Chapter 11 - THE SECOND PATERNITY TEST
The hallway remained silent after the doctor's words.
Bennett stared at him.
“What exactly are you saying?”
The doctor looked uncomfortable.
“I am saying the prenatal screening identified two significant genetic markers. One is associated with the Monroe family line. The other does not match the expected Carter paternal profile.”
Bennett's face changed.
Victoria smiled.
I looked at her.
“You knew.”
She didn't answer.
“You knew before I did.”
“I suspected.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You knew.”
Victoria's expression hardened.
“You were always too trusting.”
Arthur immediately moved between us.
“Enough.”
Victoria laughed.
“You still think you can protect her?”
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
“I don't think.”
He looked toward security.
“I know.”
Two officers moved closer.
Victoria suddenly looked at Bennett.
“Ask your wife where she was nine months ago.”
Bennett stared at me.
I could see the doubt forming in his eyes.
That hurt more than anything Victoria had said.
“Bennett.”
He didn't respond.
“Look at me.”
He finally did.
“I didn't betray you.”
His jaw tightened.
“Then why does my mother know something I don't?”
“Because she's been manipulating you for months.”
Victoria interrupted.
“Tell him about the clinic.”
I froze.
“What clinic?”
Bennett turned toward his mother.
“Mom.”
Victoria smiled.
“The private clinic where Sophia went before you came home from your business trip.”
My stomach dropped.
Bennett looked at me.
“You went to a clinic?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
I swallowed.
“I was having complications.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you were in London.”
“I would have come home.”
“You said the merger couldn't wait.”
He looked away.
I remembered that week.
I had been terrified.
My pregnancy had suddenly become difficult.
Arthur had arranged a private specialist.
I had gone alone.
Or at least, I thought I had.
Victoria suddenly pulled out her phone.
“I have proof.”
Arthur stepped forward.
“Put the phone down.”
She ignored him.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
It showed me entering a medical building.
Bennett stared.
“Who is the man beside her?”
I looked at the photograph.
The man was my doctor.
Dr. Samuel Reed.
Bennett didn't recognize him.
Victoria did.
She smiled.
“He isn't her doctor.”
I felt my blood run cold.
Arthur took the phone from her.
“Who is he?”
Victoria finally answered.
“Daniel Reed.”
Arthur's expression changed.
I had heard that name before.
A man connected to the Carter family's old trust.
A man who had supposedly died years ago.
Bennett looked confused.
“Why would a dead man be in a photograph?”
Arthur looked at me.
“Because he isn't dead.”
The doctor stepped backward.
“What is happening?”
Arthur handed him the phone.
“Continue the genetic testing.”
Then he looked at security.
“And no one leaves.”
Victoria suddenly lunged toward the elevator.
Security stopped her.
She screamed.
“Let me go!”
Arthur remained calm.
“You're done running.”
She stared at him.
“You think this is about me?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
She pointed toward me.
“It's about the child.”
Bennett looked at his mother.
“What did you do?”
Victoria laughed.
“I protected your inheritance.”
“You stole from my wife.”
“I protected the family.”
“You forged her signature.”
“I protected the family.”
“You tried to transfer her house.”
“I protected the family!”
Her voice cracked.
Bennett stared at her.
Then his expression changed.
He finally understood.
She had been manipulating him.
Not protecting him.
Controlling him.
A nurse suddenly approached.
“Dr. Monroe.”
Arthur turned.
“We received the preliminary paternity comparison.”
My heart stopped.
“Already?”
“Yes.”
The nurse handed him an envelope.
Arthur opened it.
He read the first page.
Then the second.
His expression became unreadable.
I stepped forward.
“What does it say?”
Arthur looked at Bennett.
Then at me.
“The baby is biologically yours.”
Bennett exhaled.
But Arthur wasn't finished.
“The baby's paternal marker does not match Bennett's documented family line.”
Bennett froze.
“What?”
Arthur looked at him.
“The child is yours.”
Then he looked toward the doctor.
“But genetically, Bennett is not who his family records claim he is.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
I looked at Bennett.
He was devastated.
“What does that mean?”
Arthur answered quietly.
“It means your father may not have been your biological father.”
Bennett sat down.
His entire world had just shifted.
Victoria's face became pale.
Bennett looked at her.
“You knew.”
She didn't respond.
“You knew all along.”
Victoria finally whispered:
“Yes.”
Bennett stood.
“You let me believe a lie my entire life.”
“I did what I had to do.”
“No.”
His voice shook.
“You did what benefited you.”
Victoria stared at him.
Then she looked at me.
“The baby still belongs to the Carter trust.”
Arthur shook his head.
“No.”
He held up the trust document.
“You forgot the maternal clause.”
Victoria's face fell.
Arthur pointed to the page.
“The trust doesn't care about Bennett's bloodline.”
He looked at me.
“It follows Sophia.”
I stared at the document.
“And the child.”
“Yes.”
Victoria whispered:
“But the account—”
“Is frozen.”
She stepped backward.
“All of it?”
Arthur nodded.
“Every dollar.”
Victoria looked at Bennett.
Then at me.
“You think you've won.”
I shook my head.
“I don't want your money.”
“You will.”
“No.”
I looked down at my stomach.
“I want my child safe.”
Bennett approached me.
“Sophia.”
I stepped back.
“Not yet.”
His face fell.
“I know.”
“I need time.”
“I understand.”
Then the doctor returned.
“Mrs. Carter, there is one more result.”
Arthur looked at him.
“What?”
The doctor lowered his voice.
“The baby's genetic profile contains a marker we have only seen in one other person.”
Arthur froze.
“Who?”
The doctor looked at Bennett.
“His biological grandfather.”
Bennett stared.
“But we don't know who that is.”
The doctor nodded.
“That is the problem.”
He handed Arthur another page.
At the bottom was a name.
Daniel Reed.
I looked at Bennett.
He looked at me.
And somewhere outside the hospital, a car door slammed.
May you like
Someone had arrived.
Someone who wasn't supposed to be alive.
