Chapter 1 - The Welcome Party
The heavy oak doors of the Lawson family estate swung open to reveal a picture-perfect scene.
Christopher stood in the grand foyer, beaming with pride while his arm rested securely around Michelle's waist.
She was carefully holding the twin babies, wrapped in expensive matching designer blankets.
Evelyn Lawson stood at the bottom of the sweeping staircase, dressed in an immaculate pearl-colored suit.
I was watching the entire spectacle from the shadows of the adjoining library, exactly where Evelyn had instructed me to hide.
She had invited me here to witness the collapse of my ex-husband's arrogant illusion.
Christopher smiled widely and held out the baby boy for his mother to take.
"Meet your grandson, Mother," he said with an insufferable tone of triumph.
Evelyn slowly reached out and took the infant, staring intently into his small, sleeping face.
The room went completely silent as the wealthy matriarch's expression shifted from polite curiosity to absolute horror.
She turned incredibly pale, her hands trembling as she handed the baby back to a confused Michelle.
"He never told you about that striking resemblance?" Evelyn whispered, her voice echoing off the marble floors.
Christopher furrowed his brow, stepping defensively in front of his new family.
"What are you talking about, Mother?" he demanded.
Evelyn looked directly into Christopher's eyes with a mixture of pity and absolute disgust.
"That baby has the exact same birthmark on his jawline and the identical eye shape as your estranged older brother, David."
Christopher let out a nervous, dismissive laugh that completely lacked confidence.
"That is ridiculous, because David has been living in Europe for the past five years."
Evelyn reached into her expensive designer handbag and pulled out a sealed white envelope.
"I hired a private investigator the moment you announced this miraculous pregnancy, Christopher."
She threw the envelope onto the silver tray sitting on the entryway table.
"I also had a DNA test rushed using the coffee cup Michelle left in my kitchen last month and a pacifier you dropped."
Michelle gasped loudly, clutching the twins closer to her chest as her face drained of all color.
"Christopher is not the father of those children, Michelle," Evelyn announced coldly.
Just as Christopher reached for the envelope with shaking hands, my cell phone buzzed loudly in the quiet library.
May you like
I looked down at the bright screen to see a text message from an unknown international number.
"Enjoy the show, Victoria, but you are going to be my next target," the message read.
