Chapter 379

I checked my watch compulsively as afternoon arrived. Two o'clock. Time for the verdict. Zoe was already waiting in the hospital lobby when I arrived, her pristine suit somehow still unwrinkled despite the day's stress. She gave me a confident smile that made my stomach twist with anxiety. "Ready?" she asked, her voice gentle but excited. I nodded stiffly, not trusting myself to speak. We walked together to the doctor's office, a heavy silence between us. The doctor handed me the envelope first. "The results of your comparative DNA analysis," he said professionally. My hands trembled slightly as I took it. This small piece of paper could rewrite my entire existence. With one deep breath, I pulled out the report and scanned for the conclusion. The relief that flooded through me was almost dizzying. "Well," I said, turning to Zoe with the report extended toward her, "this is your result. Take a look." Her smile froze as she read the paper. The test clearly stated: no genetic relation det