False Blood

SOPHIA’S POV

As soon as Darcy hesitated, her eyes darting between me and her mother, Emily placed a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder. 

"It's fine, sweetie. Sophia and I can talk privately. Why don't you go check on dinner or something? We'll be quick."

"We just had dinner, mom. And you both are acting so weird.”

" Leave, Darcy!” Emily snapped, and I smirked softly, sending her a little wave.

Darcy shot me one last wary glance, her lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded and shuffled out of the living room, closing the door behind her with a soft click. 

The sound echoed in the sudden silence, leaving just Emily and I. She turned to face me, her smile still plastered on like it was painted there, but I could see the cracks, the way her eyes didn't quite meet mine, the subtle twitch in her fingers as she smoothed her skirt.

"Alright, Sophia," she said, her voice light and airy, like we were about to discuss the weather. "What's on your mind? You said personal questions. Fire away."

I leaned back against the couch, crossing my arms to steady myself. My heart was pounding, but I kept my face neutral, channeling every bit of calm I could muster.

"Let's cut the bullshit, Emily. Those DNA results—you're lying about them, aren't you?"

Her smile faltered for a split second, just a flicker, but it was enough. She recovered quickly, letting out a soft laugh that sounded forced. "Lying? Sophia, honey, why would I lie about something like that? The tests don't lie. We're family and it’s right there in black and white."

I shook my head, my voice dropping to a low, steady tone. "No, they're not. I saw the way you were fidgeting earlier, like you were hiding something. And Darcy looked scared when I asked to talk to you alone. She knows, doesn't she? Or at least suspects."

Emily's expression shifted, the warmth draining away as she sat down across from me, her hands folding neatly in her lap. "Sophia, you're overthinking this. The results came back positive, you’re my niece. It's a miracle, really. After all these years..."

"Stop," I interrupted, leaning forward. "Just stop. I need the truth. Why fabricate something like this? What's in it for you?"

She sighed, her shoulders slumping a little, but she still held onto that composed facade. "Fabricate? That's a strong word, maybe you're just in denial. I know that it’s a lot to process."

I wasn't buying it. I pulled out my phone, pretending to scroll through something, but really, I was bluffing to push her. "You know, I can call the lab right now. Verify the results myself or better yet, let's do another test. Right here, right now. Swab and all."

Her eyes widened, and for the first time, real panic flashed across her face. She reached out, as if to stop me, but pulled back. "Wait, Sophia. Don't... don't do that."

"Why not?" I pressed, my voice rising just a notch. "If it's real, what's the harm?"

Emily glanced toward the door, probably checking if Darcy was eavesdropping, then leaned in closer. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Okay, fine. The results... they're not entirely accurate."

"Not entirely?" I echoed, my pulse quickening. "So you did lie."

She rubbed her temples, looking suddenly tired. "It's complicated. I... I may have influenced the process a bit. Paid for a favorable outcome."

"Influenced? You mean you faked it." I stared at her, piecing it together. "But why? Why go through all this trouble? Pretending I'm your long-lost niece? It's insane."

Emily's eyes met mine now, sharp and calculating. The mask was slipping. "Because of you, Sophia. You've been meddling in things that don't concern you."

"Me? What are you talking about?"

She let out a bitter laugh. "Eric. My ex-husband. Our dates—every time we try to reconnect, something goes wrong. Reservations canceled, mysterious calls, flat tires. At first, I thought it was bad luck, but then I started noticing patterns and guess who's always around when it happens? You."

I felt a chill run down my spine. How did she know? I'd been careful—subtle sabotage to keep Eric from falling back into her web. He deserved better than her manipulative games. "That's ridiculous. Why would I care about your love life?"

"Don't play dumb," she snapped, her voice hardening. "I know about you and Eric. The way you look at him, the late-night talks. You're trying to steal him from me."

"Steal him? He's not yours anymore. You divorced him, remember?" I shot back, but inside, my mind was racing. She had it all wrong, I wasn't after Eric romantically. I was protecting him, like a friend but admitting that now would only fuel her fire.

Emily stood up, pacing the room slowly. "I hired a private investigator after the third ruined date. Photos, timestamps. You were there every time—lurking, interfering and then it hit me… if I could make you part of the family, tie you to us, maybe you'd back off. Or at least, I'd have leverage."

"Leverage?" I repeated, standing to match her. "By faking DNA results? That's not just crazy, it's illegal."

She shrugged, unapologetic. "Desperate times. Eric and I were meant to be together. We have history, a daughter. You? You're just the outsider who's been poisoning things."

I took a step closer, my anger bubbling over. "Poisoning? You're the one who cheated on him, who made his life hell during the divorce. And now that he's better, fixed the heart that you broke, you want him back?”

Her face twisted in fury. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Eric still loves me. We've been talking, planning to try again but you... you've been calling restaurants, pretending to be me and canceling. Slashing tires. I have proof."

Proof? Shit. I thought I'd covered my tracks. "Even if that were true—and it's not—faking a DNA test? Dragging Darcy into this lie? That's low, even for you."

Emily stopped pacing, turning to face me fully. "Darcy doesn't know the details. She thinks the results are real and honestly, Sophia, you could fit right in. But if you keep ruining my chances with Eric, I'll make sure everyone knows what you've been up to. Friends, family, maybe even the police for vandalism."

I laughed, but it came out shaky. "Blackmail now? Classy. But two can play that game, I'll tell Eric about the fake results, and he'll see you for the liar you are."

She smirked, regaining some composure. "He won't believe you. Not without evidence. And the lab? They're in my pocket. One call, and the 'results' stand."

We stood there, locked in a stare-down, the air thick with tension. My mind whirled, how do I expose her without blowing up everything? "Why tell me now? Why confess?"

"Because you're smart," she said, her tone softening slightly. "Smarter than I gave you credit for. Maybe we can strike a deal. You back off Eric, let us rebuild, and I'll drop the family charade. No more fake results and we go our separate ways."

"A deal?" I scoffed. "After all this?"

"Think about it," she urged, stepping closer. "What do you gain by fighting? Eric's happiness? Please. He's miserable without me."

I paused, pretending to consider it, but really, I was buying time. "Fine. Let's say I agree but I need proof you're lying… something I can hold over you too."

Emily hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. The real results are in my email. Negative match. I'll show you."

She pulled out her phone, scrolling through, and turned the screen toward me. There it was—an email from the lab, dated before the 'official' one, clearly stating no relation. My heart leaped. "Send it to me."

"Only if you swear to stop interfering," she said, her finger hovering over the send button.

I nodded, lying through my teeth. "Deal."

She hit send, and my phone buzzed. Gotcha. "Now delete your copy," I said.

She did, or at least pretended to. But I had what I needed. "This conversation never happened," she warned.

"Oh, it did," I replied, heading for the door. "And Eric's going to hear all about it."

"Sophia, wait…” she called, but I was already out, slamming the door behind me. Darcy looked up from the kitchen, startled.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

I forced a smile. "Yeah. Just clearing the air with your mom."

As I left their house, the email burned in my pocket. Emily's scheme was exposed, but now, the real fallout began. Eric needed to know, and fast, before she spun another web.