Chapter 8: The DNA Test Nobody Authorized
Robert took me into a small consultation room.
He closed the door and placed his phone on the table.
“Marcus, I want you to repeat exactly what Daniel said.””
I did.
Robert listened without interrupting.
When I finished, he leaned back.
“That statement is concerning, but we cannot assume what it means.””
“What if Daniel is somehow related to Maya?””
“Then we need evidence. Not guesses.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“Maya's mother was Emily. I was her father. What connection could Daniel possibly have?””
Robert looked at me carefully.
“Did Emily ever mention Daniel?””
I shook my head.
“Never.””
“Did she know him?””
“I don't think so.””
“Did you know him before Vanessa introduced him as her attorney?””
“No.””
Robert opened his notebook.
“Then let's establish the timeline.””
He asked about Emily's medical history, Maya's birth, and the period before her death.
I answered everything I could.
Emily and I had been married for eight years.
Maya was born eleven years ago.
Emily had died after a sudden medical emergency when Maya was six.
There had been no paternity dispute.
No legal challenge.
No reason to question whether Maya was my biological daughter.
Robert wrote something down.
“Did you ever undergo fertility treatment with Emily?””
“No.””
“Did you ever donate genetic material to a clinic?””
“No.””
“Did Emily?””
I frowned.
“Not that I know of.””
Robert nodded.
“Then the DNA test Vanessa arranged may have been intended to establish a relationship that someone believed already existed. We need to find out what Daniel was trying to prove.””
I stood.
“I want to see the clinic records.””
“We'll request them through the appropriate legal process.””
“I don't want to wait.””
“I understand. But rushing could give them an opportunity to destroy evidence.””
I looked through the glass panel in the door.
Vanessa was sitting alone in the corridor.
Her phone was pressed to her ear.
She was whispering.
I opened the door.
She immediately ended the call.
“Who were you speaking to?””
“Nobody.””
“Daniel?””
“No.””
I held out my hand.
“Give me the phone.””
She stared at me.
“You cannot be serious.””
“Then show me who you were calling.””
She gripped it tighter.
“I'm not a criminal, Marcus.””
I looked at her.
“Then stop behaving like someone who has something to hide.””
She stood.
“I need to talk to you alone.””
Robert stepped out behind me.
“Anything you wish to discuss can be discussed in my presence.””
Vanessa looked irritated.
“I don't want a lawyer listening to my marriage.””
I answered quietly.
“Then you should have thought about that before involving one in our daughter's life.””
Her expression crumpled.
“Please. Just five minutes.””
I looked at Robert.
He nodded.
“I'll be outside.””
We moved to the end of the corridor.
Vanessa folded her arms.
“I never wanted Maya to get hurt.””
“Then why did you have her DNA tested?””
She looked down.
“Daniel said it was necessary.””
“For what?””
“To confirm something about the donor.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
She began crying.
“He said there was a possibility that the donor had a biological connection to Emily.””
I felt my heart pounding.
“Explain that.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't understand all the medical details.””
“Then tell me what Daniel told you.””
She wiped her cheeks.
“He said the donor had been connected to Emily's family years ago. He wanted to make sure there wasn't a genetic risk.””
I stared at her.
“Was Daniel related to Emily?””
“No.””
“Then who was?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“I don't know.””
I stepped closer.
“Vanessa, you took my daughter to a clinic, collected her DNA, and sent it somewhere without my permission. You don't get to tell me you don't know.””
She covered her face.
“I was told it was necessary!””
“By whom?””
“Daniel!””
“Of course.””
I turned away.
Then Vanessa said something quietly.
“There's another document.””
I stopped.
“What document?””
“The original donor agreement.””
“Where is it?””
“Daniel has it.””
“Why?””
“Because it contains the donor's identity.””
I looked at her.
“Then why hasn't he destroyed it?””
Vanessa's eyes flickered.
“Because he needs it.””
“For what?””
She swallowed.
“To prove that the baby belongs to the family he was promised.””
I felt a chill.
“His family?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Daniel wanted the baby.””
I stared at her.
“You told me you wanted a child.””
“I did.””
“Then why would Daniel want her?””
Vanessa began crying harder.
“Because we had an agreement.””
“What agreement?””
She looked at the floor.
“He would provide the money and arrange the donor. I would carry out the pregnancy arrangement. Then the baby would be registered under my name, and Daniel would receive visitation.””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“You were planning to share a child with another man while married to me?””
“It wasn't like that.””
“What was it like?””
“He wanted a child of his own, and I wanted one too.””
I stepped backward.
“Why didn't he use his own partner?””
“He wasn't married.””
“That doesn't answer anything.””
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“He said he trusted me.””
I laughed once, bitterly.
“And you trusted him enough to steal from our savings?””
She didn't answer.
I returned to Robert.
He listened to everything I had learned.
Then he asked Vanessa to repeat her statements in his presence.
She refused.
That was when Robert made a phone call to arrange a formal report regarding the suspected forgery and unauthorized use of Maya's personal information.
While he spoke, I received another message.
It was from Rebecca.
Marcus, Maya found something else in her schoolbag. She says Vanessa gave it to her.
I called immediately.
“What is it?””
“A sealed envelope. There's a laboratory logo on it.””
My heart started racing.
“Don't open it.””
“Too late. Maya already did.””
“What does it say?””
Rebecca went silent.
Then she said, “It's a DNA report.””
I closed my eyes.
“Read the names.””
“Marcus, it lists Maya as the tested child. The second person is Daniel Brooks.””
I couldn't breathe.
“What does the result say?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“There's a note about a biological relationship.””
I gripped the edge of the table.
“What relationship?””
Her voice trembled.
“It says they share a biological parent.””
For a moment, the corridor disappeared.
I looked at Robert.
He was watching my face.
I spoke into the phone.
“Rebecca, send me a photograph of the entire report.””
A few seconds later, my phone vibrated.
I opened the image.
The laboratory's name was printed at the top.
The test date was four weeks earlier.
The report identified Maya and Daniel.
And beneath the relationship analysis was a sentence I read three times.
The results are consistent with a half-sibling relationship.
I stared at it.
Maya and Daniel.
Half-siblings.
That meant Daniel shared a biological parent with my daughter.
I felt sick.
Robert took the phone and examined the document.
“Marcus, we need to verify the authenticity of this report directly with the laboratory.””
I nodded.
But my mind was already racing.
Emily.
Daniel.
Vanessa.
The secret donor.
The forged death certificate.
The $85,000 payment.
How could all these things possibly connect?
Then my phone rang again.
Rebecca.
I answered.
“What's happened?””
“Marcus, Maya wants to speak to you.””
I heard my daughter's voice in the background.
“Dad?””
“I'm here, sweetheart.””
“Why did Vanessa tell me Daniel was my real father?””
I stopped breathing.
“What?””
Maya began crying.
“She said you weren't my biological dad. She said that's why they needed my DNA.””
I looked at the report again.
“Who told you that?””
“Vanessa.””
My hands began shaking.
“Sweetheart, listen to me. I am your father. Nothing changes that.””
“But she said Mom had a secret.””
I closed my eyes.
“What secret?””
May you like
Maya whispered:
“She said my mother lied about who my real father was.””
