Chapter 7: Blood doesn't lie

The private laboratory was not affiliated with Moretti Holdings.

Not connected to the board.

Not controlled by Vittorio.

Lucian made sure of that.

He stood beside Elena in the sterile white room as the technician sealed the new DNA samples in tamper-proof containers.

This time, Lucian didn’t let the samples out of his sight.

He signed the authorization form himself.

He photographed the ID code.

He memorized it.

Paranoid?

Maybe.

But paranoia keeps empires alive.

Elena sat quietly during the process, hands resting over her stomach. She didn’t look at him while the samples were drawn.

She didn’t need to.

This wasn’t about proving loyalty.

It was about exposing manipulation.

When they stepped outside into the cool evening air, Lucian finally spoke.

“If the result is positive…”

She looked at him.

“It will be.”

He held her gaze for a long moment.

And for the first time since the divorce papers—

He reached for her hand.

Not possessively.

Not romantically.

Steadily.

Like someone choosing alignment.

She didn’t pull away.

Twelve hours later.

Lucian’s phone buzzed.

Encrypted email.

He opened it immediately.

His eyes scanned the report once.

Then again.

His jaw tightened—but not with doubt this time.

He turned the screen toward Elena.

Probability of Paternity: 99.98%.

Silence filled the room.

Elena exhaled slowly.

Not surprised.

Not triumphant.

Just steady.

Lucian stared at the screen longer than necessary.

Then he closed his eyes briefly.

That child was his.

There was no confusion now.

No room for doubt.

Which meant one thing.

Someone had deliberately tried to erase his bloodline.

His gaze darkened.

“He altered it,” Lucian said quietly.

“Yes.”

“And he thought I wouldn’t check.”

A slow, dangerous calm settled over him.

Elena watched it happen.

The shift from wounded husband…

To calculating heir.

Her phone vibrated suddenly.

Unknown number.

She frowned.

When she answered, there was only static at first.

Then—

A distorted voice.

“You should have taken the deal.”

Her blood ran cold.

“Who is this?”

“Some secrets aren’t worth protecting.”

The line went dead.

Lucian had already seen her expression change.

“What is it?”

She swallowed.

“Someone knows.”

His entire posture stiffened.

He took her phone and redialed the number.

Disconnected.

Burner line.

Professional.

Lucian moved immediately.

“Pack what you need.”

“What?”

“You’re not staying in your apartment tonight.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I know,” he said sharply. “That’s not the point.”

This wasn’t about control.

It was about escalation.

The accountant was nearly killed.

The test was falsified.

Now threats.

This wasn’t a boardroom battle anymore.

This was containment.

Across the city, in a dimly lit office, Vittorio stood by the window.

A man in a dark suit approached.

“The second test confirmed paternity,” the man reported.

Vittorio didn’t react.

“And Lucian?”

“He left the estate. Security says he’s heading toward Miss Valez’s location.”

Silence.

Vittorio’s reflection in the glass looked almost amused.

“So he’s chosen.”

The man hesitated.

“Should we proceed?”

Vittorio’s expression hardened.

“No.”

A pause.

“Not yet.”

He turned from the window slowly.

“If Lucian wants war, he must understand the cost.”

Later that night—

Lucian stood inside Elena’s apartment, scanning the perimeter.

He had doubled security.

Changed her entry codes.

Installed temporary monitoring.

She watched him quietly.

“You don’t have to do this,” she said.

“Yes, I do.”

He turned to face her fully.

“I should have listened before.”

The honesty in his voice startled her.

“I should have trusted you.”

That one landed deeper.

She stepped closer.

“And now?”

His gaze softened slightly.

“Now I protect what’s mine.”

Her breath caught.

“Me?” she asked softly.

His eyes dropped briefly to her stomach.

“All of you.”

The moment felt fragile.

Real.

But just as silence settled between them—

The lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then—

The apartment went completely dark.

Every security monitor shut down.

Every device powered off.

Lucian’s instincts snapped instantly.

“Stay behind me,” he ordered quietly.

Footsteps echoed faintly in the hallway outside.

Slow.

Measured.

Not rushed.

Someone was confident.

Lucian moved toward the door carefully.

The handle turned.

Slowly.

From the outside.

And then—

The doorbell rang.

Cliffhanger:

• The paternity is confirmed. • Someone is actively threatening Elena. • The power grid in her apartment just went down. • And someone is at the door.

Is it Vittorio?

A hired operative?

Or someone neither of them expected?