In the back row, Serena felt a tempest of emotions swirling within her. Shame and anger clashed violently as she grappled with the Horrifying truth of her fathers monstrous actions. What struck her most deeply was the realization that there had been other victims-innocent lives shattered by Victor’s ruthless ambition.
That day marked a turning point for Serena. She finally understood why she and Nathaniel were never destined to be together. The depth of Nathaniel and Bianca’s hatred for Victor ran too deep to allow for forgiveness or acceptance, and no one bore that bitterness more fiercely than Bianca herself.
But as she pondered her own identity, a haunting question lingered in her mind: What if she wasn’t Victor’s daughter? Would it still be worth it to bring the truth to Nathaniel?
Sooner than she anticipated, she would find the answers she sought.
The day of the DNA results arrived, and the outcome knocked her completely off course, sending her world spiraling into uncertainty.
The DNA Results.
Serena and Alice could hardly stomach the hearing’s conclusion. They had left the courtroom in haste, their minds reeling from the horrifying details that had emerged about Neal Collins’s brutal murder. The prosecution had not only called Jack Spell to testify, but they had also unveiled a series of photographs, the chilling autopsy report, and detailed medical records. Each piece of evidence interlocked seamlessly, leaving no room for doubt or denial.
The sheer brutality of Neal’s murder left Serena unsettled. It was astonishing to her that the police had seemingly turned a blind eye, not dedicating enough resources to uncover the truth behind Neal’s death.
Days turned into a blur, yet the haunting memory of Neal’s suffering clung to Serena, refusing to fade. When the day finally dawned for the DNA results to be unveiled, she found herself awake long before the sun had fully risen, lost in thought as she gazed out of the living room window. The world outside stirred to life, but inside, a storm brewed within her.
Alice stirred around seven, the soft sound of her movements breaking Serena’s trance. As she entered the living room, she announced, “Serena, I just saw on the news feed that Victor’s verdict will be revealed in the last hearing.”
Serena nodded, her mind still reeling from the weight of recent events. She had heard the same news, but it felt like a distant echo amidst her turmoil.
The final hearing, a pivotal moment in their lives, was set for nine in the morning.
Alice had a shift that wouldn’t start until noon, allowing the two of them a brief respite at home. They settled in front of the television, the news coverage of Victor’s verdict unfolding before them. Serena felt her heart race as the anchor confirmed it: he was found guilty.
The screen flickered to life, revealing Nathaniel and Bianca emerging from the courthouse, flanked by their lawyers. A swarm of reporters rushed toward them, eager for a glimpse of their reactions. Their lawyer was the first to break the silence, his voice steady but filled with emotion.
“This case has been years in the making. Justice has moved slowly, but it has not faltered. Today, the court has finally recognized the pain endured by Neal and his family, along with countless other victims silenced by Victor Kline.”
The cameras shifted to Bianca, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I spent years waiting to hear the truth spoken in a courtroom. Years filled with grief, fear, and silence. Victor stole my future with my husband-the family we should have built together. Today’s verdict doesn’t erase the past, but it gives me something I have longed for: acknowledgment. Justice, though delayed, has finally found us.”
Serena couldn’t look away from the screen, her heart aching for Bianca.
The reporters then turned their attention to Nathaniel. He stood tall, his sharp features etched with a solemn determination, his eyes burning with conviction. “I grew up watching my mother fight battles that most people never even knew existed. We lived with a grief that was too heavy to share and a truth that felt impossible to prove. I promised myself that if I ever had the opportunity, I would ensure my father’s story would not fade into obscurity. Everything I have achieved, every success, has been built upon that promise. Today, I fulfilled that promise. My father’s name is no longer shrouded in darkness.”
As Serena listened, her throat tightened painfully. Each word Nathaniel spoke struck deep, like a blade slipping beneath her ribs.
His suffering was palpable, etched into his very being long before she had entered his life. And all of it traced back to the man who had raised her.
Victor Kline.
‘My father did this to them. To him. To his family.’ The thought twisted her stomach into knots. She felt as though she might either weep uncontrollably or simply vanish from existence.
Yet, amidst her turmoil, a flicker of genuine happiness for Nathaniel emerged. He had finally achieved the justice he had fought so hard for throughout his life.
But in doing so, he had woven her into the fabric of that revenge. And that left her questioning… was he truly satisfied with the path he had chosen?
“Well, at least that part is over,” Alice muttered, her voice breaking the heavy silence. She quickly redirected the conversation. “Let’s go.”
They prepared to leave for the hospital, the weight of the day pressing down on them. Minutes before noon, Alice and Serena stood outside the laboratory, anticipation cracking in the art as they awaited the results that could alter Serena’s life forever.
Alice was the one to accept the envelope. It was sealed, white, and shockingly light for something that held the potential to change everything. They found a quiet corner, taking deep breaths to steady their nerves.
With trembling hands, Serena opened it. As she unfolded the paper, her heart raced, and a cold dread washed over her.
Then the results stared back at her, a harsh reality that shattered her hopes.
“The probability of paternity is 99.9999%,” she whispered, her face draining of color. “No.”
A solitary tear traced down her cheek. “This can’t be.”
“I can’t be Victor’s real daughter,” she nearly shouted, panic rising within her until she remembered the public setting. “How could this be?”
Alice snatched the results from Serena’s hands, reading and rereading the words, each pass deepening her own disbelief. It felt impossible How could Victor whe had always treated Serena with such indifference, be her biological father? Or was it that he was so devoid of humanity that he could disregard his own flesh and blood?
“This… this can’t be right,” Alice breathed, turning toward the laboratory window, horror flickering in her eyes.
Determined, she marched toward the releasing counter. “I demand to speak with your supervisor. Now!”
Outside the laboratory, Alice’s voice rang out, barely containing her frustration. “I believe this DNA test was tampered with.”
“Alice, that’s impossible. Grand Mercy Hospital adheres to strict chain-of-custody and quality-control protocols. I assure you, the results are accurate,” replied the supervisor, a woman named Danica, her tone firm yet sympathetic.
“No,” Alice shot back, her voice sharp and unwavering. She couldn’t accept this.reality, not for Serena’s sake “I want access to the surveilance footage for the past seven days, starting from when we submitted the samples. And I demand the names of every laboratory technician who handled or processed the paternity test.”
The supervisor shook her head, her expression tight. “I’m sorry, Alice. We can’t release any of that information. You’ll need to file a formal complaint and request a subpoena.”
Alice’s jaw dropped in disbelief, her eyes wide with the weight of the situation.
The Call.
“I insist on receiving the other samples,” Serena declared with an unwavering tone, her resolve as firm as steel. “If your laboratory refuses to provide the transparency I’m seeking, we will have to send them for testing at a different facility.”
The tension in the air was palpable, thickening as the supervisor, Danica, remained obstinate, her expression hardening as she met Serena’s gaze. “We have already discarded them,” she stated, her voice clipped, as if the matter were closed.
Alice, who had been quietly observing, felt a frown form on her face at the supervisor’s dismissive attitude. Before Danica could utter another word, Alice sprang into action, racing toward the laboratory in search of the remaining DNA samples. Her familiarity with the layout of the lab propelled her forward, her mind racing with thoughts of what was at stake.
She headed straight for the evidence refrigerator, her heart pounding in her chest as she searched for the samples that Serena had meticulously labeled. Just as she began her search, Danica was hot on her heels, her voice dripping with irritation. “You can’t do this! I will report you!”
Alice shot back, her voice laced with defiance. “And I will report you to the compliance officer! According to policy, you’re only permitted to discard samples seven days after the results are released!” The anger in her voice was unmistakable, and she could see the frustration boiling within Danica.
Determined, Alice continued her frantic search, but even in the biohazard disposal freezer, she found nothing. The samples had vanished without a trace. With her options dwindling, she made the difficult decision to report Danica to the hospital’s compliance officer. However, Danica retaliated by reporting Alice for unauthorized entry into a restricted area.
In an unexpected twist of fate, both women found themselves barred from returning to work. They were summoned to the compliance office, where a brief review of the incident led to their temporary suspension.
The compliance officer, a stern figure who seemed to carry the weight of the institution on his shoulders, turned to Alice with a measured expression. “I understand your desperation, but entering the laboratory without proper clearance is a serious violation. It endangers the integrity of our entire facility. Rest assured, we will investigate what happened to the sample. If there’s anything left to trace, you’ll be notified immediately.”
Heartbeats later, the tension still hung heavy in the air.
“Why would the supervisor act this way?” Serena asked, her brow furrowing in confusion and frustration.
“Clearly, she tampered with the results,” Alice replied, her voice steady but filled with conviction. “What other explanation could there be for Danica to dispose of the samples so hastily?”
Serena shook her head, her hazel eyes ablaze with a mixture of anger and despair. “I hate this. Why does the world have to make everything so difficult for me? All I want is to uncover the truth!”
She ran her fingers through her light brown hair, her thoughts swirling like a storm. “Or maybe… that was the truth?” she whispered, uncertainty creeping into her voice.
Alice’s mouth fell open in shock. She turned to Serena, her expression a mix of disbelief and empathy. “I’d rather believe the results were tampered with. Doesn’t that explain everything? The way Victor treated you? How your mother never showed you any affection?”
“And don’t forget,” Alice added, her voice softening, “your parents never even celebrated your birthday.”
They were seated in a cozy caf? just a block away from the hospital, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee swirling around them as they tried to calm their racing hearts. Serena gulped, memories flooding back to her like a tidal wave. Leaning back in her chair, she reflected on her childhood, her thoughts drifting to her parents.
It was all too true. Victor and Roselind had never celebrated her birthday. At best, they would instruct the maids to prepare something special or hand her a few bills. They were perpetually absent on her special day-always preoccupied, always fatigued, always armed with excuses.
Their presence only became more frequent after Nathaniel entered her life, but even then, their visits never lasted beyond an hour.
Serena took a sip of her tea, the warmth momentarily soothing her frayed nerves. She sighed heavily, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her. “What do we do now? I really don’t want to exhume my mother’s grave.”
Alice hesitated, biting her lip in contemplation. “Have you thought about checking your father’s office? Maybe he still has belongings there that could contain DNA.”
“That seems like a long shot. As far as I know, they discarded most of his things,” Serena replied, but then a flicker of hope ignited within her as she recalled Nathaniel’s words that she could ask him for anything.
Hesitantly, she murmured, “I suppose… I could ask Nathan.”
Alice made a face, concern etched on her features. “Are you sure you can handle that?”
“For the sake of uncovering the truth, I’m willing to put my pride aside,” Serena asserted, determination infusing her voice.
With a deep breath, she pulled out her phone, staring at the screen as if it held the answers to all her questions. After a moment that felt like an eternity, she dialed Nathaniel’s number.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.