CHAPTER 7: The One Who Chooses to Stay

Daniel secretly had a second test done in an independent lab. He collected the samples himself, sealed them himself, and sent them out under his own lawyer's name. At the same time, Marcus investigated Grant Mercer, the Cross family's former legal advisor.

The pieces began to emerge: Emily's letters were withheld, calls were blocked, fake accounts received money in her name, hospital records were altered, the first DNA sample showed signs of being swapped. Each detail was small, but put together, they formed a door that had been locked for eight years.

Noah didn't know all of that. He only knew Daniel always came home before he went to sleep. One night, he asked, "If I weren't your son, would you hate me?"

"No."

"Then would you return me to the hospital?"

"No."
Two short answers left Noah silent for a long time, as if he had to learn to believe every word.

One afternoon, Daniel took Noah to school to pick up his notebooks. A parent recognized him from the rumors at the gala and made a sarcastic remark about children being taught to cling to the rich. Noah stood still, his face pale. Daniel didn't erupt in anger. He simply walked over and placed his hand on Noah's shoulder.

"This is Noah Carter," he said clearly. "And from today on, no one should speak to him as if he were a mistake."
At midnight, the second result arrived on Daniel's phone: a 99.9998% probability of paternity.
Daniel sat for a long time in the darkness outside Noah's room, not daring to breathe.