Chapter 97: Chapter 0097

•CLYDE•

Email: "Afternoon, Mr. Mendez. The DNA test results are ready. You can come by my office in the afternoon to collect them."

I closed the laptop and stood up from the chair in my office. I walked back and forth, thinking about what it would be like to be her dad, and also what it would feel like if I wasn't.

I loved Annabelle and never wanted to tell her such devastating news — that she no longer had a father if the results said I wasn't her father.

We had grown close over the last two years she had been in my life. She had so many qualities that made me proud to be her dad.

The knock at the door saved me from a complete mental breakdown about the tests.

"Yes?" I went to the door and opened it.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mendez, but Daphne's here to see you. She told me she didn't want to wait for an appointment."

"Daphne?" I scoffed. "Did she tell you what she wants?"

Erica shook her head, and I rolled my eyes and groaned. "Fine. Let her in. Next time, call me before coming into my office. She is not particularly the person I'd like to see before beginning my schedules."

"Yes, Mr. Mendez. I'm sorry." She nodded before she turned around and walked away.

I closed the door and walked to my chair, pissed that she had ruined my day before I began it.

"What are they saying, huh, Clyde?" She walked inside, sneering as she slammed the door behind her. "Your bitch probably couldn't wait to see the results!"

I shook my head as I sat down and leaned back in the chair. She was sweating and looked mad for someone who believed the tests would prove I was Annabelle's father.

"Why are you letting her ruin our family? We were happy, and so was Annabelle. This wasn't supposed to happen, and you know it. Doing DNA tests on our child was wrong!"

"Can you stop whining? Annabelle is my daughter. The DNA tests came out, and she's mine." I lied and watched as a smile curled on her face.

She huffed as she leaned toward me. "You see? I told you that Annabelle is yours. Natasha wanted to separate us and contaminate the DNA samples so that they would favor her." She stood behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders.

"I have a lot of things to do today. Do you mind giving me some privacy to work? My driver will come and pick up Annabelle when I knock off."

"Yeah, of course. That's okay," she giggled as she clutched her handbag. "I'll see you later, Clyde."

I looked at her as she walked to the door and left. I knew at that instant what the DNA tests would say, and I picked my cell phone from the counter and called Lanny.

"Clyde. My goodness, I never thought I would get your call. How are you, man?"

"You don't have to pretend you didn't mean what you did with Daphne, Lanny. That's not the reason I called, anyway. I hope you will be a wonderful dad to Annabelle. You owe her that."

"Annabelle?" He scoffed. "I don't get it. Daphne told me she's yours, and I believe her. That kid is yours in every way. There's no way she's mine."

"I told you to stop pretending with me, Lanny. I know you know Annabelle is yours. That's why you're in Seattle, trying to get Daphne to let you be in her life so you can see your daughter."

"Daphne thought this would be for the best. For you and Annabelle. All I want is for her to have a responsible and kind father. She has all that with you, and I don't want to take that away from her, Clyde, please. Forgive me for what happened."

"Can you fucking hear yourself?!" I snarled, punching my fist on the table as I stood up. "You let Daphne lie to me about a child that's not mine! This will never be forgivable, Lanny!"

"I'm sorry," he breathed. "You weren't supposed to know. I wanted to stay away and let you and Daphne raise her together."

I couldn't believe that my gut was right all along. Annabelle wasn't mine, and Lanny had confirmed that without difficulty.

"You'd better pray we don't bump into each other in town because I won't let you go without a scratch for almost ruining my life. I forgave you for sleeping with Daphne, but I won't forgive you for lying to me." I hung up the call and groaned as I pushed the things on my desk to the floor.

They fell with a loud thud, and I sighed before sitting on the chair and catching my breath.

I grunted before I took my jacket and car keys. I got into my car and drove to the clinic for the DNA tests.

I didn't open them until I was in my car.

Letter: “The results exclude Clyde Mendez as the father of Annabelle Emily Jones.”

I sighed when I read that, but it didn't surprise me. I expected those results, even though I thought they might be different so things wouldn't change between me and Annabelle.

I loved her. She was my daughter, and I didn't know how I'd face her when I got home since she'd be spending the night and the next day with me.

It felt like I exchanged her with Kyle, and it felt unfair, especially to Annabelle and Richard. I thought they’d be the ones the news would affect.

"Mommy, Daddy's home!" Annabelle squealed when she saw me walk through the front door.

She rushed to my side as Daphne giggled and jumped into my arms.

"Hey, baby girl." I kissed her cheeks, and she giggled.

"Daddy, I'm not a baby anymore. I'm a big girl now. I'll be six soon, remember?" She laughed.

"You'll always be my baby girl." I kissed her forehead and let her down.

"Do you see how happy she is with us together?" Daphne blushed as she leaned toward me when Annabelle ran to the TV room.

"Surely she would be this happy with her father."

"With her father?" She chuckled. "That's funny, Clyde. Anyway, I brought you lasagna and a red wine."

"I talked to Lanny." I looked at her, slipping my hands into my pockets and wondering why she thought she could fool me.

She did fool me anyway for two years, but to think she could fool me all her life seemed absurd. She was truly a despicable human being.

"You let someone else lie to you again? Why, Clyde? I thought we talked about this because Annabelle is your daughter. I wouldn't have lied to you about that," she scoffed. "You saw the tests!"

I slipped out the folded DNA results paper and gave it to her. When she had read the results, she fell to her knees.

"Clyde, I'm sorry. I —"

"I'll bring Annabelle in the morning before work." I walked past her and went to the TV room.