knees gave way; he fell to the ground, trembling, without strength. At that moment, Charles and Pamela ran out behind the stretcher. The desperate father only had eyes for his daughter, ignoring everything else. Pamela, on the other hand, did not miss the opportunity to unleash her cruelty. She looked at the fallen boy, crawling towards them, and shouted, her shrill voice cutting the air.

“It’s your fault! She got worse because you got close to her with your dirty hands! If it weren’t for you, she would be getting better at home! You’re the reason she’s on a stretcher!”

Charles heard his wife’s cruel words, but once again, concern for Laura spoke louder. He simply took his unconscious daughter’s hand and got into the ambulance, completely ignoring the boy lying on the ground. Pamela went after him, unconcerned by Gabe’s pleading eyes.

The boy, lying in the dust, muttered with difficulty, “I need to talk to you, please, listen to me.” But his voice was so weak that no one heard him. His body was too fragile. He didn’t have the strength to reach the ambulance before it left. He lost the opportunity to warn them of what he had discovered. He lost the opportunity to save Laura. Tears streamed down his dirty face. The desperation was so great that he could barely breathe.

“And now, what can I do? I don’t even have the energy to get up. I can’t go to the hospital like this. I can barely stay awake.” His vision began to blur. The world spun. Each blink was harder than the last, and slowly he lost consciousness. Tears continued to fall as his body succumbed to weakness.

Silence took over the place until, in the midst of the darkness, he heard footsteps. Rushing footsteps approaching. For an instant, he thought someone was coming to help him, but soon those sounds also disappeared, swallowed by the silence. Only nothingness remained, absolute silence, until a soft voice began to emerge—weak at first, almost imperceptible, but gradually growing clearer. A familiar, sweet voice, like the echo of a dream.

It was Laura. “Gabe, Gabe.” The boy’s eyes opened slowly. The sunlight blinded him for a moment, but soon he saw a face in front of him. It was her. His friend’s face covered the brightness of the sky. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry, and his body was too weak. His lips barely moved.

Laura, still panting, put a hand on his shoulder and said firmly, “Don’t move, boy. I’m going to get you some water.” Before he could react, the girl ran off and soon returned with a bottle of mineral water in her hands. Carefully, Laura tilted the bottle and slowly poured the water into Gabe’s dry mouth. His lips were almost cracked from thirst. She poured every last drop until the boy drank it all.

The small boy sighed with relief. “Do you feel better now?” Laura asked with a look full of concern. Her big eyes watched him as if she feared losing him. The small street boy blinked, confused. Only minutes before, he remembered lying in front of the mansion, watching his friend being rushed away in an ambulance. The image of her unconscious on a stretcher still burned in his mind, but now she was there in front of him, alive, smiling. He tried to say something but couldn’t. His body was still too weak to make any sound.

“Daddy, I think he’s hungry. Can we give him something to eat?” Laura said, turning to the man standing beside her. Charles observed Gabe on the ground with a serious but not cold expression. There was a certain sweetness in his gaze, though mixed with worry. Finally, he replied, “Of course, sweetheart. Let’s take him home and take care of him until he feels better. Then we’ll look for his parents.”

Charles bent down, carefully lifted Gabe into his arms, and began to walk. The boy allowed himself to be carried, and in the midst of that comforting warmth, his eyes closed again. Suddenly, flashes of memories appeared. He was dreaming. The scene that emerged was of the first day he met Laura and her father. At that time, the girl’s biological mother was still alive. He remembered how he had been rescued on that occasion, taken inside the mansion, and cared for. Dr. Grant, the family doctor, looked after him for weeks until he recovered his health. Then the boy was returned to the orphanage from which he had escaped. But Gabe did not give up. Only a month later, he ran away again, running back to the mansion. That’s where he wanted to stay. That’s where he wanted to be with Laura.

Shortly after, the girl’s mother died, and the emptiness in the house was filled with the arrival of Pamela, the stepmother. Gabe remembered every detail—her wedding to Charles, her arrogant glances, and finally, the cruel moment Laura lost the ability to walk. He was not just a distant friend. He felt like part of that family, even though no one else saw him that way.

When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer dreaming, nor in Charles’s arms, nor on the cold street floor. He was in a hospital. “Where am I?” he murmured, looking at the white ceiling and the lamps illuminating the room. He lifted his arm slightly and noticed the IV tubes connected to his skin. His body was still thin, fragile, but he felt a slight energy returning, different from the agony he had felt before.

His ears caught the sound of the beeping machine monitoring his heartbeat. He turned his head and saw a calendar hanging on the wall. His eyes opened in surprise. “Five days. Five days have passed since Laura was taken away in the ambulance. No, it can’t be.” Panic seized him. He abruptly got out of bed, pulling the tubes from his arm, ignoring the pain.

“I have to do something quickly,” the boy shouted, trying to walk. He took the first step, but stumbled and fell to the floor. He was still too weak to stand. He took a deep breath, leaned on the wall, and began to crawl down the hallway. Every step seemed impossible. His muscles burned as if they were on fire. His legs trembled, unable to support him, but he didn’t give up. He fell over and over again, hitting his knees, scraping his arms against the floor. Still, he got up, leaned on the wall, and continued. “I have to get to her. I have to see Laura,” he repeated to himself, trying to stay conscious.

Luckily, no doctor or nurse appeared in his path, but every sound of footsteps made his heart race, fearing discovery. The hallway seemed endless. Still, guided only by hope, he finally reached his destination. In front of a hospital door, there was a small plastic bench. Sitting on it, his body slumped forward and his hands clasped, was Charles. The man looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. His eyes, fixed on the floor, revealed the magnitude of his anguish.

Gabe took a deep breath and murmured in a weak voice, “Mr. Charles.” But his voice was so low that the man did not hear him. The boy crawled a little further, his body aching. “Mr. Charles,” he repeated a little louder, but still without enough strength. The millionaire remained absent, lost in thought. The boy was already almost next to him when he suddenly felt a hand grab his arm tightly. He was abruptly pulled into a dark corner of the hallway.

He cried out in pain as his back hit the wall. The impact caused all the remaining energy to vanish from his body. Darkness enveloped him. He couldn’t distinguish anything. He only saw a silhouette in front of him. His heart skipped a beat, and then a voice spoke. A cutting, feminine voice, impossible to forget.

“What are you doing here, boy?”

Gabe’s blood ran cold. Even weak, there was no mistaking it. It was Pamela. Panting, Gabe gathered the last of his strength and replied with a voice that kept breaking. “Mrs. Pamela, I just came to tell you something important. I discovered something serious about Laura’s illness.” He spoke quickly, desperately, fearing he might faint at any moment.

“And what could a street brat like you know about something as serious as our girl’s illness? As far as I know, you never went to school, much less to medical university,” Pamela replied, pointing at him. Her face was rigid, her eyes sparkling with contempt. “Here, we already have the best doctors in the world taking care of her, so it won’t be a ragged, dirty, ignorant boy like you who saves Laura’s life.”

Gabe felt his throat close up. His heart felt like it was about to break from that cruel accusation. He wanted to cry but held back. He took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and replied, still in a weak, trembling voice. “I know. I know I never went to school. I wasn’t lucky enough to be born with good parents like Laura, but she, she is too important to me. Maybe as much as she is to you and Mr. Charles. Maybe even more.”

Tears began to gather in his eyes, but he didn’t look away from Pamela. “Laura saved me when no one else cared about me. When everyone passed by me as if I were a ghost, she saw me. While everyone thought I was no different from the garbage bags I checked every day, she saw me as someone who needed help. She ran toward me without hesitation, without fear. When I was thirsty, she gave me water. When I was hungry, she shared her food with me. When I just needed someone to listen to me, she sat down and listened to me. Even when I needed nothing, she gave me a gift.”

He clenched his fists, moved, and continued. “Laura is not just my friend; she is my family. So, please, listen to me. I beg you.”

Silence took over the place for a few seconds. Pamela turned red. The veins in her neck stood out. Her face was so flushed that it looked like she was about to explode. Her ears burned like a chimney releasing smoke. With a brusque gesture, she raised her hand, ready to slap the boy’s fragile face.

Gabe closed his eyes, expecting the blow, but before the slap landed, a voice echoed down the hallway, firm and cutting. “Stop, Pamela. Put that hand down now!”

Charles appeared at the end of the hallway, his face filled with fury. He walked quickly toward them, his steps echoing on the hospital floor. “What do you think you’re doing, woman? In front of everyone? Inside a hospital?” he yelled indignantly. “I’m sick of the way you treat this boy. The boy is sick, Pamela. You yourself saw it when we brought him here. He was unconscious on the ground, crawling to try and reach Laura.”

Charles took a deep breath but did not lower his tone. “Our daughter asked that her friend be saved, and only for that reason did I get out of the ambulance and order that this boy be brought here too. And even knowing that, seeing the state he arrived in, you still try to hit him? Have you completely lost your mind?”

Pamela froze. Her raised hand trembled in the air. Slowly, she lowered it, unsure how to react to her husband’s outburst. Gabe slowly opened his eyes, surprised. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. He looked at Charles, shocked to discover that it was he who had saved him, and that even confined to a stretcher, unable to speak, Laura had asked them to look after her friend.

“Mr. Charles,” the boy murmured, his voice almost extinguished, but it was enough.

Charles immediately turned toward him, and the anger toward his wife gave way to a firm and protective gaze. “I need… I need to tell you something urgent,” Gabe said.

The millionaire quickly approached, took him by the arms, and helped him sit in a nearby chair. Still disappointed, he gave Pamela a hard look before focusing on the boy. “Speak, boy, what happened? What do you need to tell me?” Laura’s father asked, bending down to the boy’s level and holding his hands tightly.

Gabe’s breathing was heavy. He fought against the weakness of his body but gathered all the strength he had left. “The medicine… Laura’s medicine,” he murmured, his tongue tangling from the effect of the medications that had been administered to him. “Show it to me, please, I need to see the box.”

Charles turned to his wife. “Where is Dr. Grant? Go call him. Tell him to bring Laura’s medication box here right now.”

Pamela’s eyes widened in surprise at the order. Then she crossed her arms and replied mockingly, “Are you really going to believe that brat? A street kid? Charles, he’s delirious, can’t you see? This is absurd.”

But the millionaire did not back down. He stood up, looked her straight in the eyes, and spoke firmly. “Bring Dr. Grant here. Now, or I’ll fire him today and hire another doctor immediately.” His voice sounded like a hammering.

Laura’s stepmother felt a chill run down her body. The hair on her arms bristled, and she took a step back, scared by her husband’s determination. Without further argument, she turned around and ran out of the hospital, hurrying to find the doctor.

Charles returned his attention to Gabe, calmer, he knelt beside him and asked, “Now tell me, boy, while we wait, why do you want to see Laura’s medication so much? The day they took her to the hospital, you were also trying to stop her from taking them.”

Gabe closed his eyes for an instant, took a deep breath, and, although weak, gathered his courage. He couldn’t miss that opportunity. He had to explain everything at once. “A few weeks before Laura got sick, I started seeing boxes just like those thrown in the trash. At first, it was only one or two every four days, but after she lost movement in her legs, many more started appearing every day.” His hands were trembling, but the words came out firmer and firmer. “I don’t know if it’s the same medicine she’s taking, Mr. Charles, but it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense for someone to start taking medicine even before they get sick. It’s too strange. Then I thought, ‘What if those medicines aren’t helping her? What if they are actually the ones making Laura sicker and sicker?'”

Charles listened intently to every word from the boy. The millionaire frowned. He thought for a few seconds as if trying to organize the pieces of a painful puzzle. And then he spoke with a contained but serious voice. “I understand your theory, but we didn’t give Laura any medication until two weeks after she lost movement in her legs. It would be impossible for there to be medicine boxes in the trash before that,” he said, looking at Gabe as if seeking a flaw in his reasoning.

The small boy, who had been hesitant until then, straightened his posture slightly. His face hardened as a sign of determination, as if the man’s doubt gave him even more courage, and he replied in a firmer tone. “Exactly, that’s the problem. There shouldn’t have been boxes of her medicine in the trash before she got sick. And yet they were there. Every time I rummaged through the garbage looking for food, I found one.” He spoke quickly, pressing the words as if pushing a door that refused to open. “I’m not sure if it’s the same medicine she takes, but if it is, something is very wrong,” he added, leaning his body forward as if wanting to pull the truth out with his own chest.

The words hung in the air. Charles felt a chill run down his spine. His thoughts raced, cruel and fast. He mentally reviewed all the bonds of trust in that house. He remembered how Pamela had always seemed affectionate with Laura, how Dr. Grant had accompanied the family since the girl’s mother was still alive, and all the money invested in treatments and specialists. The idea that someone so close could be behind his daughter’s suffering sounded impossible and at the same time terribly possible, he murmured to himself, almost voiceless. “What if my daughter was never really sick? What if she’s been poisoned this whole time?” he thought, his face paling as the Machiavellian idea took shape.

Anguish pressed against his chest until he remembered the moment, a few hours earlier, when Dr. Grant had brought him the news that shattered his world. Charles went back in time. For brief seconds, he saw himself transported back to that moment in the hospital room when Grant, with a serious expression, had given him the exam report. The doctor had placed a hand on his employer’s shoulder and, in a low tone, delivered the sentence. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Charles. We tried everything possible, but the tests show no improvement. On the contrary, according to what we found, she doesn’t have much time left. If she doesn’t show signs of improvement in the next 48 hours, she could pass away.”

The words had fallen like a knife. In that instant, Charles had lost control. Tears erupted without warning, hot, soaking the hallway floor. Minutes later, the pain turned into fury. Seized by despair, he had grabbed the doctor by the collar of his coat and yelled with a broken, violent voice. “Don’t tell me that, please! Don’t tell me that!” Then, between sobs, he added, “We spent thousands of dollars on the best medications, and I hired you myself, Grant. I trust you. You have to save my daughter.” He said, putting his hand to his chest as if something had been ripped out of him.

Grant, with his clinical calm, tried to reassure him, touching his shoulders and speaking carefully. “I understand, Mr. Charles. I’ve been your family doctor for a long time, and I also feel the pain of losing a patient.”

But those words only fueled the father’s rage. Charles yelled between pain and disbelief. “She’s my daughter, a patient! And he fell to his knees on the floor, broken.

The memory of the crying faded, giving way to the present. Back in the hallway, facing the boy, the millionaire felt the pieces starting to fall into place. If Gabe was right, someone he trusted—perhaps Pamela, perhaps Grant—could be responsible for all of it. A terrible thought crossed his mind. If I’m wrong, I’ll destroy important relationships. But if I’m right, maybe I’m still on time to save Laura. he murmured to himself.

He looked at Gabe for a few seconds with eyes that demanded responsibility. “Boy, if you’re right, it means Pamela or Grant is the culprit. If you’re wrong, I could not only lose Laura forever but also destroy my relationship with both of them,” he said in a heavy tone, as if weighing destinies.

Gabe, feeling the man’s body tremble at that possibility, firmly took Charles’s hand, revealing his conviction. He looked him straight in the eyes and spoke calmly, though tense. “Yes, I know, but believe me, I’ve never been so sure of something in my life. There is nothing I love more than Laura. If I doubted it, I wouldn’t have come to tell you.”

Just then, the scene was interrupted by the arrival of a panting Pamela with Dr. Grant right behind her. She announced with a forcedly controlled voice. “Here’s the doctor, sweetie. I brought him like you asked,” she said, placing the professional in sight of everyone.

Charles turned his face, narrowed his eyes, and without hesitation, focused his attention on the doctor. Without showing trembling, he ordered, “Grant, show me the box of medication you’re giving my daughter. Bring it here right now.” the millionaire said with a determination that cut the air like an irrevocable command.

“All right, sir. Luckily, I always carry one with me in case of an emergency,” Dr. Grant replied with a voice that tried to sound calm. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a still-sealed small box, handing it to Charles.

Gabe, seeing the packaging, opened his eyes wide. He recognized it instantly. His heart raced. Before Charles could even touch the box, he stood up as best he could and shouted with all the strength he had left. “That… that’s the box I always saw in the trash! It’s the same one I saw weeks before Laura got sick!”

The words echoed down the hallway. At the same moment, Grant froze. The hands holding the little box trembled. When Charles reached out to take it, the doctor hesitated and held it tightly, as if trying to prevent his employer from seeing. That single gesture was enough.

Charles clenched his fist, his teeth gritted with anger, and looked at the doctor, his eyes flashing. “Grant, I’m going to give you only one chance to answer. What exactly does that medication do to my girl?”

Sweat began to drip down Grant’s forehead. His voice came out trembling, unconvincing. “I already explained it to you, Mr. Charles. Your daughter has a chronic nerve disease that makes movement difficult. This medication helps alleviate the pain, and with physical therapy, she could slowly regain movement in her legs.”

Charles clenched his fists. With a brusque gesture, he snatched the box from the doctor’s hands and threw it to the floor. The noise echoed down the hallway. His voice exploded with fury. “Then explain to me why those boxes were already appearing in my trash before she even lost movement in her legs!”

Grant shuddered, took a step back, unable to respond. Sweat poured down his face. At that moment, Pamela stepped forward, lifted her chin, and spoke mockingly. “Ah, so that’s the story this street brat is putting in your head. Are you going to believe him? Why would the words of a beggar be worth more than those of your own doctor?”

Charles slowly turned to his wife. His gaze was cold, hard as stone. He walked toward Gabe, stood behind the boy, and pointed at him. “And why would his words be less valid than Grant’s? Huh, Pamela? What do I lose if I believe this boy instead of that doctor? That same doctor who looked me in the eye and told me my daughter was going to die?” The millionaire’s breathing was heavy. His voice sounded even firmer. “I’m going to keep believing Gabe, and the only thing that bothers me here is that you’re defending Grant, Pamela.”

The corridor fell silent. Pamela froze. Grant also froze. The doctor even opened his mouth to try and explain himself, but Charles didn’t let him. He pointed his finger at his chest and roared. “Laura no longer needs that medication. If it only serves to alleviate pain and make her walk again, then it’s not needed now. Listen carefully, Grant, you’re fired, and I’m calling another doctor to do new tests. If I discover there was anything wrong with that medication you were giving my daughter, I swear I’ll put you in prison for the rest of your life.” The words sounded like hammer blows.

Grant panicked. Even with the hospital’s air conditioning, he started sweating even more. His face flushed. His breathing became shallow. Not only was his job at stake, but his freedom. Cornered, without escape, he did what cowards always do. He begged, “Please, Mr. Charles, I swear it wasn’t my fault. I was ordered to do this. I promise you. I can make Laura walk again, but please don’t imprison me.”

Charles’s eyes widened in amazement. The fury exploded even more. “Ordered? Ordered by whom? Who ordered you to poison my daughter?”

At that precise moment, he noticed Pamela trying to sneak away, discreetly moving away. The millionaire pointed at her, incredulous. “Don’t tell me it was her! Don’t tell me it was Pamela who ordered you to poison my daughter!”

The doctor took a deep breath, desperate, and dropped the bomb. “That’s right. It was her! It was Pamela! She seduced me, convinced me, and forced me to poison Laura! All so the girl wouldn’t have a future, so the sole heiress of her fortune would be her and no one else!”

The floor seemed to open beneath their feet. Gabe put his hand to his mouth in shock. As much as Pamela had never treated him well, it never would have occurred to him that she was capable of such cruelty. Charles could no longer contain himself. His face was red, the veins in his neck bulging. His scream echoed so loudly that the entire hospital heard it. “Call security immediately! That woman tried to murder my daughter!”

In seconds, doctors and nurses surrounded the hallway. Soon after, guards appeared and grabbed Pamela by the arms. “No, let go of me! It’s a lie! Everything is a lie!” she shouted, kicking and trying to free herself, but it was in vain. Beside her, Grant also tried to escape but was stopped by the guards under Charles’s orders. Both were taken to an isolated room where they would await the police.

Gabe finally felt his heart ease. After all the suffering, after the shouts, the humiliations, and the pain, his voice had been heard. He managed to warn Charles; he managed to expose the truth. Tears now flowed, but they were not of sadness; they were of relief. “Finally, Laura, you’re going to be well,” the boy murmured, hugging his chest tightly. The pain he carried began to fade. He was no longer afraid of losing her. On the contrary, his heart beat with the hope of seeing her smile again, of seeing her one day standing, walking, and running like before.

Charles took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the betrayal that had torn his soul. Still, amidst so much sorrow, there was greater comfort. He would finally have his daughter back. The hope of seeing her walk again made everything else insignificant.

Time passed. Two days after the revelation, Laura woke up. She was still stunned, but there was something different about her. Her skin had more color; her gaze was livelier. For the first time in months, the girl seemed genuinely healthy. Weeks passed. With her body slowly strengthening, Laura began to feel movement in her legs again. At first, every attempt was painful, every step a battle. But months after stopping the adulterated medications, she finally managed to stand up on her own. She walked slowly, with some difficulty, but she was standing. And for Charles and Gabe, that was a true miracle.

Meanwhile, Grant and Pamela met a different fate. Both were taken to trial. The analyses carried out revealed the truth. The medication prescribed by the doctor was adulterated, designed to slowly destroy the girl’s nerves until she was completely paralyzed and led to death. During the process, an even crueler revelation came to light. Laura’s mother had also received the same medication. The devilish plan sought to extend the poison, reaching Charles until only Pamela remained as the sole heiress of the entire fortune.

The court had no doubts. Upon confessing his involvement, Grant was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Pamela, as the mastermind and directly responsible for the crime, received a sentence of 60 years. The woman who so desired Charles’s fortune would end her days behind bars, without the right to freedom.

And Gabe, the boy no one believed, who was treated like trash, proved to be the true hero. After saving his best friend’s life, he received the greatest gift he could have ever imagined. Charles officially adopted him. The millionaire understood that in that boy, he had found a family member he didn’t know he needed but whom fate had delivered.

Gabe was never hungry again, never suffered the cold again, never had to beg for water again. He gained a home, a family, and, above all, a sister by heart who loved him like no one else. In the end, kindness proved to be stronger than any poison. Laura’s simple gesture, when she gave Gabe her water, not only saved the boy’s life but also her own. It was proof that destiny always collects its debts and rewards those who do good.

Years passed; Gabe and Laura grew up together, increasingly close. There was never any more news of Grant or Pamela, whose names were lost in oblivion behind bars. Gabe, remembering everything he had experienced, founded an orphanage, but not just any orphanage. He created a different place where abandoned children would never go through the pain he suffered. There, every child would have food, care, affection, and the opportunity to live with dignity.

Laura, for her part, followed another path. She became a doctor specializing in diseases that caused paralysis. She knew better than anyone what it was like to feel incapable, trapped in a wheelchair, and for that reason, she dedicated her life to helping other children walk again, offering hope where before there was only despair. And so, side by side, both transformed their scars into strength. The friendship born in the midst of pain became a story of overcoming, proving that even the smallest gestures can change destinies.