THE $150 MILLION DIVORCE: THE BILLIONAIRE WHO ABANDONED HIS TWINS

I spent the next forty-eight hours investigating my own birth.

Rebecca provided the original medical records.

My mother had been admitted to a private clinic several months before I was born. The records showed that she had received a blood transfusion following a serious accident.

At the time, blood typing and medical records were far less comprehensive than modern DNA testing.

But the file contained something else.

A letter from Dr. Collins.

It stated that my mother had privately asked him to conduct a paternity investigation.

The results had been inconclusive.

My mother had suspected that Vincent wasn't my biological father.

And she had never told me.

I requested a confidential DNA test using a sample from Vincent's old medical records.

The results arrived on Friday morning.

Vincent Moretti was not my biological father.

I read the report twice.

Then I called Rebecca.

"Who was?"

She hesitated.

"My father never discovered the man's identity. But he believed the answer was connected to your mother's charitable foundation."

I thought about the photographs.

The baby.

The mysterious second heir.

The trust.

"Do you have anything else?"

Rebecca removed a small photograph from her case.

It showed my mother standing beside a man outside a hospital.

He was tall, with dark hair and a familiar expression.

I recognized him immediately.

Daniel Hayes.

No.

That was impossible.

Daniel was too young.

I turned the photograph over.

The date was written on the back.

Twenty-eight years earlier.

The man wasn't Daniel.

He was Daniel's father.

Thomas Hayes.

I stared at the photograph.

"Who was he?"

Rebecca answered carefully.

"My father believed Thomas Hayes was your biological father."

My heart began pounding.

"Is Thomas alive?"

She shook her head.

"He died twelve years ago."

I looked at the photograph again.

Thomas Hayes had the same dark eyes as Daniel.

And, disturbingly, the same eyes as Oliver.

I called Michael.

"Find out everything about Thomas Hayes."

"Sir, we already have some information. He was a cardiologist at St. Catherine's Hospital."

"Did he know my mother?"

"Yes. They worked together on a medical charity project."

I leaned back.

"Was he married?"

"Yes. He had a son."

"Daniel."

"Correct."

I closed my eyes.

The implications were enormous.

If Thomas Hayes was my biological father, then Daniel and I might have been half brothers.

Which meant his relationship with Claire could become complicated in ways neither of us had anticipated.

But there was no proof yet.

And I refused to let speculation become another weapon in my father's hands.

I called Claire.

She answered while working at the flower shop.

"Alexander?"

"I need to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Did you know my mother was close to Thomas Hayes?"

Claire went silent.

Then she asked, "Why?"

"Because I found a photograph of them together."

"Where?"

"In an old medical file."

She exhaled.

"Your mother knew Daniel's father very well. Thomas helped her establish one of the children's programs at St. Catherine's."

"Did she ever tell you anything about their relationship?"

"She said he was the kindest man she had ever known."

I swallowed.

"Did she say anything else?"

"She once told me that she had made a promise to him. She never explained what it was."

I looked at the photograph.

"Claire, I think Thomas may have been my biological father."

The silence was immediate.

Then she whispered, "Oh, Alexander."

"You knew?"

"No. But I wondered."

"Why?"

She paused.

"Because your mother once told me that she hoped you'd grow up to be a better man than the one who raised you."

I couldn't speak.

Before I could respond, I heard a crash in the background.

"What was that?"

Claire's voice changed.

"Someone's at the door."

I stood.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

Then I heard a man's voice.

"Mrs. Hayes. We need to talk."

Claire gasped.

I recognized the voice.

Vincent.

"Claire, get away from the door!"

The call disconnected.

I grabbed my keys.

"Michael, call the police. Now."

I drove toward the flower shop.

My father was already there when I arrived.

His black sedan was parked outside.

Two men stood near the entrance.

I got out and ran.

"Get away from her!"

Vincent turned.

He looked almost amused.

"Alexander. I was wondering when you'd arrive."

I stepped between him and the shop.

"Leave."

He smiled.

"You still don't understand what's happening."

"I understand perfectly."

"No. You think you've discovered some grand conspiracy. But you know nothing about the people who built your life."

"You threatened Claire."

"I protected the family."

"You threatened my children."

"They are Morettis."

"They are human beings!"

My father stared at me.

For the first time, I saw something unfamiliar in his eyes.

Fear.

Not fear of me physically.

Fear that I had finally stopped obeying him.

He leaned closer.

"Do you really think Claire will let you raise those children after what you've done?"

"No."

His smile widened.

"Then you and I have something in common."

I stepped forward.

"The difference is that I know I have to earn their trust."

He shook his head.

"You're weak."

"Maybe."

I looked through the shop window.

Claire stood inside with the twins.

Daniel was beside her.

They were frightened.

But they were together.

And I finally understood something.

My father had spent his entire life believing that family was something you owned.

I had spent years believing the same thing.

Now I knew better.

I reached into my pocket and removed the legal documents.

"The children's trust is protected. The authorities have copies of everything. The recordings, the financial transfers, the threats. You can't touch them."

Vincent's face changed.

"You wouldn't destroy the Moretti empire."

I stared at him.

"I would burn every building I own before I let you use my children again."

Sirens sounded in the distance.

My father looked toward the street.

Then he smiled.

"You think arresting me will end this?"

I said nothing.

He stepped closer and whispered:

"Ask your mother why she never told you what happened to your real father."

Then the police arrived.

Vincent was taken into custody.

Sophia was arrested two days later after investigators recovered evidence that she had helped conceal financial transfers and participated in the threats against Claire.

But my father had left one final surprise.

During the investigation, the police discovered a safe deposit box registered under my mother's name.

Inside was a letter.

It was addressed to Daniel Hayes.

And the first line read:

If you are reading this, then Alexander has finally discovered who his father really was.

I stared at the document.

Daniel had been standing beside me when the lawyer delivered it.

His face had gone completely pale.

"Alexander," he whispered.

I turned toward him.

"What?"