A SHOCKING DISCOVERY

Aria’s POV

In the lab, I sat on a chair facing the computer screen after collecting frozen blood samples. I ran a test and waited for the screen to finish loading.

Within seconds, something popped up that caused my mouth to drop open. The result of the DNA test I just carried out matched mine. “What!” My eyes narrowed as I leaned forward to look again.

I had been asked to create a genetic profile for a random child whom I hadn’t seen or whom I didn’t know. I took instructions from Dr. Helena, an old hand in the game and the senior scientist in Westwood Biotech.

But something must be wrong somewhere. I clicked on another file, it opened and I read, “child 47 blood sample matches unknown.”

Unknown?

I stood up and stepped back, eyes narrowing at the screen.

I walked towards a small shelf by the corner of the lab, and searched through the files when my hand touched a file and I read the tag in a rush: “Child 47– Ethan Westwood. Survival of a deadly experiment.”

I was about to read that again when the door creaked open and the book fell from my hands. “Aria,” Dr. Helena called. “What are you doing there?” She asked, her voice was cold and sounded like Liam’s.

I stammered before answering. “Nothing… just trying to check some stuff, and…,” I trailed off, returning the file to the shelf and heading back to my desk.

I was surprised that she acted like nothing happened. “If you’re facing any challenges with your job, you can let me know. I’ll inform Mr. Westwood about it,” she suggested with a tinge of innocence in her voice.

I looked at her briefly, nodded, and looked away, trying to avoid eye contact with her.

“I understand,” I said with a wild grin plastered on my face. She returned a knowing smile as she reached for the door. I peeked around the lab room to see if there were any cameras but I didn’t see any. That meant no one was watching me, I thought.

I took the test again and the result was the same. The child’s DNA matched mine over 95%. I dropped my head on the desk. “I don’t get it, but I never had a child. Or did I?” I whispered to myself.

I searched through every corner in the system but I couldn’t access some files. They were locked. I pulled my brows together as my eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering in them like embers.

My curiosity wouldn't let this slide, so I clicked the engine search and typed. “Memory triggers.” A long written note appeared line by line on the screen of my computer. I took my time to read through important points while I peeked at the door now and then.

I jolted to my feet, packed my bag, and reached for the door.

That evening, I rode back home thinking, my head was spinning, my mind restless. Has anything ever happened before? I tapped the taxi driver to have him stop in front of the new apartment I had just rented. I decided to take a taxi to work that day because I didn't feel like riding in my car.

I stared at my ceiling, questioning my sanity when a friendly breeze blew through my window, easing the heat in me.

In the hospital, I lay flat on the bed, facing the ceiling, nurses were walking up and down, one of them was carrying a newborn baby. She brought the baby to me, “here,” she said. “He’s a boy,” I held out my hands to receive the baby with a friendly smile.

Suddenly my vision began to blur, I saw a figure approaching with a syringe in her hands, she was wearing a white lab coat, like a doctor or something. Before I knew what was happening, two hefty men pinned me down. I struggled to pull free but they were too strong for me. I was gradually blacking out and in my barely conscious state, I heard the baby cry profusely.

Sweat streamed down my body as I jumped up from the bed. I looked around, it was 5:00 am. My heart raced. I sat back on my bed, thinking about the dream and trying to steady my breath. This was the second time I was having this nightmare.

I got to Westwood Biotech just in time, went straight to the large lab room where I ran all the tests. Dr. Helena wasn’t in, so I picked up my phone and put a call through to an old friend of mine Chloe Banks, who had worked in Westwood Biotech before. She called a code for me that I typed into the computer and an old file opened.

I tried to check the date that the file was recorded but the access was denied. I carefully read through and wept. Mr. Westwood and I had come in contact before? How? Where? When? I had been hearing of Liam Westwood, owner and founder of Westwood Biotech but I have never once seen him let alone shake hands with him. How come this file read that, I had been involved with Mr. Westwood and his company before?

Then a message popped up on my phone. “I’ll pay you more, if you can work directly under me,” I read the message with knitted brows.

I shifted my gaze just above the text to see the sender’s name or number but it only read, ‘no caller ID.’

I paused for a second, thinking… “Is Mr. Westwood trying to drag me into his dirty deals or what?”

Should I confront him?… what if I lose my job?

That day I closed earlier than I should. I needed some time alone, some explanations. My head was just going to explode if I didn't get any clarification. Mr. Westwood had given me a ride too since the day I signed the document in his office.

I got into my car and steered onto the road and soon I arrived at Chloe’s house. It was a thirty-minute drive. Just when I was about to alight from the car, my eyes landed on a strange man, standing afar and staring at me without a blink, casting a piercing glance my way. My pulse pounded, sending a shiver through my bones. Just then, my phone buzzed again. “Stay right there, we’re coming for you!”

My heart raced, I slotted my car key into the ignition, and started the engine. I reversed chaotically and sped off when I noticed a black jeep racing behind me from my side mirror.

On the steering wheel, my hands shook, and I could barely concentrate again.

“Who is the dude?!” I yelled as I cornered sharply.

My eyes were shifting sharply between the road ahead of me and my side mirrors, watching the infiltrator.

My heart raced…