chapter 153
Fiona's POV:
Most guests' whispers trailed behind them like poison.
"I always knew she was too ambitious for her own good."
"A female trying to pass off some random man's bastard as Grayson blood. The audacity."
"I heard the baby might not even be Zane's. Who knows how many men she's been with?"
"And to think, she almost got away with it. Ten percent of Grayson Corporation!"
"The Price family is finished in this city. Absolutely finished."
I stood frozen near the platform, my arms still aching from where security had pried my son from my grasp.
"Everyone, please." Elizabeth Grayson's voice cut through the remaining murmur, though it trembled with an emotion I'd never heard from her before. "The Grayson family and Price family will retire to discuss this matter privately."
I watched as she gestured toward a side corridor, her movements stiff and mechanical.
The warmth that had radiated from her during the ceremony had vanished, replaced by something cold and terrible.
My legs felt like lead as I followed the procession. Alexander walked ahead, his shoulders rigid with fury. Hannah clutched his arm, her face pale beneath her makeup. Behind me, I could feel Ethan's presence like a physical weight, though he hadn't looked at me—
The private sitting room was smaller than I expected, intimate in a way that made my skin crawl.
Elizabeth sank into a leather armchair, her hand pressed against her chest. Lucas moved to her side immediately.
"Mother, you need to rest—"
"I need answers." Her voice cracked on the last word.
She looked up at me, and I saw tears streaming down her face. "Tell me this is all some terrible mistake, Fiona. Tell me that man was lying."
The baby stirred in his carrier, letting out a soft whimper. I moved toward him instinctively, but Alexander's hand shot out, blocking my path.
"Don't." His voice was deadly quiet. "Don't you dare touch him until we know the truth."
"He's my son!" The words burst from me, shrill and desperate. "I gave birth to him. I carried him for nine months. That video was fake—doctored somehow. Zane must have—"
"Enough." Richard Grayson's voice boomed through the room.
He stood near the fireplace, his face mottled with rage. "We will conduct another paternity test. Immediately. At Moontouch Medical Center, with witnesses present."
"Yes." I forced the word out, my voice steadier than I felt. "Yes, let's do that. Let's do it right now."
I lifted my chin, meeting Richard's furious gaze directly. "I have nothing to hide. That man is lying—he has to be. The baby is Ethan's. He's a Grayson."
I looked around the room, searching for an ally, someone who might believe me. But no one.
"Of course." Richard pulled out his phone. "We'll arrange for neutral counsel. Alexander, Hannah—I think it's best if you return home for now. We'll contact you once we have results."
Hannah's head snapped up. "But she's my daughter—"
Richard corrected, his eyes cold. "And this is a Grayson family matter now."
The dismissal was clear. I watched as Hannah's face flushed with humiliation, but Alexander was already guiding her toward the door.
The door closed behind them with a soft click that sounded like a gunshot.
---
The hours that followed blurred together in a nightmare of sterile white rooms and cold metal instruments.
The medical team at Moontouch Medical Center worked with clinical efficiency, drawing blood samples from both the baby and me. They'd already obtained Ethan's DNA from his medical records.
I sat in a private waiting room, flanked by two members of Grayson security.
Through the window, I could see the city lights of Moonhaven twinkling in the darkness. Somewhere out there, people were living normal lives, unaware that mine was crumbling to pieces.
My phone buzzed. Mia.
The video is everywhere. Social media is going crazy. I need to know exactly what happened in order to help you.
I stared at the message, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. What could I possibly say? That I'd been set up? That someone had orchestrated the perfect revenge?
It's complicated, I typed back. I'll explain later. But I promise I didn't cheat.
The door opened, and a nurse entered. "Ms. Price? The preliminary results are ready. The Council is assembling in Conference Room Three."
My legs felt numb as I stood. The security guards flanked me as we walked down the pristine white corridors.
Through one window, I glimpsed Elizabeth being wheeled toward the elevators, Lucas at her side. She looked so small suddenly, so fragile.
Conference Room Three was dominated by a long table. Richard sat at the head, his expression carved from granite. Lucas stood behind him, arms crossed. Ethan leaned against the far wall, his face turned away from me.
A doctor I didn't recognize stood near a projection screen.
"The results are conclusive," he said without preamble. "The infant shares no genetic markers with Ethan Grayson. However, there is a 99.9% probability match with the DNA sample provided by Zane Morrison."
The words hit me like physical blows. Around the table, I heard sharp intakes of breath. Richard's hands clenched into fists.
"No." My voice came out as a whisper. "That's impossible. I never—Ethan and I—"
"The facts are right in front of you, Fiona." Ethan's voice cut through my protest, sharp and cold. "What more is there to say? What possible excuse could you have?"
"I didn't know!" The words burst from me, tears streaming down my face. "I swear to God, I thought he was yours. I believed—"
But even as I spoke, the pieces were falling into place with horrible clarity.
Someone had set me up. Used the same tactics against me that I'd once used against Tori.
To lead me into a trap without my knowledge, without raising my suspicions—it would have to be someone close to me. Someone I trusted implicitly. Someone who knew all my secrets, all my vulnerabilities.
There weren't many people who fit that description. Even fewer who had a motive.
And only one person who satisfied both criteria.
The realization hit me like ice water in my veins. My face drained of all color as the truth crystallized in my mind.
Ethan.