Chapter 8

CH 8

POV: Alexander Hartwell

Verification

Alexander Hartwell did not believe in coincidence.

He believed in patterns.

And patterns rarely lied.

He stood inside his private office, floor-to-ceiling windows stretching behind him, overlooking the city skyline.

From this height, everything looked small.

Manageable.

Controlled.

The DNA report would take three days.

Three days of waiting.

Three days of uncertainty.

Daniel Reeves stood across from him, hands folded behind his back.

“You don’t look convinced,” Daniel observed carefully.

Alexander’s expression did not shift.

“I look cautious.”

“The birthmark matches the description exactly.”

“Yes.”

“And the age aligns.”

“Yes.”

Daniel hesitated.

“Then what is it?”

Alexander walked toward his desk and opened an old leather folder.

The scent of aged paper rose faintly.

Inside were photographs.

Medical records.

Archived reports from seventeen years ago.

Evidence preserved with precision.

He laid one document flat on the desk.

“The birthmark was documented by a pediatric specialist,” he said calmly. “It curves slightly inward at the lower edge of the crescent.”

Daniel leaned closer.

“And?”

Alexander’s gaze lifted slowly.

“I want a detailed comparison. High resolution. Every millimeter examined.”

Understanding dawned in Daniel’s eyes.

“You think it could be replicated.”

Alexander closed the folder with deliberate calm.

“I think money motivates creativity.”

Across the mansion, Sophia sat inside a smaller conference room.

The atmosphere was polite.

Professional.

Three senior executives stood across from her respectfully.

But their eyes were sharp.

Assessing.

Measuring.

“This is only an introduction,” Julian assured her warmly. “No pressure.”

Sophia offered a soft, almost timid smile.

“Thank you.”

One of the executives cleared his throat gently.

“Miss Hartwell, do you have any interest in the company’s divisions yet?”

Interest?

Sophia’s pulse quickened.

She had stayed up most of the night skimming reports on her phone.

Learning terminology.

Memorizing names.

“Luxury acquisitions,” she answered carefully. “I believe… image matters.”

Julian smiled faintly.

Alexander, standing near the door, did not.

He watched her posture.

Her tone.

Her pauses between words.

Too measured.

Too calculated.

Not someone rediscovering family.

Someone adapting to opportunity.

After the meeting ended, Julian remained optimistic.

“She’s intelligent,” he said quietly as they walked down the corridor.

Alexander did not respond immediately.

“She’s observant,” he corrected.

There was a difference.

That evening, Sophia returned to her bedroom and locked the door behind her.

Only then did she exhale fully.

Her phone vibrated.

Victoria.

She answered quickly.

“Well?” her mother demanded.

“They’re watching me,” Sophia whispered. “Especially Alexander.”

“Of course he is,” Victoria replied sharply. “Powerful men don’t trust easily.”

Sophia moved toward the mirror, lowering her voice.

“The DNA test—”

“Will pass.”

Sophia swallowed.

“What if it doesn’t?”

Silence lingered on the line.

Heavy.

Measured.

Then Victoria spoke calmly.

“Then we make sure it does.”

Sophia’s breath caught.

“How?”

“That’s not your concern,” Victoria said evenly. “Focus on acting like a sister.”

The call ended.

Sophia remained still, phone slowly lowering from her ear.

Make sure it does?

She stared at her reflection again.

For the first time—

Fear mixed with ambition.

Because ambition required risk.

And this—

This was a dangerous one.

Back in his office, Alexander received a secure notification on his screen.

DNA sample received. Processing.

He leaned back in his chair slowly.

The city lights flickered beyond the glass.

If she was truly his sister—

He would protect her from everything.

From doubt.

From scrutiny.

From the world.

If she wasn’t—

He would destroy whoever tried to deceive him.

And Alexander Hartwell did not make empty threats.