Page 31 of A Lie so Dangerous and Fragile

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I wasn’t sure of what to say.

“Show me,” I demanded.

He pointed at a spot on his neck with his long finger. I pushed myself up on my tiptoes to take a look. It looked like a splash of dark paint on his skin. Kayden had it too. I should have paid attention to it.

“It doesn’t prove anything.”

“And I have the DNA result,” he added.

“Wait, what?”

“I wanted to be sure he was really mine, so I stole a strand of his hair when I touched it and took it for a DNA test.”

I recalled him ruffling Kayden’s hair that day at the park.

“How dare you!” I pushed at his chest, getting more furious than ever. “You had no right to do that!”

“I’m his father. I have the right to know!”

“No, you don’t. Kayden doesn’t need you.”

“He is my blood. He is a Sanchester. You can’t change that.”

“He is a Simpson. That’s what is written on his birth certificate,” I said, crossing my arms.

“Oh God,” he grunted, turning around.

He turned away from me for a while, just mumbling curses. He ran both hands through his hair to his neck and finally faced me.

“Why are you doing this? I want to be a part of his life. I lost one child already. Don’t make me lose another one,” he said calmly this time, his voice pleading.

I wondered what he was going to do when he found out about the other twin.

“I don’t care. I plan on bringing him up alone.” Maybe I was stone cold, but he had made me this way.

“Is this your way of punishing me? Lying to me, saying you are married, and hiding my own son away from me?”

“Call it whatever you want. I’m done having this conversation.”

I adjusted my bag and turned to leave, but he stopped me.

“We are not done yet. Tell me where he is,” he demanded, voice tight and eyes begging.

“All you need to know is that he is safe.”

“He is my son. He deserves to know his father. Please, don’t get our kid involved because of what happened in the past.”

“My kid. Mine. He will be involved if it means I protect him from you and your family. He doesn’t need you. Besides, I don’t even see you being a good father.”

My last words hit him. He stiffened like I had just put a bullet in his heart. His face turned pale. He moved away from me, nodding his head slowly. I wanted to take my words back, but I hardened my heart. He deserved nothing from me.

“I know you hate me, but I’m begging you, don’t keep my son away from me. You have every reason to paint me as a bad person, but I swear on my life, I will be the best dad one could ever ask for,” he said softly.

The sadness in his voice made me feel like a monster.

“I’m sorry that I hurt you, but don’t punish me this way, please, Chloe. I want to see him, hug him, and spend a little time with him. I’m his father.”

“No, Tristan. I’m not going to let you take him away from me. You’ve taken enough. I won’t allow you to do that again. He is my everything, and I’ll be dead before I allow you and your family to take him away from me.”

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