Chapter 36: DNA Test

Alexander had endured the mother-and-daughter duo’s endless scheming, but when they tried to force Alicia to accept she wasn’t Catherine, he snapped. He slammed his fists on the table.

“That is enough!”

The room fell silent. One look at Alexander’s face told Beatrice and Winnie he was truly furious.

He turned to Beatrice, his voice low and edged with steel. “What do you really want? Why are you working so hard to make sure Catherine doesn’t see this place as her home?”

Before Beatrice could answer, Winnie shot to her feet, stung and defensive. “Why are you so biased, Dad? Why do you care only about Catherine and no one else? I’m also your daughter!”

Alexander’s gaze hardened. Winnie’s chin trembled; she spun around and ran out. Beatrice glared at him and sneered. “With your precious daughter beside you, you don’t care about anyone. I hope you’re not showering all your love on an imposter. You’ll regret this decision.”

She huffed and stormed off. Alexander sat there, seething. Alicia stayed quiet. When she finished eating, she went upstairs.

By morning, the tension hadn’t lifted. As soon as Alicia joined them for breakfast, Beatrice spoke with a pleasant smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Catherine, we don’t like that people are doubting your identity. So we’ve come up with a solution.”

Alexander’s grip tightened around his fork. Alicia ate calmly, her face unreadable.

Since no one responded, Winnie picked up her mother’s cue. “We’ve decided to conduct a DNA test to confirm you’re really Catherine and silence the critics.”

Alexander sucked in a breath. A sharp pain stabbed his chest. He pressed a hand over his heart, but the two women didn’t even glance at him, too intent on their plan. Beatrice continued, reassuringly, “We’ll use our family doctor. He’s trustworthy. Don’t worry about any sabotage.”

Alicia paused only long enough to rub Alexander’s shoulder until his breathing steadied. When he relaxed, she set down her fork and said, evenly, “No problem.”

Winnie and Beatrice exchanged a quick, triumphant look. Beatrice smoothed her smile. “You’ve made the right choice. We can’t allow outsiders—especially people who can’t even put food on their tables—to comment on our family.”

Alicia lifted her gaze. “If Winnie agrees to a DNA test too, I’ll do mine.”

Beatrice’s expression faltered. Winnie’s brows knit. “No one has ever claimed I’m not my father’s daughter. No one has ever doubted—”

“She’s right,” Beatrice cut in quickly. “No one doubts that Alexander is her father. There’s no need to test Winnie.”

“I do.” Alicia’s voice was soft but steady.

Her eyes moved to Beatrice, noting the woman’s sudden discomfort, the restless shift in her chair. “She doesn’t look like my father. We should confirm whether she truly is his daughter.”

When Beatrice saw the look on Alexander’s face, fear tightened her chest. She cut in quickly. “We should forget about this.”

“Mom, why should we do that?” Winnie shot back.

Beatrice’s brow creased at her daughter’s stubbornness. “Can’t you see your father is upset? Eat your breakfast quietly and go to your room. Don’t ever mention a DNA test in this house again.”

Winnie stared, stunned by her mother’s sudden hostility. Beatrice pushed her plate away, unable to eat, and left the table. Winnie glanced at her father. Alexander’s eyebrows were drawn into a hard frown, while Alicia kept her head down, eating with composed indifference.

The thought that her mother seemed to be siding with Alicia—who was trying to steal her boyfriend—killed Winnie’s appetite. She sprang from her seat and marched to Beatrice’s room.

“Mom, what is going on?” Winnie demanded as she burst in. “We were so close to exposing her, but you suddenly shut me down. Why, Mom?”

Beatrice said nothing.

“Why are you afraid of a DNA—”

Beatrice’s glare stopped her mid-sentence. “Do not talk about this again.”

“Why?” Winnie asked, her voice tight with frustration.

“Because I said so,” Beatrice snapped, refusing to explain.

Winnie’s frown deepened. She replayed the breakfast scene in her mind—how her mother had changed her tune the moment Alicia suggested testing her as well. A cold shiver slid down Winnie’s spine. Her face drained. “Mom… is Dad really my father?”

Beatrice lurched to her feet and struck her across the face. The crack echoed in the room. Winnie clasped her burning cheek, eyes wide. Before she could react, another slap landed on the other side.

“Don’t you ever say that again,” Beatrice warned, voice low and trembling. “Get out of my room.”

Tears welled in Winnie’s eyes. She stamped her foot, choking on a sob, then whirled around and fled, wailing down the hall.

Beatrice sank onto the bed, fists clutching the sheets, her face drawn tight with worry as she stared into the middle distance, thinking hard.

Alexander was already in Alicia’s room by the time Winnie left Beatrice’s. He looked at his daughter, guilt etched across his face. He had failed her again.

“I won’t let anyone run a DNA test on you,” he said, voice firm. “You’re my daughter, and I won’t allow anyone to plant a seed of doubt.”

Alicia offered a small smile. “Thanks, Dad.”

He exhaled, relief loosening his shoulders. Then his expression hardened. “The deeper I dig into your mother’s accident, the more I realize how much was kept from me. I will uncover the truth. And the ones who murdered her—none of them will be spared.”

His eyes went cold, fists clenching with resolve.