Chapter 9 - The First DNA Lie
Derek had prepared the paternity test before Grace was born.
That was the detail that exposed him.
The report date was three weeks earlier.
He claimed the sample came from prenatal testing.
But I had never authorized a paternity analysis.
Luka’s attorneys found the discrepancy within minutes.
Unfortunately, lies do not need to be perfect.
They only need to arrive first.
At ten the next morning, I appeared by video before a family-court judge.
Derek sat in a conference room with Brittany.
She was not merely his mistress.
She was an attorney.
That was another thing he had never told me.
She specialized in private asset disputes.
Of course she did.
Derek looked exhausted.
For one second, I almost remembered loving him.
Then Brittany spoke.
“Mrs. Holloway recently delivered a child and immediately allowed an unrelated male stranger to identify himself as the father.”
The judge frowned.
My attorney answered.
“The preliminary hospital worksheet was never filed as a legal certificate.”
Brittany continued.
“Mr. Moretti has since removed Mrs. Holloway and the infant to a private estate guarded by armed personnel.”
Luka muttered,
“Not armed inside.”
I whispered,
“Not helping.”
Derek’s attorney submitted the Mercer report.
My attorney submitted the hospital audit.
The judge looked irritated.
Then concerned.
She ordered independent testing.
No custody transfer.
No removal from the state.
Temporary physical custody remained with me.
I should have felt relief.
Instead, the judge added,
“Mr. Holloway will receive supervised visitation until biological parentage is established.”
I looked at Derek through the screen.
He smiled.
Small.
Victorious.
He still believed he could manipulate the result.
That afternoon, he arrived to see Grace.
A court-appointed supervisor came with him.
Luka stayed upstairs.
Derek entered the nursery.
For the first time, he looked at his daughter without anger.
Grace slept in my arms.
His face changed.
He reached toward her.
Then stopped.
“Can I?”
I wanted to say no.
Instead, I handed her to him.
For seven years, I had imagined this moment.
My husband holding our child.
I had imagined tears.
Joy.
A family.
Now I watched a man holding the baby he had used as part of a financial conspiracy.
His eyes filled.
“Hi.”
Grace yawned.
Derek broke.
A tear slid down his face.
I hated him.
And some small part of me hated that he looked human.
“I did love you.”
he whispered.
I stared at him.
“Then why did you do this?”
“My father told me you were the key to everything.”
“Was that why you approached me?”
“At first.”
The truth hurt even though I already knew it.
“And later?”
“I fell in love with you.”
“People who love you don’t secretly choose the DNA used to create your child.”
“I didn’t choose Luka.”
“You chose the file.”
“I thought it was anonymous.”
“Because anonymous reproductive fraud is better?”
His face twisted.
“No.”
He looked at Grace.
“I was desperate.”
“You were selfish.”
“Yes.”
Finally.
No excuse.
Just truth.
Then he whispered,
“You need to get away from Luka.”
“Why?”
“My father is afraid of him.”
“Good.”
“You don’t understand.”
“What?”
“If Grace is really Luka’s biological daughter, Victor will never stop.”
“Why?”
“Because the money isn’t the biggest thing in that trust.”
My stomach tightened.
“What is?”
Derek looked toward the court supervisor.
Then back at me.
“A voting key.”
“To what?”
He handed Grace back.
“To Moretti Biomedical.”
The company responsible for M-17.
May you like
Then he leaned close enough that only I could hear.
“And there are still people inside that company who know exactly what your mother discovered before they tried to kill her.”
