CHAPTER 6: THE TRUTH ABOUT BENJAMIN
Arthur couldn’t move.
The paper in his hand felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.
The hallway was silent.
Too silent.
Even the sound of the rain outside seemed to disappear.
He stared at the words again.
DNA TEST RESULTS: BENJAMIN VANCE IS NOT ARTHUR VANCE’S BIOLOGICAL SON.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
“No…”
The word escaped his mouth like a whisper.
Behind him, Elena stood frozen.
For the first time, she had no excuse.
No explanation.
No clever words.
Arthur slowly turned around.
His eyes met hers.
“Tell me this is fake.”
Elena opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
“Tell me someone created this to destroy our family.”
Still nothing.
Arthur’s voice became louder.
“ELENA!”
Benjamin flinched.
The moment Arthur saw his son’s frightened expression, his anger changed.
He immediately lowered his voice.
“Buddy…”
He walked toward Benjamin and knelt down.
“Go with Maria for a minute, okay?”
The boy looked confused.
“But Dad, what does the paper mean?”
Arthur’s heart broke.
Because Benjamin was old enough to understand fear.
But too young to carry the weight of adult secrets.
“It means nothing you need to worry about.”
Benjamin looked at Elena.
“Mom?”
Elena looked away.
That was the answer.
Benjamin’s eyes filled with tears.
Maria quickly stepped forward.
“Come with me, Benjamin.”
The boy hesitated.
Then slowly followed her away.
When they disappeared down the hallway, Arthur turned back.
The pain on his face was worse than anger.
“How long?”
Elena looked down.
“Arthur…”
“How long have you known?”
She stayed silent.
Arthur walked closer.
“How long have you known that Benjamin might not be my son?”
Elena finally whispered.
“Since the test.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
Arthur felt like the ground disappeared beneath him.
“Three years?”
His voice cracked.
“You knew for three years?”
Elena wiped her eyes.
“I was scared.”
“Scared?”
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“You were scared, so you let me raise a child while hiding the truth?”
“He is your son.”
Arthur stopped.
The words confused him.
“What?”
Elena stepped closer.
“Benjamin is your son in every way that matters.”
Arthur looked at her.
“But not biologically.”
She looked away.
“No.”
The confession destroyed him.
For years, Arthur had loved Benjamin with every part of himself.
He had taught him to ride a bike.
Held him when he had nightmares.
Stayed awake when he was sick.
Every memory suddenly felt painful.
But then Arthur looked toward the hallway where Benjamin had disappeared.
And something inside him changed.
Because one truth remained.
Benjamin was still his son.
No test could erase that.
“No matter whose blood runs through his veins…”
Arthur’s voice became steady.
“He is my child.”
Elena looked surprised.
For a moment, she expected anger.
She expected him to reject Benjamin.
But she misunderstood Arthur completely.
His anger was not toward the boy.
It was toward the lies.
“Then why did you hide it?”
Elena’s expression changed.
Fear returned.
“Because if you knew the truth…”
She stopped.
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
“If I knew what?”
Elena didn’t answer.
Maria suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway.
“Mr. Vance.”
Arthur turned.
Maria looked worried.
“Benjamin wants to know if you still love him.”
Those words hit Arthur harder than anything else.
He immediately walked toward the boy.
He found Benjamin sitting on his bed, holding his favorite toy.
His eyes were red from crying.
“Dad…”
Arthur sat beside him.
“Hey.”
“Am I still your son?”
Arthur didn’t hesitate.
He pulled Benjamin into his arms.
“You are my son.”
“But the paper…”
“Forget that paper.”
Benjamin looked at him.
“You promise?”
Arthur held him tighter.
“I promise.”
The boy finally cried.
Not because he was scared anymore.
Because he believed him.
From the doorway, Maria watched silently.
And Elena watched too.
But Elena wasn’t crying.
She was thinking.
Arthur noticed.
And that scared him.
Later that night, Arthur returned to his office.
David had arrived with more documents.
“Arthur, I found something else.”
Arthur looked exhausted.
“What?”
David placed a file on the desk.
“The DNA test.”
Arthur frowned.
“What about it?”
“It wasn’t ordered by you.”
Arthur looked up.
“What?”
David opened the file.
“The laboratory received payment from a private account.”
“Whose?”
David hesitated.
“An account connected to Elena.”
Arthur stared at him.
“So she arranged the test herself?”
“Yes.”
Arthur stood slowly.
“Why would she do that?”
David looked through the papers.
“There’s more.”
He handed Arthur another document.
“This is the name of the biological father.”
Arthur looked down.
And froze.
Because the name written there belonged to someone he knew.
Someone who had been part of his life.
Someone who had betrayed him before.
THOMAS BENNETT.
Arthur dropped the paper.
The man everyone believed had stolen from him.
The man whose wife, Maria, had just revealed the truth.
The man who was supposedly dead.
Arthur whispered:
“No…”
But before he could process anything, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A voice came through.
A voice he had never expected to hear again.
“Arthur Vance.”
His blood turned cold.
“Who is this?”
The person laughed softly.
“You really thought Thomas Bennett was dead?”
Arthur couldn’t speak.
The voice continued.
“I think it’s time you learned the truth about your son.”
The call ended.
Arthur stood motionless.
Because now he understood.
The trust fund.
The DNA test.
The betrayal.
None of it was random.
Someone had been controlling everything from the beginning.
And that person was still out there.
Watching.
May you like
Waiting.
TO BE CONTINUED…
