“I’ll repay you when I’m older,” the homeless girl pleaded as she asked the millionaire for a small carton of milk for her crying baby brother — and his reaction stunned everyone.

“Sir,” she added, clearer this time. “Excuse me, sir.”

The man turned. He was tall, silver just beginning to show at his temples, dressed in a tailored navy suit that looked untouched by the dust of the city. His shoes were polished, his watch understated but unmistakably expensive. This was Nathaniel Brooks, founder of one of the most aggressive commercial development firms on the West Coast, a man whose name appeared regularly in business headlines next to words like expansion, acquisition, and record profits. People who worked with him often said he didn’t waste time on things that didn’t move numbers forward.

“What is it?” he asked, not unkindly, but briskly, as if expecting a sales pitch.

The girl swallowed. “I’m sorry to bother you. I just… my brother is hungry. Could you maybe help me buy a small carton of milk? I’ll pay you back when I’m older. I promise.”

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