Chapter 4 - The Betrayal Within
Damian scanned the DNA report for a fraction of a second, his eyes locking onto the definitive line: Probability of Paternity/Maternity: 99.999%. Biological Mother: Noelle Bishop. Biological Father: Damian Marchetti.
He slid the paper across the table toward Noelle. When her eyes caught the matching percentages, a sob caught in her throat, and tears spilled freely down her cheeks. The universe had given her back the children she had wept over every single night for over a year.
"They are ours," Noelle whispered, clutching the paper to her chest. "They really are mine."
"Ours," Damian confirmed, his voice thick with emotion he rarely displayed to the world. He then shifted his attention back to Reyes. "What's happening at headquarters?"
"Cole called an emergency board meeting for tomorrow morning," Reyes reported sharply. "He’s moving to invoke Section 4 of the Marchetti bylaws, claiming you are 'compromised by personal instability and unfit to lead' following the sudden appearance of an unknown woman and three infants claiming ties to your estate. He's staging a hostile takeover, boss."
Damian let out a cold, humorless chuckle. "He thinks he can oust me while my attention is divided. He thinks I'm vulnerable."
"What are you going to do?" Noelle asked, looking up from the babies with fierce determination in her hazel eyes. The broken, exhausted waitress from Rosalie’s Diner was gone; in her place was a mother protecting her cubs.
"We go to the board meeting," Damian said, standing up tall. "We walk through the front doors together, side by side. We show them the DNA test, we expose Cole’s embezzlement and child trafficking conspiracy through St. Jude's, and we dismantle his entire life in front of every shareholder in the city."
"I'm going with you," Noelle said instantly.
Damian looked at her, surprised by her resolve. "Noelle, it's a shark tank. It won't be safe—"
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"They stole my babies," Noelle interrupted, her voice ringing with cold steel. "They made me live in hell for fourteen months while Cole played God with my family. If you think I'm staying behind while you destroy him, you don't know me at all."
A slow, appreciative smile touched the corners of Damian’s mouth. He stepped forward and extended his hand. "Then let's go remind the city who really owns it."
