PART 1: LIGHT UNDER THE BRIDGE

Chapter 1: The Hopeless Search

The rain in Seattle is never decisive. It persists, cold and seeping into the marrow, just like the torment in my heart for the past three years.

I am Marcus Sterling, 42, head of the venture capital firm Sterling Capital. People say I have the Midas touch; everything I touch turns to gold. I own penthouses in Manhattan, villas in Malibu, and a private island in the Caribbean. But tonight, I am standing in the mud, under the I-5 overpass, reeking of garbage and sewage.

“Mr. Sterling, you shouldn’t be here. Let us do our job,” Frank, the private investigator, said timidly, holding a large black umbrella over my head. My handmade Italian leather shoes were already submerged in a puddle of black water.

“Shut up, Frank,” I snapped, my eyes scanning the makeshift tents built from cardboard and torn nylon. “You said the last GPS signal came from this area. I am not leaving until I find them.”

Three years ago, my younger brother – Lucas – disappeared mysteriously along with his wife and newborn twin daughters. The police concluded it was a car accident where the vehicle plunged off a cliff, bodies unrecovered. But I didn’t believe it. Lucas was a professional racer; he wouldn’t make such a stupid mistake. And more importantly, I received an anonymous letter last week, containing only a blurry photo of two skinny children rummaging through a trash can, with a scrawled note on the back: “Your blood is flowing in the gutters.”

I walked deeper into the homeless encampment. Dull, addicted eyes looked at me like I was an alien creature.

“Looking for two little girls,” I said loudly, pulling out a thick stack of $100 bills. “Twins. About 7 years old. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Whoever points me to them, this stack is yours.”

Silence fell. Then, a trembling, blackened hand pointed toward the most obscure corner, adjacent to the freezing riverbank.

“The blue tent…” a hoarse voice rasped.

I threw the stack of money at the man and ran, forgetting my usual elegant demeanor.

Chapter 2: Broken Angels

The tent was essentially just an old blue tarp stretched over a few rotting wooden sticks. The wind from the river blew through it, flapping loudly, carrying a cutting chill.

I stood in front of the tent entrance, my heart pounding. I was afraid. Afraid of what I was about to see. Afraid my hope would be extinguished.

“Is anyone there?” I asked, my voice trembling.

No answer. I bent down, lifting the tarp.

The beam from my flashlight shone inside.

There, curled up in an old, filthy wool blanket, were two tiny beings. They hugged each other tightly for warmth. Their blonde hair was matted and messy, their faces smeared with mud.

One opened her eyes. Deep blue eyes. Lucas’s eyes. The eyes of the Sterling line.

“Who… who are you?” The girl asked, her voice weak but full of wariness. She quickly shielded the younger one (or older one) sleeping soundly beside her. “We don’t have any money. Please don’t beat us.”

My heart felt like it was being crushed. I knelt on the damp ground, not caring about my $5,000 Armani suit.

“I won’t hurt you,” I said, trying to keep my voice from breaking. “My name is Marcus. I am your uncle. I am your father Lucas’s brother.”

The girl stared at me, suspicion still evident. “Daddy said… Daddy doesn’t have a brother. Daddy said our family only has each other.”

“Your dad… your dad had a reason to say that,” I choked up. I pulled an old silver locket from my breast pocket. It was something Lucas and I each had. Inside was a photo of our mother. “Look at this. Did your dad have one too?”

The girl looked at the locket, then touched her own neck. From under her tattered shirt, she pulled out an identical locket.

“Daddy gave it to me before… before Mom and Dad left,” she whispered, tears beginning to roll down her smudged cheeks. “Are you… are you really Uncle Marcus?”

“Yes, it’s me. Uncle is sorry for being late.”

I opened my arms. The girl hesitated for a second, then rushed into my embrace, bursting into sobs. The heart-wrenching cry of a child who had to endure the harshness of life too soon. The other one woke up too, bewildered, then started crying upon seeing her sister cry.

I held the two children close, feeling their thin, trembling bodies. The smell of filth, the smell of poverty didn’t bother me. I only felt pain.

“Lily… Rose…” I called their names, the names Lucas once promised to name his children.

“I’m Lily,” the older girl said through sobs. “She’s Rose. She has a fever, Uncle.”

I touched Rose’s forehead. It was burning hot.

“We have to go,” I stood up, scooping the two children up, one in each arm. They were light, heartbreakingly light. “Frank! Call the private doctor to the airport immediately! Prepare the plane. We are going home.”

Chapter 3: Flight to Paradise

My Gulfstream G650 was parked at the private Boeing Field airport. As I carried the children up the airstairs, they looked at everything with wide eyes of amazement.

“Is this… a spaceship, Uncle?” Rose asked wheezingly, the fever making her voice weak.

“Close enough,” I smiled, placing them in the soft cream leather seats.

The flight attendants had prepared warm blankets, hot soup, and fever reducers. Dr. Evans immediately proceeded to check Rose.

“She has mild pneumonia and severe malnutrition,” the doctor whispered to me. “But with good care, she will recover quickly.”

I nodded, signaling for the plane to take off. The destination was my winter estate in Aspen, Colorado – the safest and most isolated place I could think of.

As the plane pierced through the clouds, Lily and Rose had been cleaned up and changed into warm silk pajamas. They ate the soup ravenously but still with manners, not greedy or vulgar. That proved Lucas and his wife had raised them very well, no matter the circumstances.

“Uncle Marcus,” Lily put down her spoon, looking at me. “Mom and Dad… they said they went to find work in another town and would come back to pick us up. But it’s been 6 months…”

I gripped the glass of Whiskey in my hand. This was the moment I had to start revealing the truth, however cruel.

“Lily, Rose,” I sat down opposite them. “Your parents didn’t abandon you. They love you more than anything in the world.”

“Then why haven’t they come back?” Rose asked, eyes teary.

“Because… your dad, Lucas, wasn’t just a poor mechanic like you saw,” I took a deep breath. “Your dad is a hero. And heroes often have many enemies.”

The two children looked at each other, then at me, waiting.

“Our Sterling family is very wealthy, and also very powerful. Three years ago, your dad discovered a dark secret involving a criminal organization trying to take over the family company. To protect me, and to protect you and your mom, your dad chose to fake his death and take the family into hiding.”

“Fake death?” Lily exclaimed.

“That’s right. The accident years ago was fake. Your dad created a fake scene to distract the enemies. Your dad gave up a life of silk and velvet, accepted living in hiding under bridges, doing the hardest manual labor just to keep you safe, not to be found by bad people.”

“But… 6 months ago…”

“6 months ago, the enemies caught your dad’s scent,” my voice lowered. “Your parents were forced to separate from you to lure the enemies in another direction. They didn’t abandon you. They are using their own lives as bait, to protect you.”

The entire cabin fell silent. Only the hum of the engine remained.

Lily held Rose’s hand tight. Her eyes shone with an extraordinary resilience, exactly like Lucas in the old days.

“So are Mom and Dad… still alive?”

I looked out the window, where stars were twinkling in the endless night sky.

“I don’t know for sure, Lily. But I know one thing: Your dad is the smartest and most tenacious man I’ve ever known. If anyone can survive hell, it’s Lucas.”

I turned back to look at them.

“And now, I have found you. From this moment on, no one can hurt you anymore. I will use all my money and power to protect you two, and to find your parents.”

That night, at an altitude of 30,000 feet, two orphans (in their minds) found a new family. But they didn’t know that I was still hiding a bigger secret from them. A secret waiting for them in Aspen.

PART 2: CODES IN THE WHITE SNOW

Chapter 4: The Castle on the Peak

My “Snow Peak” villa in Aspen was like a fortress of glass and oak perched precariously on a cliff. Snow covered every path in white, creating absolute isolation. This was where I brought Lily and Rose to hide from the world, and to heal.

A week passed. The two children changed so much I almost didn’t recognize them. Their ragged blonde hair was now silky, their smudged skin now rosy thanks to nutritious meals and the care of old housekeeper Martha. But their eyes – eyes always darting around in defense – had not changed. They still hid bread under their pillows for fear of being hungry tomorrow.

“Uncle Marcus,” Lily entered my study, clutching an old teddy bear I had bought from an antique shop because it resembled the one Lucas used to have. “Someone is watching the house.”

I took my eyes off the computer screen, which was displaying red stock charts. “What did you say? The security system here is the most advanced in the world. No one can approach within a 5-mile radius without being detected.”

“I saw a reflection,” Rose peeked out from behind her sister, voice tiny. “From the pine forest across the ravine. Like… binoculars.”

I frowned. Had Lucas taught her these observation skills? A 7-year-old child living under a bridge had survival instincts sharper than any professional bodyguard.

I called Frank on the radio. “Check the West pine forest area. Immediately.”

Fifteen minutes later, Frank returned, face pale.

“Sir, we have a problem. We found snowmobile tracks and… a long-range listening device left behind.”

The enemy had arrived. Faster than I thought.

“Prepare the helicopter,” I ordered, heart pounding. “We have to move.”

But at that very moment, the entire power system in the villa cut out. The building plunged into darkness. The heating system stopped. The Aspen cold began to creep through the door cracks.

“They cut the power,” Frank drew his gun. “Protect the children!”

The sound of shattering glass rang out from the floor below. Heavy footsteps. Silenced gunshots phut… phut… tore through the quiet space.

I pushed Lily and Rose into the panic room disguised behind a bookcase.

“Stay here. No matter what happens, do not open the door,” I said, kissing their foreheads.

“Uncle Marcus! Don’t go!” Rose screamed.

“Uncle has to go protect the family,” I smiled to reassure them, then closed the thick steel door.

I turned around, grabbing the hunting rifle hanging on the wall. I am not a soldier; I am a businessman. But today, I would fight like a beast protecting its cubs.

Chapter 5: The Stranger in the Dark

I hid behind the staircase railing, looking down at the main hall. Under the moonlight streaming through the large glass windows, I saw about ten mercenaries in white camouflage gear entering. They were professional, cold, and armed to the teeth.

My security team had been mostly taken out. Frank was wounded, trying to return fire from the kitchen.

“Find the two kids! Kill Marcus if necessary!” A commander ordered. That voice… seemed familiar.

It was the voice of Red Victor – a Russian mafia boss whom Sterling Capital had refused to launder money for 5 years ago. It turned out, he was the enemy Lucas had offended.

I took aim.

Bang!

The bullet hit the commander’s shoulder, knocking him down. The soldiers immediately sprayed bullets toward me. Wood chips flew everywhere. I was pinned down, unable to lift my head.

“Out of ammo, Sterling!” Victor roared. “Come out and surrender!”

I looked at the hunting rifle with only one bullet left. I looked toward the panic room. I promised to protect them. I could not fail.

Suddenly, a black shadow dived down from the skylight.

Not Victor’s soldier.

It was a person in a tight black suit, wearing a full-face ski mask. That person rappelled down into the middle of the enemy circle as fast as a falcon.

Crack! Thud! Bam!

In the blink of an eye, three mercenaries fell. The stranger moved with superb speed and combat skills, using two electric batons to take down one after another.

Victor’s soldiers panicked. They turned to attack the stranger.

“Marcus! Shoot the chandelier cable!” The stranger shouted.

That voice. My heart seemed to stop beating.

I didn’t hesitate, aiming the gun at the ceiling, shooting the pin holding the giant crystal chandelier.

Crash!

The chandelier, weighing tons, fell, crushing a group of soldiers and creating a glass wall separating the main hall.

The stranger took that opportunity to throw a smoke grenade, then rushed up the stairs, grabbing my hand.

“Run! To the roof! The helicopter is coming!”

We ran toward the panic room. I opened the door, dragging the two trembling children out.

“Follow this person!” I shouted.

The stranger scooped up Rose, and I carried Lily. We ran for our lives up the spiral staircase leading to the terrace.

Wind and snow whipped our faces painfully. In the pitch-black sky, the searchlight of a military helicopter tore through the night.

“Hurry!” The stranger urged.

Just as we climbed into the helicopter, Victor and the remnants of his force broke through the terrace door. He raised his gun.

The stranger turned, drew a handgun, and fired a precise shot into Victor’s gun hand, causing him to drop the weapon.

The helicopter took off, leaving the villa engulfed in chaos behind.

Chapter 6: Secrets Unveiled

In the noisy helicopter cabin, I gasped for breath, watching the stranger remove the ski mask.

Short brown hair, an angular face full of scars but still exuding a rugged beauty. Blue eyes looked at me, then at the two children huddled in the corner.

“Lucas?” I whispered, disbelieving my eyes.

The man smiled, a tired but happy smile. “Hello, brother. Long time no see.”

“DADDY!”

Lily and Rose screamed, rushing into Lucas’s arms. The father and daughters embraced, sobbing. The scene made me – a man of steel in the business world – shed tears as well.

“Daddy is sorry… Daddy is sorry…” Lucas kissed each of their foreheads. “Daddy let you suffer.”

“Where is Mom, Dad?” Rose asked, looking around.

Lucas looked toward the helicopter cockpit. The pilot turned around, taking off the flight helmet. Shiny blonde hair cascaded down. It was Sarah – Lucas’s wife.

“Mom is here, children,” Sarah said over the intercom, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Their family had reunited. Right in the sky, amidst a snowstorm.

PART 3: DAWN OF REBIRTH

Chapter 7: The Untold Story

The helicopter landed at an abandoned military base in Nevada – the secret hideout Lucas had prepared for the past three years.

That night, by the campfire, Lucas told me everything.

“Three years ago, I discovered Red Victor wasn’t just laundering money. He was using a Sterling subsidiary to traffic biological weapons. I collected evidence to hand over to the FBI. But he found out. He threatened to kill my whole family.”

Lucas looked at his wife and two children sleeping soundly in the field tent.

“I had no other choice. I had to create a fake death. I destroyed the car, threw our IDs off the cliff. I took Sarah and the kids everywhere, living underground under false names. But Victor has eyes and ears everywhere. Six months ago, he found us in Seattle.”

“That was when we had to make the most painful decision of our lives,” Sarah continued, sitting down next to Lucas, holding her husband’s hand. “We knew if we stayed together, all four of us would die. We decided to leave Lily and Rose at the homeless camp – a place where no one would suspect the grandchildren of the Sterling line would be. It was the safest place at that time.”

“I sent the anonymous letter to you,” Lucas looked at me. “I knew you would never abandon your own blood. I needed you to find them, take them to where you could protect them, while Sarah and I lured Victor out of his lair.”

I punched my brother lightly on the shoulder. “You’re an idiot, Lucas. You should have told me from the start. I could have mobilized a whole private army to protect you.”

“I didn’t want to drag you into this mud, Marcus. But now… Victor knows you are involved. He won’t stop.”

“Then we will end it,” I said, my gaze hardening. “He is mafia. But we are the Sterlings. We have money. And money can buy the most powerful weapon: Information.”

Chapter 8: The Counterattack

Lucas and I devised a crazy plan.

I publicly announced to the media that I had found Lucas’s “heirs” and would transfer all of Lucas’s shares (which I had been holding in trust) to the two children next week, at the headquarters in New York.

It was a trap.

Red Victor couldn’t resist such a delicious bait. He wanted to seize control of Sterling Capital to legitimize his criminal empire. He needed to kidnap the two children.

The day of the “transfer of power”. Sterling Capital headquarters was strictly guarded. But Victor had planted people in the security team. He and a group of assassins broke into the VIP meeting room on the 80th floor.

“Hello, Mr. Sterling,” Victor entered, gun in hand, an arrogant smile on his face. “Thanks for holding the assets for me.”

In the room, there was only me and two children sitting with their backs turned on the sofa.

“You’re late, Victor,” I said, calmly sipping wine.

“Enough. Hand over the two kids!” Victor ordered his soldiers to advance.

The two children on the chair slowly turned around.

They weren’t Lily and Rose. They were two life-sized mannequins. And in the hands of each mannequin was a tablet screen broadcasting live.

“What?” Victor was stunned.

On the screen, Lucas’s face appeared.

“Hello, Victor. I am inside your server vault in Moscow. Thanks for leaving the door open.”

Victor’s face changed color. “Impossible!”

“I just sent all your arms dealing data, client lists, and secret bank accounts to Interpol, the FBI, and even… the business partners you scammed,” Lucas laughed coldly. “In 5 minutes, you will be the most wanted man in the world. And your enemies will find you before the police do.”

Victor’s phone rang continuously. Red alert messages. Accounts frozen. Arrest warrants issued globally.

At the same time, the conference room windows shattered. The SWAT team rappelled in.

Red Victor was arrested on the spot. His criminal empire collapsed in a single morning, by the combination of the intellect of a financial genius (me) and the skills of a reluctant undercover agent (Lucas).

Chapter 9: Coming Home

Two months later.

The garden of the mansion in Malibu was filled with warm sunshine and laughter.

Lily and Rose were running on the green grass, chasing a newly adopted Golden Retriever. The two children had gained weight, cheeks chubby and eyes no longer holding a trace of fear. They wore pink and blue princess dresses, just as they deserved to enjoy.

Lucas and Sarah were grilling BBQ in the corner of the garden. Lucas had shaved, looking ten years younger. He had decided to return to work with me at Sterling Capital, but this time as the Director of Security.

I stood on the balcony, looking down at the peaceful scene. My heart, which had become callous after years of battling in the business world, was now incredibly soft and warm.

“Uncle Marcus!” Lily called up, waving. “Come down and play with us! Rose just found a ladybug!”

I smiled, putting down the wine glass.

I used to think I had everything: money, fame, power. But I was wrong. Those were just soulless numbers.

The thing I truly have, the most precious thing I found under that stinking bridge on a rainy night, was not two children. It was the meaning of life. It was family.

I walked down the stairs, opening my arms wide to welcome the two little angels rushing into my embrace.

“Uncle is coming!”

The unexpected reunion became the most beautiful miracle of my life. And I knew, from now on, no matter what happens, the Sterling family would never be separated again.