Chapter 7: The Test That Changed Everything
For several seconds, I couldn’t speak.
Rachel’s words hung between us.
*The baby might actually be Julian’s.*
I looked at the man sitting across from me.
The man who had lied.
The man who had cheated.
The man who had broken my trust in ways I never thought possible.
And somehow, after everything, there was still another layer.
Another secret.
Another truth waiting to hurt me.
“Emma?””
Rachel’s voice pulled me back.
“I’m here.””
“Did you hear me?””
“Yes.””
My eyes never left Julian.
“Explain.””
Rachel took a shaky breath.
“I got a call from the clinic this morning.””
“What clinic?””
“The one where the paternity test was processed.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Why would they call you?””
“Because there was a problem with the paperwork.””
“What kind of problem?””
She hesitated.
“A request was made to access the results.””
“By who?””
“I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“I was told the person who requested it used authorization information connected to the case.””
I looked at Julian.
He looked confused.
Not guilty.
Confused.
“Rachel,” I said slowly, “who changed the results?””
“I don’t know.””
“Then why are you calling me?””
“Because I found something.””
My heart started beating faster.
“What?””
“There was a second copy.””
“A second copy of what?””
“The original report.””
The kitchen suddenly felt colder.
“What did it say?””
Silence.
Then Rachel whispered:
“It said the probability of paternity was 99.8%.””
I closed my eyes.
For a moment, I couldn’t feel anything.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Nothing.
Just emptiness.
Then I heard Julian’s voice.
“Emma?””
I looked at him.
He stood up.
“Who is that?””
I didn’t answer.
Rachel heard him.
“Is Julian there?””
“Yes.””
A pause.
“Good.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because he needs to hear this too.””
I put the phone on speaker.
Julian stepped closer.
“Rachel.””
His voice was cold.
“What are you doing?””
“What I should have done months ago.””
“What does that mean?””
“It means I’m telling the truth.””
Julian laughed bitterly.
“Now?””
“Yes.””
“You waited until now?””
The silence on the other end was heavy.
Then Rachel said:
“I was angry.””
I looked at Julian.
“At who?””
“At you.””
“Because I didn’t leave Emma?””
“Yes.””
Julian looked away.
“I told you I wasn’t leaving my family.””
“No.””
Rachel’s voice sharpened.
“You told me you weren’t sure.””
The words hit.
Julian didn’t deny them.
“I was confused.””
Rachel laughed sadly.
“That was your favorite word.””
I looked between them.
Two people who had destroyed my life were now arguing about who had been hurt more.
And somehow, I was the only person who had been innocent.
“Enough.””
Both of them went quiet.
I held the phone tighter.
“I don’t care who was hurt.””
My voice was steady.
“You both made choices.””
No one spoke.
“Rachel, you had an affair with my husband.””
“Yes.””
“Julian, you had an affair with her.””
“Yes.””
“You both lied.””
“Yes.””
“Now I need facts.””
I looked at Julian.
“Not excuses.””
Rachel answered quietly.
“The original test says the baby is his.””
Julian sat down.
His face had gone pale.
“How?””
Rachel replied:
“I don’t know.””
“Where is the original report?””
“I have it.””
Julian looked up.
“You have it?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I requested my medical records after I found out someone accessed them.””
“Someone accessed them?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Another pause.
“I think it was Claire.””
My heart stopped.
“No.””
Rachel’s voice softened.
“Emma.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“My sister wouldn’t do that.””
Neither of them spoke.
That silence was the answer.
I stepped away from the table.
“No.””
Julian stood.
“Emma.””
“No.””
I covered my mouth.
Because I didn’t want to believe it.
I could believe Julian was selfish.
I could believe he was weak.
I could believe he made terrible choices.
But Claire?
My sister?
The person who knew my entire life?
Why?
“Why would she do that?””
Rachel answered.
“I don’t know.””
“Then stop saying her name.””
“Emma—”
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“I need proof.””
Rachel became quiet.
“I have proof.””
My stomach dropped.
“What proof?””
“There’s security footage.””
“From where?””
“The clinic.””
The room went silent.
“When?””
“The day the test results were released.””
My hands began shaking.
“What does it show?””
Rachel hesitated.
Then:
“Your sister leaving the records office.””
I closed my eyes.
No.
Not Claire.
Not her.
I sat down because my legs suddenly felt weak.
Julian reached toward me.
I pulled away.
Not because I hated him.
Because I didn’t know who I could trust anymore.
“Send me everything.””
Rachel was quiet.
“Emma…”
“Send me everything.””
“Okay.””
“And Rachel?””
“Yes?””
“If this is another lie—”
“It’s not.””
I ended the call.
The kitchen was silent.
Julian looked broken.
But I couldn’t comfort him.
Not now.
Not after everything.
“She changed the test.””
I whispered the words.
Julian sat across from me.
“I don’t understand why.””
“Neither do I.””
“Do you think she wanted us to stay together?””
I looked at him.
“No.””
“Then why?””
I didn’t answer.
Because the truth was, I was beginning to understand something.
Claire wasn’t protecting Julian.
Not exactly.
She wasn’t protecting Rachel either.
She was protecting a version of our family.
A version where nobody had to face the truth.
A version where everything could stay hidden.
My phone buzzed.
An email.
From Rachel.
My hands trembled as I opened it.
There were three attachments.
The original paternity report.
The altered report.
And a video file.
I opened the first document.
The result was clear.
99.8%.
Julian was the father.
I closed my eyes.
The second document showed the opposite.
0.0%.
Someone had changed it.
Then I opened the video.
The screen was dark at first.
Then a hallway appeared.
A woman walked into view.
I recognized her immediately.
Claire.
She was carrying a folder.
She looked nervous.
She looked around before entering the records office.
Then twenty minutes later, she walked out.
With the folder.
I watched it twice.
Then a third time.
Julian was standing behind me.
“Emma…”
I turned.
“What?””
His face was full of fear.
“What are we going to do?””
I looked at the video.
At my sister.
At the proof that she had crossed a line I never imagined.
“I don’t know.””
Then my phone rang.
This time, it wasn’t Rachel.
It wasn’t an unknown number.
It was Claire.
I stared at her name.
Julian looked at me.
“Are you going to answer?””
I pressed the button.
“Hello?””
There was silence.
Then my sister spoke.
“Emma.””
Her voice sounded broken.
“I know you saw the video.””
I said nothing.
“I can explain.””
I closed my eyes.
That sentence again.
Always the same.
Always after the damage was done.
“Why, Claire?””
She started crying.
“Because I thought I was saving you.””
“You changed a paternity test.””
“I know.””
“You lied to me.””
“I know.””
“You watched me struggle.””
“I know.””
“You watched me blame myself.””
A sob.
“I know.””
My voice became quiet.
“Why?””
The silence lasted so long I thought she had hung up.
Then she whispered:
“Because Julian wasn’t the only one who had a secret.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Emma…”
“What secret?””
Her breathing shook.
“I need you to come alone.””
“Why?””
“Because if Julian hears this, he’ll never forgive me.””
I looked at him.
My heart started racing.
“What did you do?””
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Claire whispered:
“I was the reason Julian and Rachel met.””
