Chapter 3 - THE TEST
Dr. Reed arrived forty minutes later.
He collected samples from Adrian.
From Noah.
And from Elena.
Vanessa refused.
Adrian noticed.
“We don’t need hers yet,” Dr. Reed explained.
“A paternity and maternity comparison will answer the immediate question.”
The samples were sent to a private laboratory.
Adrian paid for expedited processing.
Six hours.
That was all they needed.
But six hours inside Blackwood Manor felt like six years.
Vanessa disappeared upstairs.
Elena remained with Noah in the library.
Adrian stood by the window.
He could not stop remembering Noah’s childhood.
The shape of his smile.
The way he tilted his head when confused.
The strange familiarity Adrian had always dismissed as affection.
Now he understood.
Maybe.
He needed proof.
At 11:43 p.m., Dr. Reed’s phone rang.
Everyone gathered in Adrian’s study.
Vanessa came downstairs reluctantly.
Dr. Reed opened the encrypted report.
He read it once.
Then again.
Adrian lost patience.
“Samuel.”
The doctor looked up.
“Noah is your biological son.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Elena began crying.
Noah smiled because he understood only part of it.
Then Dr. Reed continued.
“And Elena is his biological mother.”
Nobody spoke.
Adrian turned toward Vanessa.
She stared at the floor.
“Say something.”
Vanessa slowly lifted her head.
“This proves nothing about me.”
Adrian almost laughed.
“You claimed you gave birth to him.”
“I raised him.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“I was his mother when nobody else was.”
Elena stood.
“You stole him.”
Vanessa snapped toward her.
“You abandoned him.”
“I thought he was dead!”
“Because you were weak enough to believe it.”
The words escaped before Vanessa could stop them.
Adrian’s expression changed.
Elena stared at her.
“You knew.”
Vanessa realized what she had admitted.
Adrian walked toward her.
“Finish that sentence.”
Vanessa said nothing.
“YOU KNEW.”
Noah flinched.
Adrian immediately lowered his voice.
He turned toward the housekeeper.
“Take Noah to the guest wing.”
“No.”
Noah grabbed Elena.
“I want her.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
“Go with him.”
Elena hesitated.
Then nodded.
As she reached the doorway, Vanessa spoke.
“You think you won?”
Elena stopped.
Vanessa smiled.
“You still don’t know why Adrian never found you.”
Elena turned.
Vanessa’s smile widened.
“Because I wasn’t working alone.”
Adrian stared at her.
“Who helped you?”
May you like
Vanessa said nothing.
Then every light in the mansion went out.
