Chapter 4 - The DNA Disaster
While Julian was being escorted out of his own building by corporate security, the Charleston estate was descending into its own circle of hell.
The results of the expedited DNA test had arrived.
Beatrice sat at the antique dining table, her hands trembling as she tore open the sealed envelope. Chloe stood across the room, chewing her perfectly manicured fingernails to the quick.
Beatrice read the document. Once. Twice. The color drained completely from her face.
She looked up at Chloe.
"Zero percent probability," Beatrice whispered. Then, her voice rose to a terrifying, aristocratic shriek. "Zero percent!"
Chloe burst into tears. "I can explain! Julian was always working, and I was so lonely—"
"Who is the father?!" Beatrice demanded, throwing the crystal vase from the center of the table. It shattered against the wall, inches from Chloe's head.
"It was Marcus! The pool boy!" Chloe sobbed hysterically. "Julian just wanted a perfect family so badly, I thought he wouldn't care!"
Beatrice collapsed into her chair, clutching her chest. She had paraded this child around the country club. She had disowned her actual, biological grandson—allowed him to be chained to a doghouse—for a pool boy's child. The sheer, humiliating scandal of it was enough to destroy her social standing forever.
The front doors burst open. Julian stormed in, looking deranged. His tie was undone, his eyes bloodshot.
"Mother! We need to pack! Elena froze the accounts, she has the FBI looking into the firm!"
Beatrice slowly stood up. She walked over to her son, raised her hand, and slapped him across the face with everything she had. The crack echoed through the foyer.
"You sterile, incompetent fool," Beatrice hissed. "Your mistress slept with the help. We are the laughingstock of Charleston."
Before Julian could even process the blow, the wail of police sirens pierced the air outside. Red and blue lights flashed through the stained-glass windows of the front door.
"They're here for the embezzlement," Julian panicked, backing away.
May you like
But as the police officers kicked the front door open, their guns drawn, it wasn't white-collar crimes they were announcing.
"Julian Vance and Beatrice Vance!" the lead detective barked. "You are under arrest for felony child endangerment, severe physical abuse, and unlawful imprisonment."
