Chapter 1 - The Unthinkable Question
The small velvet ring box slipped from Daniel's trembling fingers and hit the hardwood floor with a soft thud.
It bounced once before settling near his expensive polished leather shoes.
His elegantly dressed girlfriend gasped loudly and covered her mouth in absolute shock.
His mother, Margaret, took a slow, unsteady step backward until she bumped into the decorated Christmas tree.
The entire living room was suffocated by a heavy, unbroken silence.
Before Daniel could even attempt to find his voice, my son Noah took a confident step forward.
Noah looked up at the tall man with complete innocence shining in his dark eyes.
"Are you the man who owes my mommy ten million dollars in unpaid child support?" Noah asked clearly.
Someone in the back of the room actually choked on their drink.
Daniel's face turned the color of wet ash.
He stared at Noah, then at Ethan, then at the girls, his mind clearly struggling to process the impossible math.
"Kesha," Daniel finally choked out, his voice barely a terrified whisper.
"Whose children are these?" he asked, though his own face was staring right back at him four times over.
I kept my hand gently resting on Olivia's shoulder and smiled warmly.
"They are exactly what you left behind when you decided my pregnancy was a lie," I answered calmly.
The blonde woman standing next to him suddenly grabbed his arm.
"Daniel, you told me your ex-wife was barren and crazy," she demanded, her voice rising in panic.
Daniel tried to reach for her hand, but she violently pulled away.
"Chloe, please, I have absolutely no idea what kind of scam she is pulling," he pleaded desperately.
He turned his angry gaze toward me, trying to summon the old intimidation tactics that used to work on me.
"You really think you can just hire some child actors and ruin my life?" Daniel sneered.
I did not raise my voice or show a single ounce of fear.
I simply reached into my designer handbag and pulled out a thick, legally sealed envelope.
I tossed it onto the glass coffee table where it landed with a heavy smack.
"Those are court-certified DNA results, heavily stamped by a federal judge," I stated firmly.
Chloe lunged forward and snatched the envelope before Daniel could stop her.
She ripped it open and scanned the official documents with wide, frantic eyes.
May you like
A slow, wicked smile suddenly spread across Daniel's face, completely replacing his panic.
"You know what, Kesha, I am actually incredibly glad you brought my biological heirs here today," Daniel whispered darkly.
