Chapter 2: The Sound of Shattered Glass
The clinic was a place of polished marble and expensive silence. David stood at the front of his entourage, his chest puffed out with the pride of a man who thought he had finally won at life. Allison sat on the examination table, looking like a queen in waiting. Linda, David’s mother, was fawning over the ultrasound monitor.
"I can’t wait to see my grandson," Linda cooed, her eyes scanning the screen.
The doctor, a man named Dr. Aris who had been secretly briefed by Steven Mercer weeks ago, adjusted the transducer. He watched the screen with a neutral expression. He didn’t need to look at the baby to know what he was looking for. He looked at the chart—the medical records that Catherine’s team had legally intercepted and amended with the truth.
"There is something we need to discuss," Dr. Aris said, his voice dropping to a somber, professional register.
"Is he okay?" Allison asked, her voice high and brittle.
"The ultrasound reveals a significant biological discrepancy," Dr. Aris said, pausing for dramatic effect as the room went dead silent. "Based on the genetic markers and the development timeline, it is physically impossible for David Harlow to be the father of this child."
The room tilted. David’s smile curdled into a mask of pure confusion. "What? That’s impossible. Check the machine again."
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"The machine is fine," Dr. Aris continued, his voice devoid of pity. "And furthermore, based on the fertility treatments recorded in her medical file, Allison has been seeing another specialist for over eighteen months. She has been pregnant for fourteen weeks—before she and David even began their 'relationship.'"
The champagne bottle in Megan’s hand slipped, shattering against the tile. David looked at Allison, whose face had drained of all color. The "heir" to the Harlow legacy was someone else’s mistake, someone else’s secret. And the man who had traded his family for a "better" life had just been played by a woman more ruthless than he ever was.
