Chapter 6 - The Bloodline
Waiting for the DNA results was the longest day of my life. I spent the hours sitting on the floor with the twins, teaching them how to build block towers, watching how their minds worked. Mila was quiet, calculating, and observant—just like me. Maya was fierce, protective, and radiant—exactly like Elena.
When the doctor returned the next evening, he handed me a sealed manila envelope. My hands shook as I broke the seal.
I pulled out the official lab report. I didn't need to read the medical jargon; I just looked at the final line.
Probability of Paternity: 99.999%
I dropped the paper, burying my face in my hands. A sob tore through my chest, ragged and loud. I hadn't cried when Elena died. I had shut down, turning into a ruthless corporate machine. But now, the dam broke. I wept for the wife who had been murdered, and I wept in gratitude for the two beautiful miracles sitting on the rug in front of me.
Little arms wrapped around my neck. Mila and Maya pressed against me, their small hands patting my back.
“Don't cry, Daddy,” Maya whispered.
Daddy.
The word hit me like a physical blow. It was the first time they had used it. Rosa must have told them who I was, but hearing it out loud changed the chemical makeup of my blood. I was no longer just Sebastian Cross, the billionaire. I was a father. And a father protects his own.
I stood up, wiping my face, my eyes burning with a dark, terrifying resolve.
“Marcus,” I called out.
May you like
Marcus stepped into the room.
“Call the federal prosecutor. Tell them we have the witness and the DNA,” I said coldly. “Then, call my private pilots. I want the helicopter prepped. My family thinks I’m a madman hiding in the shadows. It’s time I walked right into their light.”
