Chapter 11: The Truth Hidden in Blood
Nobody spoke.
The DNA report sat in my hands.
A simple stack of paper.
A few printed words.
A few percentages.
And somehow, it felt powerful enough to destroy everything we knew.
Marcus stared at the report.
“Why is my name on that?””
Brielle looked away.
That was enough.
That was the answer.
“Brielle,” Marcus said.
His voice was low.
“Why is my name on a DNA test?””
She swallowed.
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.””
I looked at her.
“Find out what?””
Her eyes filled.
And for once, she didn’t look manipulative.
She looked broken.
“Your father knew.””
Marcus froze.
“My father knew what?””
Brielle looked at the report.
“That we weren’t supposed to meet by accident.””
The words made my stomach turn.
“What does that mean?””
She looked at me.
“Your father believed there was a connection between our families.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“No.””
He backed away.
“You’re saying my dad knew you before I did?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Thomas’s letter.
At the documents.
At the years of secrets.
Everything was becoming connected.
But not in the way I expected.
“Explain,” I said.
Brielle took a breath.
“My father told me Thomas destroyed his life.””
She looked at Marcus.
“But later, he told me something else.””
“What?””
“That Thomas was trying to protect someone.””
“Who?””
Her eyes moved to him.
“You.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Me?””
She nodded.
“My father said your father discovered something about your birth.””
The basement became silent.
I felt my knees weaken.
“What are you talking about?””
Brielle shook her head.
“I don’t know everything.””
“Then why were you looking for this?””
“Because my father disappeared before telling me the truth.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Let me understand this.””
He looked at Brielle.
“You accessed Mrs. Carter’s documents because you believed Thomas left evidence about your father.””
“Yes.””
“And the ownership transfer?””
Her face changed.
“That was supposed to force access.””
Marcus stared.
“You planned to take the house to find information?””
“I thought there was something hidden here.””
I looked at the destroyed cake upstairs.
The livestream.
The humiliation.
All of it.
“You ruined my celebration for a mystery.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was desperate.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You were willing to hurt people.””
She looked down.
Because she knew.
Marcus picked up the DNA report.
“Who took this test?””
Brielle didn’t answer.
“Brielle.””
“My father.””
“Why?””
She hesitated.
Then:
“Because he believed Thomas had lied about your mother.””
The words cut through me.
I felt like the room moved.
“My mother?””
Marcus looked at me.
I couldn’t speak.
My mother had died when I was young.
There was nothing left to question.
Nothing left to discover.
At least, I thought.
Daniel carefully took the report.
“We need to verify this.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Verify what?””
“That the sample and results are authentic.””
Brielle nodded.
“That’s why I was searching.””
“For proof?””
“Yes.””
I looked at her.
“Did you know about the house transfer before tonight?””
She hesitated.
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised everyone.
“Who planned it?””
Her eyes moved toward the ceiling.
Toward the house above us.
Then back at me.
“My father.””
My heart sank.
“But Anthony said he wasn’t the traitor.””
“He wasn’t.””
“Then who was?””
Brielle looked terrified again.
“I don’t know.””
Daniel opened another file.
“There’s more.””
He pulled out a handwritten note.
“This was inside the DNA folder.””
I looked at it.
The handwriting wasn’t Thomas’s.
It wasn’t Brielle’s.
Daniel read it aloud.
“If Marcus ever discovers the truth, do not let him meet the person who knows everything.””
Marcus frowned.
“Who wrote that?””
Nobody knew.
Then Rachel looked at the bottom.
“There’s a name.””
She pointed.
My heart stopped.
Because the name belonged to someone I knew.
Someone I trusted.
Someone who had been in my home dozens of times.
Someone who had hugged me tonight before the cake was destroyed.
Denise.
My best friend.
I stared.
“No.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Mom?””
“No.””
I grabbed the paper.
“That’s impossible.””
Brielle whispered:
“Your friend knows.””
I shook my head.
“She would never.””
But deep inside…
A terrible question started forming.
What if she would?
My phone rang.
Again.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at me.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice spoke.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Evelyn.””
My blood went cold.
Because I knew that voice.
It was Denise.
But she wasn’t calling to apologize.
She was calling because she knew we found the box.
And her first words were:
“Please don’t open the second file.””
I looked at the wooden box.
There was still one folder inside.
The one nobody had touched.
May you like
The one marked:
“THE TRUTH ABOUT MARCUS.””
