Part 4: The Price of Silence
Jonathan snatched the paper from the tablecloth, his eyes frantically reading the blood-type compatibility charts and DNA markers. His face drained of color so fast he looked like a ghost.
“This… this is fake,” Jonathan stammered, his hand shaking so hard he spilled his wine across the linen. “Dad! Tell her this is fake!”
Douglas couldn’t speak. He sat back down in his chair, staring at the center of the table as if the polished wood had suddenly collapsed into an abyss.
“It’s not fake, Jonathan,” Elizabeth said calmly. “Dad knew the entire time. That’s why he lavished both of you with trust funds, expensive cars, and Ivy League educations. He was terrified that if he ever crossed either of you, or if Richard Sterling came back, the truth would destroy his reputation in Westbrook. He paid for your affection because he was paying for his own secret.”
