I was still confused—torn between staying behind or going. Because now, at this moment, I couldn't afford to leave Diane in that state. Just as panic began to rise in my chest, Darlington gently took my hand."I’ll stay with her," he said softly.That gave me a small wave of relief.But that wasn’t the only problem. Diane had become sad, her eyes clouding with tears the moment she saw me preparing to leave. My heart broke all over again.So I waited.I waited beside her bed, brushing her hair, holding her hand until her eyelids fluttered shut and sleep finally claimed her. Only then, with a final look back, did I allow myself to step out. Darlington remained with her, a calm presence in the room.This wasn’t about Paige or Shawn anymore—this wasn’t about who Diane belonged to. It was about the truth.I was ushered outside to an assigned black car, already waiting. As I climbed in, the weight of it all pressed onto my shoulders.The hospital board had been notified of "severe conflict
The hospital board had been notified of "severe conflict of interest, suspected interference, and emotional instability surrounding Diane's case." That was the official statement. But everyone knew what it really meant: The court was stepping in.The news came early in the morning, just after I had finally dozed off beside Diane, her tiny fingers curled into mine. A gentle knock came at the door, and then the hospital administrator entered, accompanied by a solemn-looking nurse and two uniformed court officials.Darlington, Shawn, and I were in the room.Paige was not—not after what happened.The timing felt deliberate, as if they knew we were all present.The officials didn’t waste time. One stepped forward and handed me a document sealed with the court’s official documents.“Miss Rennie,” he said, “the court has issued a formal injunction regarding the custody and DNA results for the minor, Diane Wolfe. Effective immediately, starting from now, no individuals currently claiming
Shawn stood still, just a breath away from me, the air sharp and full between us. I hadn’t moved far since stepping outside from the ward. My fingers still tingled from when his hand had grazed mine."Rennie," he said, voice quiet and hoarse.I didn’t answer. Just looked at him. Waiting. Bracing myself.He reached slowly into his suits pocket.And pulled out a small velvet box.My chest tightened."What are you doing?" My voice came out sharper than I intended."What I should have done a long time ago," he replied. "Before I let everyone else tell me who I should be with. Before I let people twist my heart. Before I let anyone—Paige, my ego, the system—decide my next move."He opened the box.A ring. Simple. Elegant. Quietly glimmering.And then he looked at me with that wrecked look—the one that once meant something."Marry me, Rennie."The words didn’t just fall—they exploded like glass shattering in a silent room.I blinked.Then "WHAPPP" I slapped him.Hard.The sound cracked the
The corridor was ice.None of them moved.Not after the test result and Diane's consciousness.Not after that whisper from Shawn’s mouth:“Diane… isn’t Paige’s daughter.”Paige stood a few steps away, arms wrapped tight around herself, still shaking her head in denial.Then she spoke.“Shawn, baby please.Remember when we were at Lakeview delivery hospital.You were there. You saw me give birth. We took a picture near the shore—”“Shut up!”Shawn’s voice cracked like lightning.His face—red with fury.“You lied to me! You stole her from who knows who! You made me believe—that proves why you were so hesitant in getting the test done”“I didn’t—I wasn't hesi....”“Shut UP!”And just like that he stood up,eyes burning with rage and infinite fury.Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed Paige's arm and shoved her hard.She drastically stumbled and crashed to the floor, elbow hitting the wall, purse flying from her hand, and jewelleries clinking on the ceramic floor.Gasps rang down the hal
The silence in the room was so thick, it could cut through bone. Shawn’s hands trembled slightly as he collected the results and read it out loud, lips moving, eyes darting over the lines. Then… he stopped. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Diane… isn’t Paige’s daughter.” Time froze. The weight of that sentence pressed down on the room like a collapsing ceiling. Paige staggered back as if someone had punched her in the chest. “No. That’s not—” She grabbed the paper out of his hand again, this time glancing through it with shaking fingers and sweaty palms. For a moment, it felt as though she could blink the truth away. “This is a mistake. This can’t be right! I—I gave birth to her! Shawn… love, you were there when I gave birth to her!” The truth wasn't in the pregnancy scan, instead the truth was in plain ink. My ears rang. The floor tilted. “She’s mine? Wait I have a daughter” I asked, not meaning to speak, but the words came anyway. The nurse stepped back in quietl
The test lab felt more like a kiddies ward than a diagnostics center, all thanks to Paige's constant whining.“The needles are too sharp and pointy,” she complained.“What if the test kits are contaminated, look at the way they are sealed?”“I don’t trust these nurses—you know what, let's go to my personal hospital, it's more certified and sterile.”Every sentence was another brick in the wall of my doubt. Because if you truly carried a child in your womb… if you really birthed her, would you really be this terrified of a simple DNA test?Shawn wasn’t silent about it either.“Paige, cut the antics,” he snapped, voice echoing through the sterile room. “Or should I call the court now and explain why you're avoiding a DNA test?”Her eyes shot bullets, but it didn’t stop him.“Look and glare all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that this isn’t a movie or a skit. It’s a crime scene—and you’re the lead suspect, so drop the entire act.”His words tightened the air like a noose, whi