Chapter 10 - The Secret DNA
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The following morning, Maria met me at Marcus's law office holding an old leather-bound medical file she had recovered from the Buckhead house during her employment.
"I found this in Cynthia's private nightstand six months ago," Maria said, setting the folder on the glass table. "I didn't understand what it meant at the time, but after I saw Cynthia leave Jeffrey yesterday, I knew you needed to see it."
Marcus opened the folder, scanning the medical documents inside. Suddenly, his eyebrows shot up in complete astonishment.
"What is it, Marcus?" I asked, leaning forward.
"This is a private DNA paternity test conducted at a clinic in Miami eighteen months ago," Marcus revealed, holding up a certified laboratory document. "The tested male was Jeffrey Carter. The subject was child Austin Vance."
"And?"
"Jeffrey is not the biological father of Cynthia's child," Marcus stated flatly. "The probability of paternity was zero percent."
A cold, breathless laugh escaped my lips. "Jeffrey destroyed his family, abused his son, and ruined his entire career for a mistress whose baby wasn't even his?"
"It gets worse," Maria added softly. "Cynthia was receiving monthly wire transfers from a wealthy real estate developer in Florida. She was using Jeffrey's corporate credit cards to fund her child's real father's business."
I looked at Marcus, the final piece of the puzzle locking into place. "Jeffrey doesn't know, does he?"
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"Not yet," Marcus smiled grimly. "Cynthia let him believe he was the father so he would pay her expenses and give her a luxury lifestyle."
"Save this document for the divorce hearing tomorrow," I said, standing up and smoothing my jacket. "I want to see Jeffrey's face when he realizes he traded his entire life for an absolute illusion."
