The DNA Result
Chapter 08 - The DNA Result
The preliminary DNA result arrived at 3:42 a.m.
Dr. Naomi Ellis entered the library carrying a sealed report witnessed by two independent technicians.
Grant stood.
Ava remained seated.
She had spent the night wanting the result and fearing it equally. If the test failed, she would lose the father she had met three hours earlier. If it matched, she would inherit every unanswered year between them.
Naomi opened the report.
“The probability of biological paternity is 99.9996 percent.”
Grant closed his eyes.
Julian looked toward Ava.
Victoria did not move.
Leonard activated the trust’s next stage. Ava’s shares became legally effective pending court certification. She now controlled forty-two percent of Ashford Global’s voting stock, while Julian controlled twenty-eight. Victoria held twelve through the spousal trust.
The rest belonged to public investors and employees.
Ava had become the company’s largest individual shareholder.
She felt nothing like power.
Grant approached slowly.
“May I hug you?”
Ava nodded.
He held her with the same caution he had shown on the rain-soaked steps. This time, she allowed herself to hold him back.
Julian watched them.
For years, he believed his father’s distance meant disappointment. Now he saw Grant give Ava an emotion he had never asked from him.
Jealousy arrived before he could stop it.
Victoria saw that too.
She moved close to her son.
“She will take your position, your inheritance, and eventually his love.”
Julian pulled away.
“You used my signature to pay your brother.”
“To protect the company you will lead.”
“You keep calling crimes protection.”
Victoria’s face changed.
“You think Grant will forgive weakness? He returned and chose her within minutes.”
Ava heard every word.
She looked at Julian.
“I am not here to replace you.”
“You do not have to intend it.”
Before the argument could continue, Marcus received an alert.
The private laboratory’s secondary facility had caught fire.
The original blood samples and backup data were stored there.
The preliminary report remained valid, but someone was trying to destroy the chain of custody before the court-certified test.
Security footage showed a maintenance van leaving the facility.
The van belonged to Ashford Medical Relief.
Julian’s division.
He stared at Marcus.
“This is being made to look like me.”
Victoria said nothing.
Ava understood the next part of the plan.
If the certified test disappeared and evidence linked Julian to the fire, Victoria could turn brother and sister against each other while claiming legal control as the only stable family member.
May you like
She had lost the deadline.
Now she intended to make the heirs destroy one another.
