"I thought I heard laughing earlier," Andrew said as he walked deeper into the room. "But now everyone looks so serious. Did I miss sothing important?"
Lyvana felt a chill run down her back at the sight of this man.
Ethan didn’t even look up from his pastry. "No one invited you," he muttered.
Eleanor shot Ethan a sharp glare.
"Ethan, be polite," she warned. Then she looked at Lyvana. "Lyvana, you haven’t t him yet. This is Andrew Thorne."
Lyvana forced a small smile, but she felt uneasy. Andrew wasn’t just looking at her; he was staring. It felt like he was trying to look into her soul.
"It is nice to et you, Andrew," she said softly. The na sounded familiar, but she was so sure she had never t this man before.
"The pleasure is all mine Lyvana," Andrew responded.
"You were just on your way sowhere else, weren’t you, Andrew?" Julian said rather calmly.
Andrew didn’t move an inch. He tilted his head, his eyes still fixed on Lyvana’s face. "Not really. I was hoping we could all finally get to know each other better."
The way he said get to know each other better, made Lyvana’s skin crawl.
"I know she’s beautiful," Julian said calmly, "but if you don’t stop gawking at my woman, I will pluck out your eyes."
Eleanor shook her head and picked up her tea. "You two, behave. Andrew it’s not polite to stare."
Andrew let out a short, quiet laugh, finally looking away from Lyvana. He t Julian’s cold stare.
"My apologies," Andrew said, though he didn’t sound sorry at all. "I didn’t an to be rude. It’s just like you said. She is very beautiful."
"Apology accepted," Julian said. "Now, off you go."
Andrew didn’t budge. He just stuffed his hands into his pockets and grinned. "Are you trying to get rid of , brother?"
"Yes," Julian answered imdiately.
Ethan stiffled a laugh.
"Well, at least you’re honest," Andrew said. "Fine, fine. I can take a hint."
He looked at Lyvana one last ti. "It was a pleasure eting you, Lyvana. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing much more of each other very soon."
Then he turned and walked out of the room.
Eleanor sighed, her eyes full of worry. "You should try to be nicer, you know," she said, looking at her son. "He is still your brother."
"Hm," Julian said.
He didn’t argue with her. He didn’t have to. Instead, he simply offered her a small, mysterious smile.
All the way in Singapore, Chairman Grant was on a business trip. Julian had sent a private package to him.
He knew the chairman had already done a DNA test which showed Andrew was his son but he also knew those results were fake.
He had acquired the original results and sent them to him.
The chairman had finished a long day of etings when his assistant, Henry, stepped into the private office. He was carrying a plain, confidential envelope.
"What is this?" he asked, not looking up from his desk.
"It’s from Starflick Laboratories, sir," Henry replied. "It arrived by private courier. Should I open it for you?"
The chairman frowned.
"Open it."
Henry carefully sliced the envelope open. He pulled out the docunts and laid them flat on the mahogany desk.
The Chairman leaned forward, his frown deepening. His eyes scanned the header of the page, recognizing the official seal of the lab.
At the bottom of the report, the conclusion was written in bold, cold letters.
PROBABILITY OF PATERNITY: 0%
The Chairman’s hands began to shake slightly as he gripped the edge of the desk.
"Sir?" Henry asked softly, noticing the Chairman’s face turning pale. "Is everything alright?"
The Chairman didn’t answer imdiately. He stared at the docunt.
"Get the plane ready. We’re going ho."
Henry didn’t ask any questions; he simply nodded and stepped out to make the call.
Left alone, the Chairman stared at the papers. His heart hamred against his ribs. He had been played.
Had Zara lied to her all these years? If Andrew wasn’t his son, then the only other possibility was that he was Adrian’s.
Anger burned in his chest.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Edward’s private number.
"Good afternoon, Sir," Edward answered.
"Edward, I need you to go to Andrew’s room. Find a strand of his hair or a glass he has just used. I need a fresh sample."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.
"I don’t have to tell you to be discreet," the Chairman added.
Edward was a smart man. He had served the family long enough to know exactly what this ant. This wasn’t just a request; it was sothing important.
"I understand perfectly, Sir," Edward replied calmly. "I’ll handle it right away."
"Good," the Chairman said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the ti. "et at my private lab by 6:00 PM. Do not be late."
He hung up.
If Andrew wasn’t his son, he would make Zara’s life a living hell.
....
Two days later...
The morning sun shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the bridal suite. The room slled like fresh white roses and expensive perfu.
"You look so beautiful," Lyvana said softly. She stood behind Emily, adjusting the long, silk veil that flowed down to the floor.
It was finally the day of the wedding between Emily and Ethan.
Emily stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her dress was a masterpiece which fitted her perfectly.
"Are you ready?" Lyvana asked, placing a gentle hand on Emily’s shoulder.
Emily took a deep breath and tried to smile. Everyone who was anyone in high society was attending, and she was nervous.
"What if sothing goes wrong?" Emily said.
"Normally you’re the positive one," Lyvana teased. "Nothing could possibly go wrong."
She took a deep breath and whispered,
"I’m ready."
"That’s the spirit."
Emily’s mom entered. "Are you done yet?"
When she saw Emily, tears filled her eyes.
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