Chapter 1 - THE SAMPLE
The courier had been at the front gate for less than two minutes.
That was how long Danielle Carter was away from her daughter.
Two minutes.
Maybe less.
She had left fifteen-month-old Nora in the upstairs family sitting room of Martin Carter’s mansion, surrounded by toys, while Martin stood in the hall pretending he wanted nothing to do with either of them.
Danielle had come for one reason.
A family-estate meeting.
She had not planned to stay for dinner.
She definitely had not planned to show Martin the folded report now tucked inside the pocket of her dark trousers unless his lawyers forced the issue again.
She signed for the courier envelope outside.
Then heard Nora scream.
Danielle ran through the front door.
“NORA!”
Her daughter lay at the bottom of the grand carpeted staircase.
Light-blue outfit twisted.
Crying.
Martin stood at the top.
Sixty-three.
Burgundy dress shirt.
One hand resting against the rail.
No panic.
No movement toward the child.
Danielle dropped the envelope.
Ran.
She fell to her knees beside Nora and gathered her carefully into her arms.
“Nora. Baby. Look at Mommy.”
Nora cried against Danielle’s chest.
Her small body shook.
Danielle looked up.
Martin had begun descending the staircase.
Slowly.
As if what had just happened had inconvenienced him.
“What happened?”
Martin’s expression did not change.
“That bastard deserved it.”
Danielle stopped breathing.
“What did you say?”
Martin came down another step.
“She doesn’t belong here.”
Nora cried harder.
Danielle held her closer.
Martin continued descending.
“Do you understand what you’ve done to this family? You drag that child into Nathan’s estate, demand his shares, demand his house—”
“She is Nathan’s daughter.”
“No.”
“She is.”
“My son was separated from you when you got pregnant.”
“We reconciled.”
“For three weeks.”
“He knew about her.”
“He believed what you told him.”
Danielle stared at him.
Something in his face answered the question before she asked.
“You did this.”
Martin’s eyes narrowed.
Danielle looked toward the top of the staircase.
Then Nora.
Then Martin.
“You kicked her.”
His silence lasted one second too long.
Danielle rose as far as she could while keeping Nora tight against her chest.
Martin reached the bottom.
His expression remained cold.
“That bastard deserved it.”
Danielle moved.
One hard slap.
Her palm struck Martin across the face.
His head snapped sideways.
He lost his footing and went down hard onto the polished foyer floor.
Danielle did not follow him.
Did not hit him again.
She backed away with Nora in her arms.
Martin stared up at her in disbelief.
“You—”
“Stay down.”
Danielle’s hand shook.
She reached into her pocket.
Pulled out the folded document.
Martin saw the laboratory logo.
His anger changed.
Not disappeared.
Changed.
Danielle unfolded just enough for him to see the first page.
“Then tell me why YOUR name is on her paternity report.”
Martin stared.
Every bit of color left his face.
Danielle threw the document down beside him.
The pages opened across the floor.
Martin’s eyes moved over the first lines.
Then a second section.
Then one name.
His own.
He slowly looked up at Nora.
For the first time since Danielle entered the house—
Martin looked terrified.
His voice dropped almost to nothing.
“That sample wasn’t supposed to exist.”
Danielle froze.
May you like
Martin realized what he had said.
Too late.
