Chapter 46 Confirm
Friday - Two Days Later
The medical lab was sterile and impersonal.
White walls. Fluorescent lights. The smell of antiseptic.
Elena sat in a plastic chair, Leo on her lap, while a technician prepared the cheek swab.
Alexander sat across from them, perfectly still.
They'd barely spoken since he arrived. Just polite greetings. Necessary logistics.
Nothing more.
"Okay, sweetie," the technician said to Leo with practiced cheerfulness. "Open wide. This won't hurt at all."
Leo looked uncertain. "Like at the dentist?"
"Exactly like that. Just a quick swab inside your cheek."
He opened his mouth obediently.
The technician was quick and efficient. "All done! See? Easy."
"That's it?" Leo asked.
"That's it."
"Can I have a sticker?"
The technician laughed. "Absolutely." She handed him a sheet of dinosaur stickers.
Leo's face lit up. "Mama, look! A T-Rex!"
"I see, baby."
The technician turned to Alexander. "Your turn, Mr. Thorne."
He stood, moving to the exam chair.
Elena watched as they swabbed his cheek—quick, clinical, unremarkable.
But it felt monumental.
This test would confirm what they already knew.
Would make it official.
Undeniable.
"Results will be ready in three to five business days," the technician said, labeling the samples. "We'll call you when they're in."
"Thank you," Alexander said.
Outside, the afternoon sun was too bright.
Leo ran ahead to the car, already peeling stickers off the sheet.
Elena and Alexander walked in silence.
"Thank you for doing this," Alexander said quietly.
"It needed to be done."
"I know. But still. Thank you."
She didn't respond.
At the car, Alexander opened the back door, helping Leo into his car seat.
"Alexander, can you come over today?" Leo asked.
"Not today, buddy. Your mama and I both have work stuff."
"Tomorrow?"
Alexander glanced at Elena.
"We'll see," she said, noncommittal.
Leo pouted but didn't argue.
The drive back to Elena's apartment was quiet except for Leo's chatter about his stickers.
Alexander pulled up outside her building.
"I'll let you know when the results come in," Elena said, already unbuckling.
"Elena—"
"I need to go. Come on, Leo."
She didn't wait for his response.
Just took her son's hand and walked inside without looking back.
Tuesday - Results Out
Elena's phone rang during lunch.
The lab's number flashed on screen.
Her heart hammered as she answered. "Hello?"
"Ms. Moreno? This is Cascade Medical Labs. Your test results are ready."
"And?"
A pause. Professional. Careful.
"The probability of paternity is 99.99%. Mr. Thorne is confirmed as the biological father."
The words landed like stones.
Elena had known.
But hearing it confirmed—official, undeniable—
"Ms. Moreno? Are you still there?"
"Yes. Thank you."
She ended the call immediately.
Sat staring at her desk.
99.99%.
Official.
Real.
Alexander Thorne was Leo's father's.
Her phone buzzed.
A text from Alexander: The lab just called.
She didn't respond.
Another text: Can we talk? Please?
She set down her phone.
Around her, the office continued. Phones ringing. People talking. Normal Tuesday chaos.
But nothing felt normal.
Everything had just shifted.
Again.
Wednesday
Elena returned to work the next day.
She'd taken Monday and Tuesday off to stay with Leo, to process the results, to figure out how to breathe normally again.
Now she was back.
Professional. Composed. Efficient.
Like her entire world hadn't just been confirmed and documented in a lab report.
Victoria was in meetings all morning. Elena handled emails, coordinated schedules, prepared documents.
She saw Alexander twice.
Once in the hallway—their eyes met briefly before she looked away.
Once in a conference room during a contract review with Victoria.
He watched her the entire meeting.
She kept her eyes on her notes.
When it ended, she left quickly.
"Elena, wait," he called.
She didn't stop.
At her desk, Jenna looked up. "You okay?"
"Fine. Why?"
"You seem... I don't know. Tense."
"Just tired."
Jenna studied her for a moment, then shrugged. "Want coffee? I'm making a run."
"No, thanks."
The afternoon crawled by.
At five, Elena started packing up.
"Elena?"
Victoria's voice.
She turned. "Yes?"
"Don't leave yet. I need to speak with you. Give me ten minutes."
Something in Victoria's tone made Elena's stomach drop.
"Of course."
Victoria disappeared back into her office.
Jenna raised her eyebrows. "That sounded ominous."
"Probably just schedule stuff for tomorrow."
But Elena didn't believe it.
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty.
The office emptied. People heading home, calling goodbyes.
Alexander appeared at Elena's desk. "I'm heading to a meeting across town. I'll be back in a couple hours—"
He paused, seeing her still sitting there.
"You're still here?"
"Victoria asked me to wait."
Something flickered across his face. "For what?"
"She didn't say."
"Elena—"
"You should go. You'll be late."
He hesitated, clearly wanting to say more.
Then his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, swore softly.
"I have to go. But call me if—just call me, okay?"
"I'll be fine."
He didn't look convinced.
But he left.
Elena waited.
By six, the floor was nearly empty.
Just her. Jenna finishing something at her desk. The cleaning crew starting their rounds.
Then the elevator doors opened.
A woman stepped out.
Tall. Elegant. Wearing a cream suit that probably cost more than Elena's monthly rent. Dark hair pulled back in a perfect chignon. Diamonds glinting at her ears and throat.
She looked around the office with the air of someone who owned everything she saw.
Her gaze landed on Elena.
Held.
She didn't speak. Didn't approach.
Just watched.
Elena's skin prickled.
Jenna leaned over, voice dropping to a whisper. "That's Mrs. Thorne. Alexander's mother."
"What?"
"She never comes here. Like, ever. Unless something major is happening."
Mrs. Thorne finally looked away, walking toward Victoria's office without acknowledging either of them.
The door closed behind her.
Jenna's eyes were wide. "Okay, that was weird."
Elena's heart hammered.
This wasn't about schedules.
This was about her.
About Leo.
Maybe the DNA results that had just confirmed everything.
Fifteen minutes later, Victoria's door opened.
"Elena. Come in, please."
Her voice was perfectly professional.
Perfectly cold.
Elena stood on legs that felt unsteady.
Jenna shot her a concerned look.
Elena walked into Victoria's office.
Mrs. Thorne sat in one of the leather chairs, back straight, hands folded in her lap.
Victoria stood by the window.
Another man Elena didn't recognize sat in the corner—expensive suit, briefcase, the unmistakable air of a lawyer.
Elena's mouth went dry.
"Close the door," Victoria said.
Elena did.
"Sit."
She sat.
Mrs. Thorne studied her with cool, assessing eyes.
"Ms. Moreno," she said finally. Her voice was cultured, controlled. "I believe we have something to discuss."
Elena forced herself to meet that gaze. "Do we?"
"Alexander tells me you have a child."
"Yes."
"And that he recently discovered this child might be his."
"Not might. Is." Elena's voice was steady. "The DNA test confirmed it. 99.99% probability."
Mrs. Thorne's expression didn't change. "I see."
The lawyer opened his briefcase, pulling out documents.
"Mrs. Thorne," he said, "perhaps I should—"
"In a moment, Gerald." She didn't look away from Elena. "Tell me, Ms. Moreno. What exactly are you hoping to gain from this situation?"
Elena blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You work for my daughter. You somehow ended up involved with my son. And now you claim he fathered your child." Her tone was pleasant. Poisonous. "It's all rather convenient, don't you think?"
"Convenient?" Elena's hands clenched. "You think I planned this?"
"I think young women have been trying to trap wealthy men since the beginning of time."
The words were a slap.
"I'm not trying to trap anyone—"
"Then what do you want?"
"I don't want anything from you."
"Everyone wants something." Mrs. Thorne leaned back slightly. "Money, usually. Or access. A certain lifestyle."
"I want to be left alone."
"Do you? Because from where I'm sitting, you've inserted yourself quite thoroughly into my family."
Elena stood abruptly. "I didn't insert myself anywhere. I was working here long before I knew who Alexander was. And I certainly didn't know that the stranger I slept with three years ago would turn out to be your son."
"So you admit you slept with him."
"I'm not admitting anything. I'm stating facts."
Victoria finally spoke. "Elena, please sit down."
"I'd rather stand."
"Sit. Down."
The command in her voice made Elena sink back into the chair.
Victoria moved to her desk, expression unreadable.
"We've reviewed the situation," she said carefully. "And we have some concerns."
"What kind of concerns?"
Mrs. Thorne answered. "The Thorne family has a reputation to maintain. A legacy to protect. And a child appearing out of nowhere, claiming to be Alexander's son—"
"He's not claiming anything. He's three years old. He doesn't even understand what's happening."
"Precisely. Which is why we need to handle this carefully."
The lawyer cleared his throat. "Ms. Moreno, we'd like to propose a solution that benefits everyone involved."
He slid a document across the desk.
Elena stared at it.
"What is this?"
"A non-disclosure agreement," the lawyer said smoothly. "Along with a very generous financial settlement."
Her stomach dropped.
"You're offering me money?"
"We're offering you security," Mrs. Thorne corrected. "For you and your son. Enough that you'll never have to worry about finances again."
"In exchange for what?"
"Discretion." Mrs. Thorne's smile was thin. "You sign the NDA, accept the settlement, and we all move forward quietly. No public acknowledgment. No claims on the Thorne name. No disruption to our family or our business."
Elena's hands were shaking.
"You want me to pretend my son's father doesn't exist."
"We want to protect everyone involved," Victoria said. "Including your son."
"By erasing his father?"
"By preventing a media circus that would destroy all of you." Victoria's voice was sharp. "Do you have any idea what would happen if this became public? The press would tear you apart. They'd dig into every detail of your life. Leo would grow up with cameras in his face, tabloid stories, constant scrutiny."
"That's not—"
"It is." Victoria leaned forward. "You think you're protecting him by claiming Alexander as his father? You're painting a target on his back."
"I'm not claiming anything! I'm just acknowledging the truth!"
"The truth," Mrs. Thorne said coldly, "is whatever we decide it is."
The words hung in the air.
Elena stared at her. "What?"
"You have a DNA test from some random lab. We have money, lawyers, and influence." Mrs. Thorne's expression was ice. "If we want a second opinion from a more... reputable facility, we can arrange that."
Elena's blood went cold. "You want to redo the DNA test? In a hospital you control?"
"We want to verify the results through proper channels."
"The results are already verified—"
"Not to our satisfaction."
Elena looked between them—Mrs. Thorne's cold certainty, Victoria's guarded expression, the lawyer's practiced neutrality.
They didn't believe her.
Or worse—they didn't care.
This wasn't about truth.
This was about control.
About protecting the Thorne name at any cost.
Even if it meant erasing Leo's existence.
Elena stood slowly.
"No."
Mrs. Thorne's eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"
"I said no." Elena's voice was steady now. Clear. "I don't want your money. I don't want your NDAs. And I don't want your family's acceptance."
"Ms. Moreno—"
"I've been taking care of my son for three years without any help from you. I think I can manage to keep doing it."
"You're making a mistake," Victoria said quietly.
"Maybe. But it's my mistake to make."
Elena moved toward the door.
"If you walk out of here," Mrs. Thorne said, voice sharp, "you'll regret it."
Elena paused, hand on the doorknob.
Turned back.
"The only thing I regret," she said quietly, "is ever thinking your son might be different from the rest of you."
She opened the door.
"We can make your life very difficult," Mrs. Thorne called after her.
"You already have."
Elena walked out.
Past Jenna's empty desk. Past the elevator.
She took the stairs, needing to move, to breathe, to get away from that office and those people and the money they thought could erase her son.
Outside, the city air was cold.
Elena stood on the sidewalk, shaking.
Not from fear.
From rage.
They'd offered her money to disappear.
To pretend Leo didn't exist.
To let them control the narrative, the truth, everything.
And they'd done it calmly. Politely.
Like buying her silence was just another business transaction.
Her phone buzzed.
Alexander: Meeting's running late. How did it go with Victoria?
She stared at the message.
How did she tell him his family had just tried to pay her off?
That his mother had looked at her like she was a problem to be solved?
That they wanted to erase Leo from their lives before he could become an inconvenience?
Another text: Elena? You okay?
She typed: let's talk later, I'm busy.
Okay. I'll come over as soon as I'm done.
She pocketed her phone and started walking.
Not toward home.
Just walking.
Trying to process what had just happened.
The Thornes didn't want Leo.
Didn't want her.
Wanted them both to disappear into silence and NDAs and whatever truth they decided to create.
And Alexander—
Where did he stand in all this?
He'd said he wouldn't back down.
But his family had just made their position devastatingly clear.
And Elena had to know—
When it came down to it, when the pressure really came—
Would Alexander choose them?
Or would he choose her?
She didn't know.
And that terrified her more than anything.