Chapter 9 - THE RESULT
99.9998%.
Noah was my biological son.
I had never doubted.
Still, seeing the number made me furious.
Because paper had been forced to answer a question my family invented.
Martin filed the result.
Noah’s branch remained scheduled to activate at seven.
That should have ended it.
Instead, Dad called.
“You’re blowing up the family over paperwork.”
I put him on speaker with Aaron present.
“You forged Sarah’s email.”
“I did not.”
“It came from your computer.”
“Your mother handles documents.”
“Did you submit it?”
“I submitted what I was given.”
“Did you believe Noah wasn’t mine?”
Silence.
“Dad?”
“No.”
There.
“Then why submit it?”
“Because the trust structure is complicated.”
“Try again.”
“Ethan.”
“Why?”
He sighed.
“Because Lauren needed time.”
My body went cold.
“For what?”
“Her house situation.”
“What does Noah have to do with Lauren’s house?”
“If his branch activated, the trustees would review historical equalization.”
“What does that mean?”
Another silence.
Then:
“You need to understand we were trying to keep things fair.”
I laughed.
Apple juice.
May you like
Tap water.
Fair.
