I Married My Ex's Billionaire Father
Chapter 239: Lyse Is Your Daughter

Chapter 239: Lyse Is Your Daughter

The opulent hotel suite, usually a haven of luxury and tranquility, became a battleground of frustration and fear. Brooke, her face flushed with anger, paced back and forth, her voice echoing through the room like she had been doing since they returned from the meeting with the Welhavens. Lottie, her expression tight with worry, sat on the edge of the plush sofa, her mind racing.

"Who does she think she is?" Brooke screamed, her voice laced with fury. "Demanding a DNA test? Like I am some kind of... impostor!"

She stopped pacing, her eyes flashing with rage. "And she is not even the true heir!" she spat. "She is just a stepdaughter! Sam Welhaven wasn’t even her real father!"

She turned to Lottie, her voice laced with desperation. "How are we going to get out of this, Lottie?" she demanded. "We can’t do a DNA test! You know they will find out the truth!"

Lottie remained silent, her gaze fixed on the intricate pattern of the Persian rug beneath her feet. Her mind was a whirlwind of panicked thoughts, a desperate search for a solution. She knew that a DNA test would expose their carefully constructed lie, would shatter their dreams of wealth and power.

"Lottie!" Brooke screamed, her voice rising in pitch. "Answer me! What are we going to do?"

Lottie’s patience snapped. She turned to Brooke, her eyes flashing with anger. "Shut up!" she hissed, her voice sharp and venomous. "I am trying to think!"

Brooke’s eyes widened, her anger momentarily replaced by a look of stunned surprise. She had never seen Lottie so angry, so openly hostile to her.

A tense silence descended upon the room, the only sound the soft hum of the air conditioning. Lottie remained motionless, her gaze fixed on the rug, her mind racing. She knew she had to find a way out of this, a way to protect Brooke, to protect their future.

The silence stretched, the tension building with each passing second. Brooke, her anger simmering beneath the surface, watched Lottie, her breath held captive in her chest.

Suddenly, Lottie’s head snapped up, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of cunning and triumph. "I have an idea," she said, her voice laced with a hint of mischief.

Brooke’s eyes widened, her anger momentarily forgotten. "What is it?" she asked, her voice hushed with anticipation.

Lottie smiled, a slow, predatory smile that sent a shiver down Brooke’s spine. "We are not going to do a DNA test," she said, her voice low and conspiratorial. "We are going straight to the source."

Brooke’s eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked, her confusion evident. "What source are you talking about?"

"Ophelia thinks she holds all the power in her hands." Lottie said, rising out of her chair. "We just have to find a bigger bear who will back us up."

*

The sterile white envelope lay on the mahogany desk, an unassuming object holding the potential to rewrite Ken’s entire life. He stared at it, his heart pounding against his ribs, a mixture of anticipation and dread swirling within him. He had waited for this moment, had yearned for this confirmation, yet now that it was here, he felt a paralyzing fear.

"I... I can’t," he stammered, his voice barely audible. He looked at Bella, his eyes pleading. "Could you... could you open it?"

Bella, her expression a mixture of understanding and encouragement, nodded. "Of course, Ken," she said, her voice soft. "I will do it."

She reached for the envelope, her fingers trembling slightly. She tore open the seal, the crisp paper crinkling in the quiet suite. Ken watched her, his breath held captive in his chest, his mind racing with possibilities.

What if the test was positive? What if Lyse was his daughter? How would he feel? Relief? Joy? A sense of long-lost connection finally restored? Or would he feel a crushing weight of guilt, a deep-seated regret for the years he had lost?

He thought of Lyse, her strength, her resilience, her undeniable talent. He thought of the uncanny resemblance, the moments of connection that had felt so familiar, so right. He thought of Maeve, her memory a constant presence in his life, a reminder of what could have been.

Bella pulled out the folded paper, her eyes scanning the results. Ken watched her, his gaze unwavering, his heart pounding in his ears. He saw her expression shift, a slow, radiant smile spreading across her face.

"Ken," she said, her voice filled with warmth, "i is positive. Lyse is your daughter."

A wave of emotion washed over Ken, a mixture of relief, joy, and disbelief. He felt a surge of energy, a sense of purpose he hadn’t felt in years. He was a father. He had a daughter.

"Oh my God," he breathed, his voice thick with emotion. "I... I can’t believe it, it’s really true."

He reached for the paper, his hands trembling as he unfolded it. He scanned the results, the scientific jargon a blur, but the word "positive" stood out, clear and undeniable.

He looked at Bella, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you," he said, his voice barely audible. "Thank you for being here."

Bella smiled, her eyes glistening with tears. "I am so happy for you, Ken," she said. "This is... this is wonderful."

He stared at the paper in his hand, a sense of wonder washing over him. He had a daughter. A beautiful, talented daughter.

Suddenly, Bella’s phone buzzed, a sharp, intrusive sound that broke the spell. She glanced at the screen, her smile faltering slightly. She opened the text message, her eyes scanning the words.

Ken watched her, his joy momentarily tempered by a flicker of unease. He saw her expression shift, the warmth draining from her face, replaced by a look of shock and disbelief.

Bella’s fingers flew over her phone as she typed out something.

"I don’t believe this," she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Ken’s heart pounded in his chest. At the ominous words.