Chapter 6: The Man Behind The Experiment
Grant refused to meet Adrian alone.
Rachel noticed that immediately.
Five years ago, he would have insisted on handling everything himself.
Now he looked almost afraid to be without witnesses.
Maybe that was progress.
Maybe fear had finally replaced arrogance.
The meeting was arranged at an old private office outside the city.
Rachel didn't want to go.
She hated that she still cared.
But Maddie was connected to this.
And Rachel needed answers.
When they arrived, Adrian Vale was already waiting.
He looked nothing like the monster Rachel imagined.
That made it worse.
He looked ordinary.
A man in his seventies.
Gray hair.
Calm eyes.
A polite smile.
"Grant.""
Grant stopped.
Hearing Adrian say his name seemed to hurt him.
"You know who I am.""
Adrian smiled faintly.
"I have known you since before you knew yourself.""
Rachel felt disgust.
"Don't talk like that.""
Adrian looked at her.
"And you must be Rachel.""
She stepped forward.
"You know my name?""
"I know everything about my work.""
Grant's jaw tightened.
"Work?""
"You call it a crime.""
"It is.""
Adrian didn't react.
"History will decide.""
Rachel stared.
This man still believed he was right.
"Twenty-three children.""
Adrian looked at her.
"Twenty-three successes.""
Grant moved forward.
"Don't.""
His voice was low.
"Don't ever call them that.""
For the first time, Adrian looked interested.
"You're emotional.""
"I'm human.""
Adrian smiled.
"That is exactly what I wanted to study.""
Grant looked disgusted.
"You destroyed people's lives.""
"No.""
Adrian leaned back.
"I revealed the weakness of society.""
Rachel couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"What weakness?""
"People claim love matters more than blood.""
He looked at Grant.
"But the moment they discover biology, everything changes.""
The words hit harder because they were true.
Grant had lived that exact failure.
Adrian continued.
"You proved my theory.""
Grant shook his head.
"No.""
Adrian looked surprised.
"No?""
"No.""
Grant stepped closer.
"I failed my daughter.""
Rachel watched him.
"But she taught me something you never understood.""
Adrian said nothing.
Grant continued.
"Family isn't something you discover in a DNA report.""
A small silence followed.
Then Adrian smiled.
"You sound like your mother.""
Grant froze.
"What?""
Adrian leaned back.
"She said the same thing.""
Rachel noticed.
"Your mother knew him.""
Grant turned.
"What?""
Adrian looked amused.
"Oh yes.""
Rachel felt the room change.
"What are you saying?""
Adrian reached into a drawer.
He pulled out an envelope.
"I think you deserve the complete truth.""
Grant didn't move.
Adrian placed the envelope on the table.
Inside was another photograph.
Rachel saw it first.
Her blood went cold.
It wasn't a photograph of Adrian and Evelyn.
It was a photograph of Adrian and a pregnant Evelyn.
The date was written underneath.
Eight months before Grant's birth.
Grant stared.
His entire face changed.
"No.""
Adrian watched him.
"Your mother came to me because she already knew.""
"Knew what?""
Adrian's voice was quiet.
"That Charles Bennett was not your father.""
Rachel looked at Grant.
He couldn't speak.
The entire room felt frozen.
"You're lying.""
Adrian shook his head.
"No.""
He pointed to the photograph.
"Your mother chose the donor.""
Grant's breathing became uneven.
"Why?""
Adrian smiled sadly.
"Because she wanted a child.""
Rachel looked at Evelyn's younger face in the photograph.
The woman who had spent years protecting the secret.
The woman who had allowed her son to believe blood was everything.
Had built his entire identity on a lie.
Grant picked up the photograph.
His hands trembled.
"Who else knew?""
Adrian looked directly at him.
"Everyone important.""
"Everyone?""
Adrian nodded.
"Your father.""
A pause.
"Your mother.""
Another pause.
"And me.""
Grant stared.
Then he asked the question Rachel knew he had been afraid to ask.
"What does this have to do with Maddie?""
Adrian's expression changed.
For the first time, he looked serious.
"Everything.""
Rachel stepped forward.
"Explain.""
Adrian looked at Grant.
"Because the donor selected for your daughter...""
He paused.
"The donor was never random.""
Grant went still.
"What are you saying?""
Adrian slowly pushed another document across the table.
Rachel picked it up.
Her eyes moved across the page.
Then she stopped.
Because the name written there was impossible.
The same name that had already destroyed one family.
The same name that had created the nightmare.
Adrian Vale.
Rachel looked up.
"You're saying you were Maddie's donor?""
Adrian didn't answer.
He looked at Grant instead.
And whispered:
"No.""
A long silence.
May you like
Then:
"I was only half of the truth.""
