Chapter 8: The Blood Test
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because my brain needed somewhere to put the impossible.
“You’re lying.””
Ryan looked at me.
“I wish I was.””
Claire was silent.
That scared me more than anything.
Because if Ryan was lying, Claire would have attacked him.
She would have screamed.
She would have called him crazy.
Instead, she stood there.
Watching me.
“Claire.””
She looked at me.
“Tell me he’s lying.””
Her lips parted.
Nothing came out.
My chest tightened.
“No.””
The word came out quietly.
“No.””
Claire finally spoke.
“Daniel—”
“Tell me.””
She looked away.
That was my answer.
I stepped back.
“How long?””
Ryan looked down.
“I don’t know everything.””
I turned to him.
“Then why are you here?””
“Because Claire found out the truth.””
“What truth?””
Ryan’s face changed.
“The girls.””
I looked upstairs.
“My daughters?””
“Yes.””
I felt anger burn through the shock.
“They are my daughters.””
Ryan nodded.
“I know.””
“No.””
I pointed at him.
“You don’t get to say that.””
“I’m not saying they aren’t.””
“Then what are you saying?””
Ryan looked at Claire.
“She knows.””
Claire closed her eyes.
And whispered:
“Daniel.””
I turned toward her.
“What?””
She looked broken.
Not guilty.
Broken.
“I found the test results.””
My throat tightened.
“What test results?””
“Before they were born.””
The room became silent.
“You had a test?””
Claire nodded.
“Not because I wanted one.””
“Then why?””
She looked at me.
“Because you asked for one.””
The words hit me.
I froze.
“No.””
She nodded.
“You don’t remember.””
And suddenly I did.
A conversation.
Months ago.
A stupid joke.
A moment I had buried.
Claire was pregnant.
I was exhausted.
She had been upset because I came home late again.
I remembered saying something careless.
Something cruel.
Something I immediately regretted.
“Maybe we should do a paternity test.””
I had laughed.
Trying to make it sound like a joke.
But she hadn’t laughed.
I remembered her face.
The hurt.
The silence.
I had apologized.
I thought it was over.
But maybe it wasn’t.
“You ordered one?””
Claire nodded.
“I wanted to know if you meant what you said.””
My stomach dropped.
“And?””
She looked at me.
“The test showed something.””
I couldn’t speak.
“What?””
Claire whispered:
“The twins were yours.””
I stared.
Then confusion replaced fear.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“They were yours.””
The room went still.
Ryan frowned.
“But you thought they weren’t.””
Claire nodded.
“Because the first test was wrong.””
“Wrong?””
“Yes.””
I looked between them.
“What are you talking about?””
Ryan stepped forward.
“The clinic made an error.””
I stared.
“And you knew?””
Claire looked at him.
“We found out later.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Nobody answered.
The silence was louder than any confession.
I looked at Claire.
“You let me believe…”
Her eyes filled.
“I wanted you to feel what it was like.””
My anger disappeared.
Replaced by something worse.
Pain.
“You wanted me to suffer?””
“No.””
“Yes.””
I shook my head.
“You lied about my children.””
“I was hurt.””
“You tied Maya up.””
Her face changed.
“I lost control.””
“That is not an excuse.””
She looked away.
“I know.””
Ryan stepped forward.
“Daniel, there’s more.””
I turned.
“What now?””
He hesitated.
“The first test wasn’t the only thing.””
My blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?””
Ryan pulled out his phone.
“I found the original records.””
He handed it to me.
I looked at the screen.
A name.
A date.
A signature.
And then I saw it.
The person who ordered the false test.
My hands went cold.
Because it wasn’t Claire.
It wasn’t Ryan.
It was someone else.
May you like
Someone who had been in my life for years.
Someone I trusted.
