CHAPTER 3 — THE DNA TEST
CHAPTER 3 — THE DNA TEST
The laboratory report arrived at 6:17 in the morning.
Diego had been awake all night.
He sat alone in his office, staring at the sealed envelope on his desk.
For the first time in his life, he was afraid of a piece of paper.
Not because of what it might say.
Because of what it might change.
He already believed Valentina was his daughter.
He had known it from the moment he saw her.
The eyes.
The expression.
The way she tilted her head when she was curious.
But belief was not proof.
And Diego needed proof.
Not for the court.
Not for the family.
Not for the trust.
For himself.
He opened the envelope.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
Probability of paternity: 99.9999%.
Diego closed his eyes.
A tear escaped before he could stop it.
“She's mine.”
The words came out as a whisper.
His daughter.
No doubt.
No uncertainty.
No possibility that someone had deceived him.
Valentina was his.
But beneath the result was another page.
A supplementary genetic report.
Diego frowned.
Why had the laboratory included it?
He read the first line.
Then his face went completely still.
The laboratory had detected a second unusual genetic match.
Not between Diego and Valentina.
Between Valentina and another member of the Villaseñor family.
A person whose name should never have appeared in the report.
Sofía Villaseñor.
Diego stared at the name.
The photograph from the previous night suddenly returned to his mind.
The baby.
The golden bracelet.
His father's handwriting.
The first heir must remain hidden.
His hand tightened around the report.
“Who are you?”
Marisol woke to the sound of footsteps.
She immediately looked toward Valentina.
The little girl was still asleep.
For one brief moment, Marisol felt safe.
Then she remembered Elena's words.
Diego cannot know about Sofía.
Marisol got out of bed.
She found Elena in the kitchen.
The older woman was making coffee.
“You didn't sleep.”
“No.”
Elena turned.
“Neither did I.”
Marisol sat down.
“Who is Sofía?”
Elena didn't answer.
“Tell me.”
“I don't know everything.”
“Then tell me what you know.”
Elena placed the coffee cup down.
“Sofía was born fourteen years ago.”
Marisol swallowed.
“Who was her mother?”
Elena looked at her.
“Lucía.”
Marisol's heart stopped.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“And her father?”
Elena hesitated.
“You already know.”
Marisol shook her head.
“No.”
Elena whispered:
“Don Alejandro.”
Marisol stared.
“My mother had a child with Diego's father?”
“Yes.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“That can't be true.”
“I saw the records.”
“My mother never told me.”
“She was afraid.”
“Of what?”
Elena's voice dropped.
“Of the family.”
Marisol stood.
“Where is Sofía?”
“We don't know.”
“What do you mean?”
“She disappeared.”
“When?”
“Three months after she was born.”
Marisol's eyes filled with tears.
“My mother lost another child?”
Elena nodded.
“And then she died?”
“No.”
Marisol froze.
“What?”
Elena looked at her.
“Your mother didn't die.”
Silence.
Marisol's lips parted.
“You told me she died.”
“I told you what I was told.”
“Who told you?”
“Your father.”
“My father?”
Elena nodded.
“Your mother was alive when you were seventeen.”
Marisol's face went pale.
“What happened?”
“She disappeared.”
“And you never looked for her?”
“We did.”
“Who?”
“Your father's family.”
Marisol stared.
“You mean the Villaseñors.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Elena looked toward the window.
“Because Lucía knew something.”
“What?”
“The truth about Sofía.”
At the same time, Diego walked into the private pediatric wing of the Villaseñor medical center.
He had arranged everything himself.
No assistants.
No lawyers.
No family members.
Only a trusted doctor.
Dr. Mateo Salazar.
Mateo had known Diego since university.
He was one of the few people Diego still trusted.
“You're sure about this?” Mateo asked.
Diego nodded.
“Completely.”
“You understand the result can have consequences.”
“I know.”
Mateo glanced at the report.
“Then why are you doing another test?”
“Because the first test gave me an answer.”
“And?”
“It also gave me a question.”
Mateo frowned.
“What question?”
Diego placed the supplementary report on the desk.
Mateo read it.
His expression changed.
“Who is Sofía?”
“That's what I need to know.”
“You think she's related to Valentina?”
“I know she is.”
“According to this report?”
“Yes.”
Mateo looked at him.
“Then we have a problem.”
“Why?”
“Because Sofía's genetic profile isn't simply that of a distant relative.”
Diego's heart stopped.
“What are you saying?”
Mateo pointed at the report.
“She's closely related.”
“How closely?”
Mateo hesitated.
“Close enough that she could be Valentina's half-sibling.”
Diego stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if they share a parent.”
Diego looked at him.
“Valentina's mother is Marisol.”
“Yes.”
“Sofía's mother was Lucía.”
“Then they don't share a mother.”
Mateo slowly looked at Diego.
“Which means…”
Diego didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
His face went pale.
That afternoon, Diego drove to the safe house.
He didn't tell anyone.
Not security.
Not his lawyers.
Not Paulina.
He needed answers.
When Marisol opened the door, she immediately knew something was wrong.
“You came alone.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I need to ask you something.”
Her expression changed.
“What?”
“Do you know who Sofía is?”
Marisol froze.
Diego saw it.
That was enough.
“You do.”
She looked away.
“Where did you hear that name?”
“From my father's records.”
She remained silent.
“Marisol.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because knowing the truth could put Valentina in danger.”
Diego stepped inside.
“She's already in danger.”
Marisol looked at him.
“Not from you.”
“No.”
He took a breath.
“From my family.”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
Diego showed her the DNA report.
Marisol read it.
Her hands began trembling.
“Where did you get this?”
“I tested Valentina.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You didn't tell me.”
“I needed to know.”
“And?”
“She is mine.”
Marisol closed her eyes.
“I know.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she was mine.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my father wanted her hidden.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about Sofía.”
Marisol looked at him.
“Yes.”
Diego's voice dropped.
“Then tell me.”
Marisol began crying.
“Sofía was my sister.”
Diego stared.
“What?”
“She was born before me.”
“How old was your mother?”
“Seventeen.”
“And your father?”
“I don't know.”
“You just said Don Alejandro was the father.”
“I said that's what Elena told me.”
Diego's expression changed.
“You don't believe it?”
Marisol shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because my mother never met Don Alejandro before she started working for him.”
“Then how could he be Sofía's father?”
“I don't know.”
Diego looked at her.
“There's something you're not telling me.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Marisol whispered:
“My mother once told me that Sofía wasn't her biological child.”
Diego froze.
“What?”
“She said she was carrying someone else's baby.”
“Whose?”
“She never told me.”
“Why?”
“Because she said if I knew, they would kill me.”
Silence.
Diego stared at her.
“Then why did my father claim Sofía was his daughter?”
“I don't know.”
“Why was she named an heir?”
“I don't know.”
“Where is she?”
Marisol began shaking.
“I don't know.”
Diego crouched in front of her.
“Marisol.”
She looked at him.
“I need you to trust me.”
“I do.”
“Then tell me everything you remember.”
Marisol wiped her tears.
“When I was seventeen, my mother disappeared.”
Diego listened.
“She left me a box.”
“What was inside?”
“A photograph.”
“Of Sofía?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
“A bracelet.”
“The golden bracelet?”
Marisol nodded.
“The same bracelet from the photograph.”
“Where is it?”
“I lost it.”
“When?”
“The night my mother disappeared.”
Diego stared.
“Where did she go?”
“I don't know.”
“Who took her?”
“I don't know.”
“Then how do you know she didn't leave?”
Marisol looked at him.
“Because she left me a message.”
“What message?”
Marisol whispered:
Never trust the man who tells you Sofía is dead.
Diego felt a chill.
“My father.”
“Yes.”
That evening, Diego returned to the mansion.
Paulina was waiting.
She stood near the fireplace.
“You disappeared.”
“I had things to do.”
“With Marisol?”
“Yes.”
Paulina's eyes hardened.
“Did she tell you about Sofía?”
Diego stopped.
“How do you know that name?”
Paulina didn't answer.
“Paulina.”
“I found the photograph.”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“My father had the same photograph.”
Diego stared.
“Your father?”
Paulina nodded.
“He was your father's lawyer.”
The room went silent.
“What?”
“They worked together for years.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“You're always afraid after I discover something.”
She looked away.
“Diego…”
“Where is Sofía?”
“I don't know.”
“Who is her father?”
Paulina hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Not Alejandro.”
Diego stared.
“What?”
“He wasn't her father.”
“Then who was?”
Paulina looked directly at him.
“You.”
Diego stopped breathing.
“No.”
Paulina nodded.
“The DNA report confirms it.”
He shook his head.
“That's impossible.”
“Is it?”
“Sofía was born fourteen years ago.”
“Yes.”
“I was…”
“Twenty.”
Diego's mind raced.
He remembered being twenty.
He remembered one summer.
A young woman.
A secret relationship.
A child?
No.
He would remember.
Wouldn't he?
Paulina stepped closer.
“Your father took the baby.”
“Why?”
“Because Sofía was your first child.”
Diego backed away.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“My father lied.”
“Yes.”
“Marisol is my daughter.”
“Yes.”
“And Sofía…”
“Is your firstborn.”
Diego looked at her.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Two daughters.
Two mothers.
One hidden inheritance.
One dead father.
And fourteen years of lies.
Then Paulina said the sentence that destroyed the last piece of certainty he had.
“There is one more problem.”
“What?”
“Sofía isn't missing.”
Diego's eyes widened.
“Where is she?”
Paulina pulled out her phone.
She showed him a photograph.
A young woman.
Nineteen years old.
Dark hair.
Dark eyes.
A familiar expression.
Diego stared.
“That's her.”
Paulina nodded.
“She has been living in Mexico City for years.”
“Why didn't anyone tell me?”
“Because she doesn't know who you are.”
Diego looked at the photograph.
“What does she think?”
Paulina's voice became almost a whisper.
“She thinks her father abandoned her before she was born.”
Diego closed his eyes.
The weight of the truth crushed him.
Another daughter.
Another child he had never known.
Another life stolen from him.
But then he noticed something.
The photograph had been taken recently.
And someone had circled the young woman's face in red.
Underneath it was a handwritten note.
DO NOT LET DIEGO FIND HER.
He looked at Paulina.
“Who wrote this?”
“I don't know.”
Diego took the photograph.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A young woman's voice spoke.
“Is this Diego Villaseñor?”
His heart stopped.
“Yes.”
“My name is Sofía.”
He couldn't breathe.
“I think…”
Her voice trembled.
“I think you are my father.”
Diego closed his eyes.
For years, he had believed his greatest mistake was losing Marisol.
Then he discovered Valentina.
Now he had discovered Sofía.
And suddenly he understood something terrifying.
His father hadn't simply hidden one child.
He had hidden an entire generation.
But the darkest question remained.
If Sofía was really his daughter…
who was her mother?
Because according to the DNA report—
Sofía was genetically connected to Valentina in a way that should have been impossible.
And somewhere in the Villaseñor archives was a secret that could prove the two girls shared more than the same father.
May you like
A secret that could destroy everything Diego thought he knew about his family.
TO BE CONTINUED.
