Chapter 16 - THE FAKE DNA TEST
The fake DNA report was six months old.
Same private clinic network as Dr. Reeve.
Same billing account: M-5.
Victoria had prepared two possible stories.
If Julian cooperated, Maya was his daughter and he deserved custody.
If Julian became inconvenient, Maya was not his daughter and he could be removed from the trust fight.
Everyone was disposable.
That was Victoria's real system.
Julian read the fake report and laughed once.
"She was going to erase me too."
I said nothing.
He looked at me.
"You were right about one thing."
"Which?"
"I never looked closely enough."
It was the closest he came to understanding what I had finally understood in that foyer.
Not seeing was still a choice when the evidence kept standing in front of you.
The certified DNA result was filed under seal.
Maya did not need to hear adults debate whether she belonged to someone.
She belonged to herself.
Gideon surprised me by saying that first.
Then Blackwood counsel discovered one final corporate trap.
Vance Group had a change-of-control clause tied to Maya's trust.
If her voting stake was restored suddenly, three lenders could demand repayment.
Saving her shares could bankrupt the company and cost three thousand employees their jobs.
Julian expected me to use the clause as revenge.
So did the press.
I did not.
I negotiated a restructuring.
Blackwood Residential extended maturities.
Ross Capital was bought out at a discount.
Independent directors replaced Victoria's allies.
Maya's shares remained in trust with a professional trustee until she was twenty-five.
No parent could vote them alone.
Not me.
Not Julian.
Not Gideon.
That decision shocked my father.
"You don't want control?"
"I want Maya to grow up without being turned into a voting block."
He smiled.
Then Harrison entered with bad news.
May you like
Someone had leaked the assault footage to a tabloid.
And the leak came from inside Blackwood Holdings.
