Chapter 2 - THE DNA BETRAYAL
The heavy mahogany doors of the dining room slammed shut as the estate physician, Dr. Vance, rushed in with his medical kit, his forehead slick with nervous sweat. The air in the room was suffocating. Rocco Moretti sat at the head of the long table, the newborn cradled against his chest, refusing to let anyone else touch the child.
"Run the test," Rocco commanded, his voice deadpan yet terrifying. "Swab the baby's inner cheek, and then swab mine. I want results in twenty minutes, not hours."
"Yes, Mr. Moretti—right away, sir," Dr. Vance stammered, fumbling with his sterile latex gloves.
Valentina stood rigidly near the fireplace, her arms crossed, forcing a brittle, defensive smile. "This is absurd, Rocco. You are humiliating me in front of your staff over a street brat's fairy tale and an abandoned infant."
"Silence, Valentina," Rocco warned without looking at her. "If your hands are clean, your tongue can afford to rest."
Sophia stood quietly beside her mother, Elena, watching the medical procedure with wide, intelligent eyes. She leaned closer to her mother and whispered, "The lady in the silk robe is lying, Mama. I saw her shoes earlier when I was cleaning the hall. They had mud on the heels—the same dark mud from behind the kitchen trash area."
Elena gasped softly, covering her daughter's mouth with a trembling hand. "Hush, Sophia! Do not speak unless Mr. Moretti asks you."
Too late. Rocco’s sharp hearing caught the whisper. His head snapped toward the little girl. "What did you say, Sophia?"
Sophia gently pulled her mother's hand away, stepping forward bravely. "I said her shoes were muddy, sir. Hours before I found the baby, I saw Mrs. Moretti walking back from the kitchen exit. Her slippers were ruined at the bottom."
Valentina’s face flushed with sudden panic. "She's lying! A dirty maid's brat is making up stories to curry favor!"
"She doesn't lie," Rocco said softly, standing up to his full, imposing height. He handed the baby back to Elena, who accepted the infant with reverent care. Rocco walked slowly toward Valentina, each footstep echoing on the marble like a death knell. "Sophia has cleaned this estate for a year, and her reports have always been more accurate than my accountants."
Dr. Vance broke the tense silence, lifting a digital reader from his portable lab kit. His face went completely white. "Mr. Moretti... the... the genetic markers match. It is a direct 99.99% paternal match. This... this child is your biological son."
The room erupted into collective shock. The lawyers murmured frantically, and the guards braced themselves.
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Rocco stopped inches from Valentina. His eyes were completely devoid of human warmth. "My son. Born in secret. Stolen from the nursery. And left in a trash heap by someone with access to the master wing." Rocco grabbed Valentina by the throat, lifting her slightly off the floor. "Who helped you, Valentina? Tell me now, or your execution will look merciful compared to what I do next."
The plot thickens as betrayal hits the inner circle! Who is Valentina's hidden accomplice inside the Moretti mansion?
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