Chapter 18 - The Absolute Truth
Daniel pulled the thick, crisp medical documents from the envelope. His eyes bypassed the complex scientific jargon, the genetic markers, and the probability algorithms. He scanned rapidly down to the bottom of the second page, searching for the final, conclusive summary paragraph.
His eyes locked onto the bold, black text.
Probability of Paternity: 99.99%. The tested male is confirmed to be the biological father of the tested female child.
Daniel dropped the paper onto his desk. He exhaled a breath he felt he had been holding for days. He leaned forward, burying his face in his hands, and for the first time since Isabella died, he allowed himself to truly, violently weep.
He cried tears of profound, overwhelming relief. He cried out of an agonizing, crushing guilt for ever allowing Rebeca’s venomous lie to plant a single seed of doubt in his mind. He cried for the perfect memory of his late wife, a woman who had loved him with absolute loyalty until her dying breath.
The ghost was finally, permanently dead. The lie was incinerated by the light of undeniable truth. Sofía was his blood, his daughter, his heart walking outside his body.
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He stood up, wiping the tears from his face, a massive, unburdened smile breaking across his features. He felt lighter, stronger, and more determined than ever before. He walked over to the fireplace in his study, struck a long wooden match, and set the DNA results on fire. He didn't need to keep the paper. He didn't need to file it away. The truth was now permanently etched into his soul.
He watched the paper curl and turn to ash, the flames reflecting in his eyes. The fortress of his family was completely secure. It was time to go find his children. It was time to finally heal.
