Chapter 3 - The Undeniable Truth
The next two hours were absolute torture.
I didn't move an inch from the velvet sofa, terrified that waking Leah would break the fragile spell.
Damian paced the length of the library like a caged predator, his injured hand casually wrapped in a handkerchief.
He was a man used to having absolute control over his empire, his enemies, and his life.
But right now, he was completely at the mercy of a small plastic machine humming in the hallway.
"If she is yours," Damian broke the silence, his voice rough. "It means my biological daughter died that night."
I looked up at him, seeing the raw, unfiltered agony hidden behind his dangerous mafia persona.
He had spent two years pouring his love into a child he believed was the last piece of his late wife.
"If that's true, I am so deeply sorry for your loss," I whispered sincerely.
He stopped pacing and stared at me, his dark eyes softening for just a fraction of a second.
"You have a kind heart," he noted, almost as if he wasn't used to seeing genuine kindness.
"But in my world, kindness is often a vulnerability that gets exploited."
Before I could respond, the heavy mahogany doors swung open.
Dr. Aris stepped into the room, holding a printed piece of paper that seemed heavier than a brick.
Damian crossed the room in three massive strides, snatching the paper from the doctor's trembling hands.
I held my breath, clutching Leah so tightly against my chest that my arms ached.
Damian read the results in silence.
His jaw tightened, a muscle feathering beneath his skin.
He slowly lowered the paper, turning to look directly into my eyes.
"99.9 percent probability," Damian stated, his voice completely devoid of any emotion.
"You are her biological mother."
A massive, overwhelming sob tore its way out of my throat, loud enough to stir Leah from her sleep.
I buried my face in her soft hair, weeping uncontrollably as the truth washed over me.
My baby was alive.
She had been living in this sprawling mansion, surrounded by wealth but lacking the mother who birthed her.
Leah opened her big, beautiful eyes, reaching up to wipe a tear from my cheek with her tiny thumb.
"Mama cry," she whispered, her voice like a delicate, miraculous melody.
Damian watched us, completely paralyzed by the profound, undeniable bond unfolding before him.
He had raised her, protected her, and loved her, but she had never spoken a word to him.
She had been waiting for the missing piece of her soul.
"I need a moment," Damian growled suddenly, turning his back on us and marching toward the door.
"Mr. Caruso, what are we going to do?" Dr. Aris asked nervously, stepping out of his way.
Damian paused in the doorway, his silhouette looking like a dark, vengeful god of war.
"We are going to pay a visit to St. Jude's Medical Center," Damian answered coldly.
"And Dr. Vance is going to pray for a death that I will refuse to give him."
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The library doors slammed shut, leaving me alone with the daughter I thought I had lost forever.
The nightmare was finally over, but the war for our justice had just begun.
