Chapter 3 - The DNA Dilemma
The private medical clinic in Boston was locked down under tight security when Elliot, Naomi, and Bella arrived forty-eight hours later. Elliot had flown them in on a private helicopter to avoid the reporters who had already begun to gather outside Naomi’s Cape Cod home.
Bella was fascinated by the helicopter ride, clutching her Ellie Elephant toy and pressing her nose against the glass, while Elliot watched her with a look of pure, unadulterated awe. He couldn't stop looking at her little hands, her laughter, the way she mirrored his own expressions.
Inside the clinic, a soft-spoken nurse took the cheek swabs from both Elliot and Bella. The process took less than five minutes, but for Elliot, it felt like an eternity.
“The results will take exactly twenty-four hours to process, Mr. Vance,” the chief physician said, bowing slightly. “We will deliver them to your penthouse personally.”
As they left the clinic through the underground garage, Elliot turned to Naomi. “Come stay at the penthouse tonight. It’s the most secure building in the city. The paparazzi have already tracked your address in Cape Cod. Going back there right now isn't safe for Bella.”
Naomi hesitated. The penthouse was the place where they had spent their final, passionate weeks together before everything fell apart. It was filled with ghosts. But looking down at Bella, who was yawning and rubbing her eyes, she knew she had to prioritize her daughter’s safety. “Only until the results come in, Elliot. Then we figure out a permanent arrangement.”
The Vance penthouse was exactly as Naomi remembered it—sleek, modern, towering over the Boston skyline. But there was a new, cold emptiness to it now, a reflection of the lonely life Elliot had lived since she left.
While Bella fell asleep in one of the guest bedrooms, exhausted from the day's travels, Elliot and Naomi stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the harbor.
“I bought her a gift,” Elliot said quietly, breaking the silence. He walked over to a closet and pulled out a massive, beautifully crafted wooden dollhouse, complete with tiny, intricate furniture. “I had my assistant source it yesterday. I didn't know what she liked... but I remembered you used to talk about wanting a dollhouse when you were a kid.”
Naomi felt a lump form in her throat. He remembered. After three years of separation and a brief marriage to another woman, he still remembered the small childhood stories she had whispered to him in the dark.
“She’ll love it, Elliot,” Naomi said softly, stepping closer to him. “You don't have to buy her affection, though. She already likes you. She called you the 'bye-bye man' because she remembered your face from the airport gate.”
Elliot turned to face her, his eyes dark with emotion. “I don't want to buy anything, Naomi. I just want time. I want the three years I lost. I want to know her favorite color, her favorite food, what makes her cry, what makes her laugh.” He reached out, his hand hovering near her cheek, waiting for permission. “And I want to know if there's any room left in your heart for the man who let you go.”
Before Naomi could answer, the silence of the penthouse was shattered by the sharp ringing of Elliot’s personal phone. It was Marco, his head of security.
May you like
“Boss, we have a massive leak,” Marco’s voice sounded urgent, tight. “A major tabloid just published an exclusive article. Someone leaked the photos of you and Naomi at the clinic today. And worse... they’ve published an old medical record from three years ago, claiming Naomi targeted you for a payout.”
Naomi’s face went pale as she heard the words through the speaker. The media circus had officially arrived, and it was engineered to destroy her reputation.
