Chapter 5: The Blood Test
Daniel stared at Chloe.
“What did you say?””
Chloe's breathing became uneven.
“I didn't mean—”
“You said whether the baby is really mine.”
“I was just asking questions.””
Vivienne stepped forward.
“Who is Marcus?””
Chloe looked at Eleanor.
Her mother shook her head.
“Don't say anything.””
Vivienne laughed once.
It wasn't amusement.
It was disbelief.
“Of course.””
She looked at Adrian.
“Dad.””
He was already reaching for his phone.
“I'll have him located.””
Daniel turned toward him.
“Who?””
“Marcus Hale,” Adrian said.
Daniel's face tightened.
“I know that name.””
Vivienne looked at him.
“From where?””
“He handled the Sterling family's private medical records.””
Eleanor snapped:
“Daniel.””
He ignored her.
“He was our family physician's assistant.””
Vivienne looked down at her stomach.
A cold feeling moved through her.
“What medical records?””
Nobody answered.
She looked at Daniel.
“My prenatal records?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Vivienne…”
“What did your family do?””
“I don't know.””
Eleanor walked toward the door.
“I'm ending this conversation.””
Adrian's security officer blocked her path.
“Move.””
“No.””
Eleanor glared at him.
“This is my house.””
Vivienne stepped forward.
“Not tonight.””
Eleanor looked at her.
“You have no idea what you're doing.””
“I know exactly what I'm doing.””
Vivienne picked up the phone Chloe had dropped.
“I'm going to find out why someone was investigating my unborn child.””
Daniel moved closer.
“Let me help.””
She turned.
“You had your chance.””
“I know.””
“Then don't ask for another.””
He stopped.
The words hurt.
But he accepted them.
Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?””
He listened.
His expression darkened.
“Send everything to the house.””
He ended the call.
Vivienne looked at him.
“What?””
“They found Marcus Hale.””
“Where?””
“He's at Sterling Medical Center.””
Daniel frowned.
“That hospital belongs to us.””
Adrian looked at Eleanor.
“Exactly.””
Eleanor's face went pale.
Vivienne noticed.
“Mom?””
Daniel's voice was quiet.
“What did you do?””
Eleanor shook her head.
“Nothing.””
Chloe suddenly whispered:
“She ordered the test.””
Everyone turned.
Eleanor stared at her daughter.
“Chloe.””
“You said we needed proof.””
“I told you to be quiet.””
“You said if the baby wasn't Daniel's, we could annul the marriage.””
Daniel's face became expressionless.
“Annul?””
Chloe began crying.
“You don't understand.””
“No.””
Daniel stepped toward her.
“I don't.””
His voice was shaking.
“So explain it.””
Chloe covered her face.
Eleanor answered instead.
“The Sterling family needed certainty.””
“Certainty about what?””
“That Vivienne wasn't carrying another man's child.””
Vivienne stared at her.
“You secretly ordered a paternity test?””
Eleanor's chin lifted.
“We had reasons.””
“You stole my medical records.””
“We accessed records belonging to a Sterling employee.””
“That's not an answer.””
“You were living in our home!””
“I was your daughter-in-law!””
“And you were hiding things from us.””
Vivienne stepped closer.
“So you violated my privacy because you thought I was a gold digger?””
Eleanor's silence was brutal.
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Did you tell Chloe to accuse her tonight?””
“No.””
Chloe looked up.
“She did.””
Eleanor spun around.
“Chloe!””
“You told me the ring would be enough.””
Vivienne's eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?””
Chloe wiped her cheeks.
“You told me to put it in your purse.””
Daniel stopped breathing.
Eleanor went still.
Vivienne's voice became dangerously quiet.
“Say that again.””
Chloe looked at the floor.
“You told me to put the ring in your purse.””
Daniel stared at his mother.
“You planted the ring?””
Eleanor said nothing.
“You planted it.””
“I was protecting this family.””
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“By framing my pregnant wife for theft?””
“She needed to be exposed.””
“She needed to be humiliated?””
“She needed to leave.””
Vivienne stared at her.
“Why?””
Eleanor finally looked directly at her.
“Because Adrian Vale was going to use you to destroy us.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“No.””
His voice was cold.
“You destroyed yourselves.””
He placed his phone on the table.
A recording began playing.
Eleanor's voice filled the room.
“Make sure the ring is in her purse before the reception ends.””
Chloe's voice followed.
“What if she catches me?””
“She won't. Daniel will make her cooperate.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
The recording continued.
“Once everyone sees her as a thief, she'll have no choice but to leave.””
Then another voice appeared.
Marcus.
“Should I proceed with the test?””
Eleanor answered:
“Yes.””
The recording stopped.
Silence.
Daniel looked at his mother.
His face was empty.
“You planned everything.””
Eleanor whispered:
“I was saving you.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You were destroying me.””
Vivienne looked toward Adrian.
“Did you know?””
“I suspected.””
“When?””
“Three days ago.””
“Why didn't you stop them?””
Adrian's expression softened.
“Because I wanted proof.””
Vivienne stared at him.
“You let them hurt me.””
“I let them reveal themselves.””
She looked away.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then a security officer entered the room.
“Mr. Vale.””
Adrian turned.
“We have Marcus Hale.””
“Bring him here.””
“He's refusing.””
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“Then bring the police.””
The officer nodded and left.
Daniel walked toward Vivienne.
“I am sorry.””
She didn't move.
“I should have believed you.””
Nothing.
“I should have protected you.””
Still nothing.
“And I should have known what my mother was capable of.””
Vivienne finally looked at him.
“You knew enough.””
Daniel lowered his head.
“Yes.””
A car door slammed outside.
Then another.
The security officer returned.
“Marcus Hale is here.””
Two men escorted him into the library.
He was in his fifties, pale, sweating, carrying a medical case.
The moment he saw Vivienne, he stopped.
She stared at him.
“You tested my baby.””
Marcus swallowed.
“I was following instructions.””
“Whose?””
He looked at Eleanor.
She shook her head.
Marcus looked back at Vivienne.
“I can't say.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“You can.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
Adrian's voice remained calm.
“You can tell us now, or you can explain it to federal investigators.””
Marcus looked terrified.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Just tell the truth.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Then he opened the medical case.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
He placed it on the table.
“This is the original result.””
Vivienne stared at it.
Daniel's hands began shaking.
Marcus whispered:
“The test wasn't ordered because they suspected the baby wasn't Daniel's.””
Vivienne frowned.
“Then why?””
Marcus looked directly at her.
“Because someone paid me to determine whether the baby's biological father was a Vale.””
Vivienne's heart stopped.
Daniel looked confused.
“What?””
Marcus took one breath.
“The DNA result showed the child is related to Adrian Vale.””
Adrian's face changed.
Vivienne stared at her father.
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Not as the father.””
He pointed at the report.
“As the child's biological grandfather.””
Daniel looked at Vivienne.
She looked down at her stomach.
Their daughter kicked.
Once.
Twice.
Then Marcus said the words that changed everything.
“Your baby isn't just the heir to the Vale fortune.””
May you like
He swallowed.
“She is the legal successor to the Sterling empire too.””
