CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 9
THE FATHER
For several seconds, nobody moved.
My daughter was still holding the corner of Robert's DNA report in her tiny fist.
She was barely hours old.
Yet somehow, everyone in that room was looking at her as if she were the most dangerous person alive.
I hated them for it.
I pulled Lily against my chest.
"She's a baby."
My voice shook.
"Whatever you're afraid of, she's still my baby."
Eva looked at me.
"That's exactly why they're afraid."
"No."
I shook my head.
"You're all talking about her like she's some experiment."
"Because she is."
Maria's voice broke.
I turned toward her.
"Don't."
She flinched.
"Don't call my daughter an experiment."
"Elena—"
"She's a child."
I held Lily tighter.
"She's innocent."
Nobody argued.
Then Luka stepped toward me.
"You're right."
I looked at him.
"She's your daughter."
"Yes."
"And I will protect her."
"From whom?"
"Everyone."
His eyes hardened.
"Especially the people who think they own her."
I believed him.
I hated that I did.
But I believed him.
Then the phone rang again.
Luka answered immediately.
"Talk."
Dr. Harris's voice returned.
"You should leave the archive."
"Where is Vanessa?"
A pause.
"She's with me."
My blood ran cold.
"Put her on."
"She can't talk."
"Why?"
"Because she made a mistake."
"What mistake?"
"She thought she was protecting your husband."
I frowned.
"My ex-husband?"
"Daniel."
I tightened my grip on Lily.
"What does Daniel have to do with this?"
The doctor laughed.
"Everything."
I felt sick.
"Tell me."
"You've been looking for Lily's father."
"Yes."
"You've been searching through DNA reports."
"Yes."
"You've suspected Daniel."
"He's her legal father."
"Legal."
The doctor emphasized the word.
"Not biological."
"I know."
"You suspected Luka."
"I never said that."
"But you thought about it."
I looked at Luka.
He didn't react.
"You suspected Marcus."
"He's my biological father."
"Exactly."
"So who is Lily's father?"
The doctor's voice became quiet.
"The man who has been beside her since before she was born."
I froze.
"Who?"
"You know him."
"Tell me."
"I think you should look at the first ultrasound."
I frowned.
"What?"
"The first one."
"Why?"
"Because Lily was already there."
I stared.
"Of course she was."
"No."
His voice became colder.
"She was already there before Daniel ever met you."
My heart stopped.
"What are you saying?"
The call ended.
I looked at Luka.
"What does he mean?"
"I don't know."
"You do."
"I don't."
"Then find out."
Luka immediately opened his laptop.
Eva moved beside him.
Maria stood near the window, trembling.
I sat down with Lily.
My mind was racing.
The first ultrasound.
I remembered it.
Daniel had been there.
He had held my hand.
He had smiled.
He'd told me he was going to be a father.
Or at least, I thought he had.
But Dr. Harris had said:
Before Daniel ever met you.
I looked at Maria.
"How long was I pregnant before I met Daniel?"
She stared at me.
"What?"
"How long?"
Maria's face changed.
"I don't know."
"Think."
She closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
"Almost two months."
My blood ran cold.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
"Because Daniel and I met three weeks before the wedding."
Luka looked up.
"Three weeks?"
"Yes."
Eva stared at me.
"Then Lily was already conceived."
The room went silent.
I felt my stomach twist.
"That's impossible."
"Not necessarily," Luka said.
I looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
He turned the laptop toward me.
"We found the original medical record."
A scan appeared.
My name.
My date of birth.
My blood type.
Then:
GESTATIONAL AGE: 8 WEEKS, 4 DAYS.
I stared.
The examination date was the day after I met Daniel.
I felt dizzy.
"Eight weeks?"
Luka nodded.
"You were already pregnant."
"But I wasn't with anyone."
Eva looked at me.
"You were."
I shook my head.
"No."
"Elena."
"I would remember."
"Would you?"
Her question stopped me.
My memories.
The suppressed memories.
The laboratory.
The white room.
Luka.
The betrayal.
Everything I'd forgotten.
Maybe there was more.
I closed my eyes.
A memory came.
Rain.
A dark road.
A car.
Someone opening a door.
A man's voice.
"You shouldn't have come here."
My breathing changed.
Another memory.
A hand on my waist.
A silver watch.
A scar across a knuckle.
A voice whispering:
"If they find out, they'll kill you."
I opened my eyes.
Luka was staring at me.
"Who was it?"
"I don't know."
"Try."
I closed my eyes again.
The memory sharpened.
A room.
A fireplace.
A man standing with his back to me.
Dark hair.
Broad shoulders.
A silver watch.
He turned.
I saw his face.
My breath stopped.
"No."
Luka stepped closer.
"What?"
I looked at him.
"I know him."
"Who?"
I whispered:
"Daniel's father."
Everyone went silent.
I remembered.
The night before my wedding.
I had been lost.
Confused.
Terrified.
I'd gone to the old Moretti estate because Robert had told me never to go there.
But someone had called me.
Someone using my mother's voice.
I had gone.
And there he'd been.
Victor Hayes.
Daniel's father.
The most powerful man in the city.
The man who had supposedly hated my family.
The man who had attended my wedding.
The man who had held Lily after she was born.
The man everyone trusted.
Except Robert.
I looked at Luka.
"Victor."
His expression changed.
"You remember him?"
"I think so."
"Tell me."
"I went to his house."
"When?"
"Before my wedding."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"What happened?"
I pressed my fingers against my temple.
"He said he knew my father."
"What else?"
"He said Robert had lied to me."
"Did he touch you?"
I froze.
"I..."
The memory came back.
A room.
A glass of wine.
A silver watch.
Victor standing behind me.
His hand on my shoulder.
Then—
nothing.
I opened my eyes.
"Something happened."
Luka's face hardened.
"What?"
"I don't remember."
Eva stepped closer.
"Look at me."
I did.
"You were probably drugged."
"Why?"
"Because that's how they controlled the subjects."
"But Victor isn't M-17."
"Maybe he isn't."
I looked at her.
"Then why was he there?"
Nobody answered.
Luka searched the archive database.
His fingers moved rapidly.
Then he stopped.
"I found him."
"What?"
"Victor Hayes."
He turned the screen.
There were classified records.
VICTOR HAYES
M-17 INVESTOR
LEVEL: OMEGA
My stomach dropped.
"He funded it."
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Twenty-four years."
I stared.
"And Daniel?"
"His son."
"So Daniel knew?"
"We don't know."
"But his father did."
"Yes."
I looked down at Lily.
"Then why did Daniel marry me?"
Luka didn't answer.
Eva did.
"Maybe he wasn't marrying you."
I looked at her.
"Then what?"
"Your daughter."
A chill ran through me.
"You're saying Daniel married me to get Lily?"
"Maybe."
"No."
I remembered Daniel at the hospital.
His cold expression.
His mistress.
The way he'd walked away.
The words:
Call me when you can think clearly.
I had thought he simply didn't love me anymore.
But maybe he had never loved me at all.
Maybe I had only been useful.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
A message.
From Daniel.
We need to talk.
I stared at it.
Then another message.
I know who Lily's father is.
My blood froze.
I typed:
Who?
The reply came instantly.
Victor.
I looked at Luka.
He was already reading the message over my shoulder.
Another message arrived.
And you need to know something else.
Then:
He isn't Lily's only father.
I stopped breathing.
Luka took the phone.
"Don't answer."
I pulled it back.
"Why?"
"Because Daniel is trying to control the conversation."
"Then I'll control it."
I typed:
Tell me everything.
Daniel replied.
Meet me alone.
I almost laughed.
"Of course."
Luka shook his head.
"No."
"I need answers."
"He wants you isolated."
"Then I'll bring you."
Daniel sent another message.
If Luka comes, I'll tell Marcus where your daughter is.
I froze.
Luka read it.
His jaw tightened.
"He knows."
"What?"
"He knows I'm here."
"How?"
"He has someone watching us."
The lights flickered.
Then the archive alarm began screaming.
Eva ran toward the security panel.
"Someone's breached the building."
Luka immediately moved toward me.
"Stay behind me."
I held Lily.
"Who?"
He looked at the monitor.
Three vehicles were entering the underground parking garage.
No license plates.
Black SUVs.
"Marcus."
My heart pounded.
"How did he find us?"
Luka looked at the phone.
"Daniel."
I stared.
"My husband betrayed us."
"Ex-husband."
"Not legally."
Luka looked at me.
"Not for long."
The first explosion shook the building.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Lily started crying.
I held her against my chest.
"Shh."
Luka drew his weapon.
"There's a service tunnel."
"Where?"
"Behind the archive wall."
Eva opened a hidden panel.
"Go."
We ran.
The tunnel was narrow.
Dark.
Cold.
Luka went first.
Eva behind him.
I followed with Lily.
Maria came last.
Gunshots echoed behind us.
"They're inside," Eva whispered.
Luka looked back.
"Keep moving."
We reached a steel door.
Luka entered a code.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
"What's wrong?"
"The system has been changed."
"By whom?"
"Daniel."
My heart dropped.
"He locked us in."
A voice came through the tunnel speakers.
Daniel.
"Elena."
I froze.
"Daniel?"
His voice sounded calm.
Almost gentle.
"I'm sorry."
I laughed bitterly.
"Sorry?"
"I never wanted it to happen this way."
"What did you want?"
"I wanted my daughter."
I held Lily tighter.
"She's not yours."
"I know."
The words shocked me.
Daniel continued.
"That's the problem."
I stared at the speaker.
"Who is her father?"
"Victor."
"You're lying."
"No."
"Then why did you marry me?"
"Because Victor needed access to your DNA."
My stomach turned.
"You used me."
"Yes."
"Did you know I was pregnant?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Before you did."
I felt sick.
"How?"
"Dr. Harris told us."
Luka looked at me.
"Us?"
"Victor. Marcus. Robert."
I froze.
"Robert knew?"
"Robert knew everything."
"Then why did he let me marry you?"
Daniel laughed softly.
"Because he wanted Lily born outside the M-17 facility."
I shook my head.
"Why?"
"Because natural conception was the only way to complete the sequence."
I looked at Lily.
"What sequence?"
Daniel didn't answer.
Then another voice came through.
Victor.
"Elena."
I froze.
His voice was unmistakable.
"You've been lied to by everyone."
I stepped toward the speaker.
"You used me."
"I protected you."
"You drugged me."
Silence.
"Did you?"
Another pause.
"Yes."
My blood ran cold.
"Why?"
"Because you were remembering."
"Remembering what?"
"Us."
I closed my eyes.
The missing night.
The room.
The silver watch.
His hand.
I opened my eyes.
"Did you sleep with me?"
Silence.
Then:
"Yes."
My entire body went numb.
Luka looked at me.
Maria covered her mouth.
Eva closed her eyes.
Victor continued.
"That night, you were not yourself."
"You drugged me."
"Yes."
"You raped me."
The word echoed through the tunnel.
Victor didn't deny it.
I felt something inside me break.
"Is Lily his?"
Daniel's voice answered.
"Yes."
I looked down at my daughter.
My beautiful baby.
The innocent child born from a night I couldn't remember.
I began crying.
Luka stepped closer.
"I'll kill him."
I grabbed his arm.
"No."
"Elena—"
"No."
I looked toward the speaker.
"But you said Victor wasn't the only father."
Silence.
I remembered Daniel's message.
He isn't Lily's only father.
"What did you mean?"
Daniel answered.
"Because Lily has two paternal genetic signatures."
Luka went still.
"That's impossible."
"Not with M-17."
Eva whispered:
"Chimerism."
I looked at her.
"What?"
"Two embryos."
My heart stopped.
"Twins?"
"Not exactly."
Eva looked at Lily.
"One embryo can absorb another."
I stared.
"So Lily has two genetic fathers?"
"Possibly."
"Who?"
Daniel laughed.
"That's the question."
The steel door suddenly unlocked.
Luka pushed it open.
On the other side stood Victor.
Two armed men beside him.
And behind them—
Daniel.
My ex-husband.
His face was pale.
His eyes went directly to Lily.
Then he looked at me.
"I told you I'd explain."
I stepped forward.
"You knew."
"Yes."
"You knew about Victor."
"Yes."
"You knew Lily wasn't mine."
Daniel swallowed.
"Yes."
"And you still married me."
"I had no choice."
"You always have a choice."
He looked at Lily.
"No."
His voice cracked.
"I didn't."
Victor stepped forward.
"Daniel."
Daniel flinched.
I noticed.
Then I understood.
Daniel wasn't standing beside Victor willingly.
He was afraid of him.
"What did Victor threaten you with?"
Daniel looked at me.
"I tried to stop them."
"When?"
"After I found out what they planned to do with Lily."
"What?"
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
"I wanted to take her and disappear."
Victor's expression hardened.
"Enough."
Daniel ignored him.
"I couldn't."
"Why?"
"They had my mother."
I stared.
"Your mother?"
"Yes."
Victor raised his weapon.
Daniel stepped in front of me.
"Don't."
Victor aimed at him.
"Move."
"No."
Daniel looked at me.
"I'm sorry."
The gun fired.
I screamed.
Daniel collapsed.
Luka fired back.
Chaos erupted.
Victor disappeared behind the guards.
Eva pulled me into the tunnel.
Maria grabbed Lily's blanket.
I dropped beside Daniel.
Blood spread across his shirt.
"Daniel!"
He looked at me.
His breathing was shallow.
"Listen."
I pressed my hand against his wound.
"Don't die."
He laughed weakly.
"I never deserved you."
"Save your strength."
"Elena..."
"What?"
He reached into his jacket.
Pulled out a small envelope.
Blood stained the corner.
"Take this."
I grabbed it.
"What is it?"
"The real DNA result."
My heart stopped.
"From Lily?"
He nodded.
"Victor doesn't know."
I looked at the envelope.
"Who is her father?"
Daniel smiled sadly.
"That's why I came back."
"Tell me."
He coughed.
"The first result said Victor."
I stared.
"The second..."
He struggled to breathe.
"The second said..."
"What?"
He looked at Luka.
Then at me.
His eyes widened.
"The second father..."
He coughed again.
"...is Luka."
I froze.
Luka stepped forward.
"What?"
Daniel's eyes closed.
"Open the envelope."
Then he stopped breathing.
"Daniel!"
Nothing.
I looked at Luka.
He was staring at the envelope.
His face was pale.
"No."
I opened it.
Inside was one sheet.
Two names.
Two genetic matches.
The first:
VICTOR HAYES — 49.98%
The second:
LUKA MORETTI — 50.01%
I couldn't breathe.
Luka looked at the paper.
"No."
I stared at him.
"You're Lily's father."
He shook his head.
"That's impossible."
But the laboratory seal was real.
The signature was real.
The numbers were real.
And then I saw the date.
The DNA sample had been collected—
the night Lily was conceived.
I looked at Luka.
He looked at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Then Maria whispered:
"That's impossible."
Eva slowly shook her head.
"No."
She looked at Lily.
"Not impossible."
Her voice trembled.
"Terrifying."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
Eva pointed to the bottom of the report.
There was one final line.
I hadn't noticed it.
PATERNAL GENETIC CONTRIBUTION: TWO DISTINCT SOURCES.
Below it:
SOURCE A — VICTOR HAYES
SOURCE B — LUKA MORETTI
My heart stopped.
Luka stared at the report.
"I wasn't there."
I looked at him.
"What?"
"I wasn't with you that night."
I remembered.
The white room.
The silver watch.
Victor.
Then another memory appeared.
A man standing behind him.
Tattoos on his hands.
A scar on his neck.
Luka.
But younger.
Standing in the doorway.
Looking at me.
He whispered:
"I'm sorry."
I dropped the report.
The truth was worse than any lie.
Luka had been there.
Victor had been there.
And somehow—
both of their DNA was inside my daughter.
Before anyone could speak, my phone vibrated.
One final message.
From an unknown number.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LILY'S FATHER.
Then:
YOU HAVE FOUND HIM.
A second message appeared.
NOW FIND OUT WHICH MAN IS HER REAL FATHER.
Then a photograph arrived.
It showed Lily.
Sleeping in my arms.
Taken only minutes earlier.
From inside the tunnel.
On the back of the photograph were five words:
ONE OF THEM IS LYING.
I slowly looked at Luka.
Then toward the tunnel where Victor had disappeared.
And for the first time, I realized something terrifying.
Maybe the question had never been:
Who is Lily's father?
May you like
Maybe the real question was—
Which man had been pretending to be him?
