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“I’m sorry. I’m fucking what?”

“Your parents adopted you at birth.”

Even as he shook his head, the truth of what she said took root.

“My mother told you that?”

“Yes.”

His mind was reeling. The certainty of who he was that had ridden with him his whole life bailed on him.

“Why? Why didn’t my parents… the people who raised me, not tell me in all this time?” They had fifty fucking years.

“I’m not sure Manny. I think it was too hard for them.”

Emmanuel scoffed. Then he realised Ivy didn’t look relieved after dropping the truth bomb of a lifetime on him. If anything, she looked more nervous. All her ‘tells’ were blaring.

What in the fuck?

“The rest Doc. Tell me the rest of it.”

“While I was in Alberta… No, the reason I went to Alberta was to see Jasmine Journee.”

“And did you see her?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Even after our lawyer advised us not to contact her directly under any circumstances?”

“Yeah. Like I was saying, when we parted ways, I was certain she had never met you. I suspected who it might have been, but at the time it didn’t seem plausible.”

“Doc. You gotta spit and spell this shit out.”

“The paternity test proves you are biologically the father of Jasmine Journee’s son.” The certainty with which she made her declaration was a slap in the face. She’d just apologised for doubting him.

“I’m not!” he ground out.

“No, Manny, you are biologically his father.”

Again, what the fuck? Pain rocked him to his core.

“But of course, you’re not his father.”

This time Emmanuel voiced his confusion, “Doc…” He drew out her name. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You know I love my science, but while it gives you facts, it doesn’t give you the full picture. Once I found out you were adopted, it all made sense.”

“What does my adoption have to do with anything?”

“You have a brother, Manny. More specifically, you are a twin.”

Ivy’s mouth was still moving, but he couldn’t hear a damn thing. He stood and walked out of the room. Water, yeah what would help? In the middle of drinking his second glass, he felt her hand on his forearm.

“Manny?” she called softly.

“Yeah.” Emmanuel managed to answer from the deep fog he was in.

“I know this is a lot?—”

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