Across the street, a young woman named Olivia had watched the whole thing.
Her heart ached. Ethan’s act, humble and quiet, moved her in a way she didn’t expect. She reached into her purse to offer more help — but before she could step forward, a sharp voice stopped her.
It was her stepmother, Victoria.
The Stepmother’s Judgment
Victoria, tall and poised, yanked Olivia’s arm with perfectly manicured fingers. Her gray eyes sparkled with disapproval.
“You’re not mingling with them. They’re filthy. Dangerous. And you don’t know what they’ll do with your money.”
“But he just shared his only meal,” Olivia protested. “Doesn’t that say something?”
Victoria scoffed. “Please. People like him choose that life.”
Olivia didn’t reply. She let herself be pulled away, though her eyes stayed on Ethan until they turned the corner.
That night, Victoria paced the hallway of their mansion, heels clicking on marble floors. Her mind spun with disdain and something else — inspiration.
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