Chapter 7: The DNA Results Nobody Was Supposed to See
“She's downstairs.””
Mr. Collins repeated the words as though he couldn't quite believe them himself.
Emma stared at the hospital administrator.
“Victoria has the DNA results?””
He nodded.
“She specifically asked for you and Lily.””
Arthur immediately shook his head.
“Absolutely not.””
Emma turned toward him.
“You told me we needed the truth. Now the person who supposedly has it is downstairs.””
“Victoria has lied to us for years.””
“She also raised Lily.””
“And she may have helped Thomas.””
Lily stood between them, holding the brass key.
“Can we please stop fighting?””
Both adults looked at her.
She lowered her eyes.
“Daddy wouldn't want everyone shouting.””
Emma crouched beside her.
“You're right, sweetheart.””
Arthur sighed.
“I'm sorry, Lily.””
Mr. Collins cleared his throat.
“I can have hospital security escort her away if you prefer.””
Emma looked at the administrator.
“No. Let her come up.””
Arthur stepped closer.
“Emma, think carefully.””
“I have thought carefully. I'm tired of being kept outside rooms where people discuss my family.””
She turned toward the door.
“Whatever Victoria knows, I want to hear it from her face.””
A few minutes later, the elevator doors opened.
Victoria stepped into the corridor.
She looked nothing like the polished woman who had stood beside Daniel's coffin.
Her expensive coat was wrinkled. Her hair was tied back carelessly, and her eyes were swollen.
She carried a large brown envelope against her chest.
“Lily.””
The little girl immediately ran toward her.
“Mommy!””
Victoria dropped to her knees and embraced her.
“Oh, darling.””
Lily buried her face in Victoria's shoulder.
“Where were you? I thought you weren't coming back.””
Victoria kissed her forehead.
“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.””
Emma watched the reunion without moving.
When Victoria finally released Lily, she stood.
“Emma.””
“Don't.””
Victoria swallowed.
“I know you hate me.””
“You don't know anything about me.””
“I know I hurt you.””
Emma laughed bitterly.
“You didn't just hurt me. You let me grow up believing my father had abandoned me. You let me believe he didn't want me.””
Victoria looked down.
“I know.””
“And then you raised my sister without telling her who she was.””
“I didn't know how to explain it.””
“You had eleven years.””
Victoria's eyes filled.
“I know.””
Emma pointed at the envelope.
“What's inside?””
Victoria looked toward Arthur.
“Can we speak privately?””
“No,” Emma replied.
“Whatever it is, Lily deserves to hear the truth.””
Victoria nodded.
She opened the envelope.
Inside were three documents.
The first was the original DNA report.
The second was a signed statement from Daniel.
The third was a photograph of a hospital bracelet.
Victoria placed them on the table.
Emma reached for the DNA report.
Her eyes moved down the page.
Then she stopped.
“Probability of paternity: 99.99%.””
She looked up.
“What?””
Victoria nodded.
“Daniel was Lily's biological father.””
Emma looked confused.
“Why would there be any doubt?””
Victoria took a shaky breath.
“Because Daniel had been told something different.””
Arthur leaned forward.
“Who told him?””
Victoria looked at him.
“Thomas.””
She turned toward Emma.
“Thomas convinced Daniel that the hospital had made a mistake when Lily was born. He said Claire had been seeing another man. He said the second baby might not be Daniel's.””
Emma stared.
“That's disgusting.””
“Daniel refused to believe him at first. But Thomas showed him a letter supposedly written by Claire.””
“Was it real?””
Victoria shook her head.
“No. It was forged.””
Arthur clenched his jaw.
“Do you have proof?””
Victoria opened the second document.
“This is Daniel's statement. He wrote it three days before the accident.””
Emma read aloud.
I have finally confirmed what I should never have doubted. Lily is my daughter. Claire never betrayed me. Thomas manufactured the entire story.
Emma's fingers trembled.
She continued.
I now understand why he wanted me to question the paternity of my own child. If I believed Lily was not mine, I would have no reason to investigate the guardianship agreement, the trust, or the hospital records.
Arthur looked at Victoria.
“Why didn't you show us this earlier?””
Victoria's voice broke.
“Because Thomas had the original report.””
“What?””
“He stole it from Daniel's office. He told me that if I ever revealed the truth, he would make sure Lily lost everything.””
Emma slammed her palm against the table.
“You let him threaten you into silence?””
Victoria flinched.
“I thought I was protecting Lily.””
“You were protecting yourself!””
Lily began crying.
“Please don't fight.””
Emma immediately turned toward her.
“I'm sorry.””
Victoria knelt beside the little girl.
“Sweetheart, I need to tell you something.””
Lily wiped her cheeks.
“What?””
“Your father never doubted that he loved you. He never stopped wanting you. And he never wanted you to believe you weren't his daughter.””
Lily looked at the DNA report.
“Then why did he get the test?””
Victoria hesitated.
“Because he wanted to prove Thomas had lied.””
“Did Daddy know Thomas was bad?””
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then why did he let Uncle Thomas come to our house?””
Victoria closed her eyes.
“Because Thomas was his brother. Daniel wanted to believe he could still be trusted.””
Arthur picked up the third document.
“What is this?””
Victoria looked at him.
“The original hospital consent form.””
He unfolded it.
At the bottom was Claire's signature.
Above it was a sentence written in blue ink.
*If anything happens to me, Daniel must raise both girls together. No one else should have the authority to separate them.*
Emma began crying.
“My mother wanted us together.””
Victoria nodded.
“She did.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
Victoria looked directly at Emma.
“Because Thomas made me believe you were dangerous.””
Emma stared.
“What?””
“He said you would come after Lily's inheritance. He said you wanted Daniel's money. He convinced me that keeping you away was the only way to protect her.””
Emma laughed through her tears.
“I was working two jobs when my mother died. I couldn't even afford to keep our apartment.””
Victoria looked devastated.
“I know that now.””
Arthur examined the DNA report.
“There's something missing.””
“What?”” Emma asked.
He pointed to the final page.
“The laboratory's authorization seal.””
Victoria nodded.
“The original report was never officially filed. Daniel had it prepared privately.””
Arthur studied the signature.
“Who delivered this to you?””
Victoria looked toward the corridor.
“An attorney named Richard Hale.””
Arthur went completely still.
“Richard Hale?””
“Yes.””
Arthur slowly put the document down.
“Richard has been Thomas's attorney for fifteen years.””
Victoria's face changed.
“What?””
“He was the one who drafted the original trust agreement.””
Emma looked between them.
“Are you saying he could have altered the documents?””
Arthur nodded.
“I'm saying we need to know exactly what he has been doing.””
Before anyone could respond, the elevator doors opened again.
A hospital security guard hurried toward them.
“Mr. Collins?””
“Yes?””
“There's a man downstairs asking for Ms. Carter.””
Victoria turned.
“Who?””
The guard checked his phone.
“Richard Hale.””
Arthur immediately grabbed the documents.
“Get Lily away from the corridor.””
But it was too late.
A familiar voice sounded behind them.
“Good morning, everyone.””
Richard Hale approached carrying a black leather briefcase.
He was a tall, silver-haired man in his early sixties, dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit.
He smiled politely.
“Victoria. Emma. I see you've all found each other.””
Emma stepped in front of Lily.
“What do you want?””
Richard placed his briefcase on the table.
“I'm here to prevent a terrible misunderstanding.””
Arthur folded his arms.
“You're too late.””
Richard smiled.
“Perhaps.””
He opened the briefcase and removed a thick document.
“However, I believe you'll find this interesting.””
Victoria stared at the paper.
It was a copy of Daniel's last will.
Richard tapped a paragraph near the bottom.
“According to the latest legal instrument, the entire Carter estate transfers to a charitable trust if both of Daniel's daughters are found to be living under one roof.””
Emma frowned.
“That makes no sense.””
Richard smiled.
“It makes perfect sense. Daniel wanted to protect the company from family disputes.””
Arthur took the document.
“This isn't the will I witnessed.””
Richard's smile disappeared.
“What?””
Arthur examined the signature.
“This document was never signed in my presence.””
Richard closed his briefcase.
“I'm afraid that's not relevant.””
“It is if the signature is forged.””
Richard's expression hardened.
He looked at Lily.
“Perhaps we should discuss this without the child present.””
Lily stepped closer to Emma.
“No.””
Richard blinked.
“Excuse me?””
Lily lifted the brass key.
“Daddy said this belongs to me.””
Richard stared at it.
For a fraction of a second, his professional composure disappeared.
He looked frightened.
Then he leaned toward Victoria.
“Where did she get that?””
Victoria stepped back.
“Don't come near her.””
Richard straightened.
“I strongly advise you to surrender the key.””
Emma narrowed her eyes.
“Why?””
Richard picked up his briefcase.
“Because if you open what it unlocks, none of you will ever be able to return to the lives you had before.””
He walked toward the elevator.
Arthur watched him leave.
Then he turned to Emma.
“Now we know why Daniel left that key.””
Emma looked down at Lily.
“What's the next step?””
Arthur unfolded the small paper from the blue clock.
“Room 317.””
He pointed toward the old hospital wing.
“There's a storage room behind the original maternity ward.””
Lily looked up.
“Is that where Daddy hid the truth?””
Arthur nodded.
“Yes.””
May you like
Then he added something that made Victoria turn pale.
“It's also where Claire left the last letter she ever wrote.””
