Chapter 24 Chapter 24
Richard Lawson's eyes softened as he watched the young woman who might be his daughter. Her comment about family jokes struck a chord of both pain and hope within him.
"Take all the time you need," he said gently. "We'll be right here."
As Iris walked toward the terrace doors, Tony hesitated, torn between following her and giving her space. He caught her eye briefly, and she gave him a small nod that only he could interpret, permission to join her, but not immediately.
On the terrace, Iris leaned against the stone railing, letting the crisp winter air clear her mind. The campus stretched below her, students crossing the quad in their ordinary lives, unaware of the life-changing drama unfolding above them. She pulled out her phone, staring at the screen for several moments before dialling.
Inside the library, the two families maintained a tense silence. Bryce focused intently on his testing device, as if his concentration could somehow accelerate the results. Theodore and Victor positioned themselves strategically, keeping both the Kennedys and the terrace doors within their sightlines.
Richard Lawson's mind raced with possibilities. If this young woman truly was Roxanne, how had she ended up at that fire station? Who had taken her? Why had there never been a ransom demand? Twenty years of questions might finally have answers, yet those answers would inevitably lead to more questions.
Helga Kennedy studied Richard Lawson with calculating precision. The shipping magnate had aged considerably since his daughter's disappearance; grief had carved deep lines into his once commanding face. If the test confirmed this girl was Roxanne, the leverage would shift dramatically in the Lawsons' favour. Unless, of course, her son's obvious infatuation could be channelled into something more strategic.
Julius Kennedy observed his wife's machinations with weary familiarity. Unlike Helga, he recognised something genuine in the connection between Tony and the Maxwell girl. Perhaps there was an opportunity here beyond mere business advantage, a chance for their son to find authentic happiness while still serving family interests.
On the terrace, Iris's call connected.
"Hello?" Carol Maxwell's warm voice answered.
"Mom," Iris said, her composure finally wavering. "Something's happened. I...I need to tell you something."
Inside, Tony watched her through the glass doors, his heart aching at her visible struggle. He wanted nothing more than to stand beside her, to support her through this impossible moment, but he knew this conversation with her adoptive mother was one she needed to have alone.
"Antony," Helga said sharply, drawing his attention back to the table. "I think it's time you explained exactly how you became involved with this girl."
Tony met his mother's gaze unflinchingly. "Her name is Iris, Mother. And I became involved with her because she's brilliant, determined, and genuine, qualities I've rarely encountered in the circles you've pushed me into."
Julius's eyebrows at his son’s words.
“Besides that, you have known for years that there was nothing between Eleanor and me, but you kept pushing, and I know you had been watching me with Iris. At first, I noticed how good her designs were and how the others in her design classes had treated her with disdain, as she wasn’t from money. But helping her with her business plan, that’s when I felt that spark. There could be something that could grow, but considering how the others at this college treated her, I wanted to earn her trust first. Yes, I kissed her today, which caught us both off guard, but I’ve wanted to do that since the first business meeting. I’d do it again. Oh, I know about Eleanor and her fiancée. I’ve known for years that she was seeing a woman. I’ve tried to tell you, but you shut me down every time, mother.” Tony said matter-of-factly.
Helga Kennedy recoiled as if slapped. Her perfectly composed facade cracked for just an instant, revealing genuine shock beneath. She had not expected such direct confrontation from her typically compliant son. Julius placed a steadying hand on his wife's arm, recognising that Tony had finally reached his breaking point.
"Eleanor is engaged?" Richard Lawson asked, momentarily distracted from the tension surrounding Iris's potential identity. "To a woman?"
"Yes," Tony confirmed, relieved to have the truth finally acknowledged. "They've been together for years."
Helga recovered quickly, her social mask sliding back into place. "That's hardly relevant to our current situation," she said dismissively, though the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her discomfort.
On the terrace, Iris paced as she explained everything to her adoptive mother. The connection between her and the Lawsons, the DNA test currently processing, the sudden attention from two powerful families, all of it spilled out in a rush of words.
"Oh, sweetheart," Carol Maxwell's voice was steady despite the shocking revelations. "Are you okay? Do you need us to come there?"
"No, not yet," Iris replied, glancing back through the glass doors at the assembled families. "I just needed you to know what's happening. In case... in case the test is positive."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Carol spoke again, her voice thick with emotion but resolute. "Iris Rose Maxwell, you listen to me. No matter what that test says, you are our daughter. You always have been, and you always will be. Nothing changes that."
Tears welled in Iris's eyes, the first crack in her carefully maintained composure. "I know, Mom. I love you."
"We love you too, sweetheart. All of us do. And if these people turn out to be your birth family... well, then you'll just have a bigger family. That's all."
Inside the library, Bryce Lawson leaned closer to his testing device, his expression intense with concentration. The progress bar on the small screen showed 62% complete, each percentage point bringing them closer to a truth twenty years in the making.
Theodore noticed his youngest brother's fixation and placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Breathe, Bryce. Staring at it won't make it go faster."