Chapter 4 - The Vintage Dress
I ran up the wooden stairs as fast as my recovering, exhausted body would safely allow.
My master closet was a complete disaster zone, with expensive clothes and shoes thrown haphazardly everywhere.
I desperately dug through the massive pile of fabric until I finally found the protective garment bag containing my wedding dress.
The heavy silk fabric of the vintage gown was miraculously completely intact and untouched by the intruders.
I grabbed a pair of sewing scissors and carefully sliced open the thick, delicate inner lining of the beautiful gown.
A heavily sealed blue envelope fell onto the hardwood floor with a solid, heavy thud.
Rachel stood silently in the doorway as I picked up the hidden package with deeply trembling fingers.
I tore open the wax seal and pulled out a thick stack of aged, yellowing medical records.
The fragile documents were completely covered in authentic, faded hospital stamps from over thirty years ago.
I began to read the very first page, and the air completely left my lungs in a sudden rush.
The official medical file confirmed that Carol had suffered a total, emergency hysterectomy at the very young age of twenty.
She was physically and entirely incapable of ever having biological children of her own.
I handed the shocking, life-altering document to Rachel for her to review.
My lawyer adjusted her glasses and read the next detailed page out loud for me to hear.
The legal papers proved that Mark was secretly purchased from an illegal, underground adoption ring to secure a massive family inheritance from Carol's extremely wealthy husband.
If the strict executives of the family trust ever ordered a standard DNA test, Mark would immediately lose his billionaire status and all his wealth.
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That was exactly why Carol turned deathly pale when I confidently requested the paternity test for my daughter.
Suddenly, the terrifying sound of shattering glass echoed loudly from the downstairs kitchen window.
