Chapter 168
Clara’s POV:
The persistent beeping of Finley’s alarm clock yanked me from sleep
at seven in the morning.
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I groaned and buried my face deeper into the pillow, but Finley was
already up.
“Sorry to wake you,” he whispered, buttoning his shirt with quick,
efficient movements.
“I need to go with Ethan to the DNA testing center.
I sat up, rubbing sleep from my eyes.
“The DNA center? Today? ”
“Ethan’s anxious to get the results as soon as possible p>
Finley ran a comb through his hair, checking his reflection in the mirror. “ He barely slept last night p>
“Give me five minutes,” I said, throwing back the covers. “I’m coming
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with you p>
Finley turned to face me.
“You should continue sleeping, Clara. I’ll tell you the results as soon
as we get them p>
“No way,” I said firmly, already heading to the bathroom.
“This involves Audrey too, and I want to be there. I’m coming with
you p>
Twenty minutes later, after the quickest shower and makeup
application of my life, I was dressed and ready.
As we drove through the morning traffic, Finley glanced over at me,
noticing how I kept fidgeting with my ring.
“Try to relax, Clara,” he said, reaching over to squeeze my hand.
“Whatever the results show, it won’t change anything between us and
Audrey p>
“How can you be so calm about this?” I asked, studying his composed
profile.
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“Aren’t you nervous at all p>
Finley’s lips curved into a small smile.
“I’ve known Audrey for years now. If it turns out she’s my sister, that
would be wonderful. If not p>
He shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter. In my heart, she’s already like
family to me p>
His words eased some of my tension, though I couldn’t help
wondering if Audrey would feel the same way if she knew what we
were doing.
We arrived at the DNA testing center.
A receptionist with an impeccable bob haircut greeted us with
practiced professionalism.
Ethan was already there, pacing near the window.
He looked like he hadn’t slept at all, dark circles under his eyes
contrasting with the excited energy radiating from him.
“You’re late,” he said, checking his watch. “I’ve been here for twenty
minutes p>
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“The appointment is for eight–thirty,” Finley pointed out. “It’s eight
twenty–five p>
Ethan ran a hand through his hair. “I know, I know. I’m just…
nervous p>
I exchanged a quick glance with Finley but said nothing.
We checked in at the reception desk, and a technician in a crisp lab
coat approached us.
“Mr. Cole?” she asked, addressing Ethan.
“Yes,” Ethan replied eagerly. “How long will the results take p>
“With our premium service, approximately three hours,” she
explained. “We prioritize accuracy as well as speed p>
“Three hours?” I echoed, surprised. “That’s incredibly fast p>
The technician smiled.
“We use the latest sequencing technology. If you’d like to wait, we
have a comfortable lounge, or you can return later p>
We nodded.
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“Ethan,” Then I said quietly, “have you considered what happens if the
test confirms Audrey is your sister p>
He turned to me, brow furrowed. “What do you mean p>
“I mean, how will this affect her relationship with the Cole family?
With Daisy?” I hesitated.
“Daisy might not be… welcoming p>
Ethan’s expression hardened.
“Daisy will accept whatever happens. She knows how important this is
to me p>
“Daisy’s been the only daughter in your family for years,” I pressed.
“She’s used to being the center of attention. Having another woman-
especially Audrey–suddenly become part of the family p>
“Clara’s right,” Finley interjected. “Daisy can be… territorial p>
“I’ll protect my sister,” Ethan said firmly. “Both of them p>
“This isn’t just about protection,” I argued.
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“It’s about belonging. Audrey’s been rejected before. If she faces
hostility from Daisy p>
“ She won’t! ” Ethan snapped.
He immediately seemed to realize his overreaction and took a deep
breath.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice. It’s just… finding my little
sister has been my lifelong dream. If she’s finally coming back to us, I
won’t let her suffer any mistreatment or feel unwelcome p>
Before I could reply, the technician cleared her throat.
“Please give me the sample now, Mr. Cole p>
Ethan handed her the plastic bag, and she turned to leave.
But something caught my eye–something wrong about the strand of
hair in the bag.
“Wait,” I said suddenly.
The technician paused, looking back at me curiously.
“ Can I … can I see that again? ”
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She hesitated, then held out the bag.
I examined the hair closely, then looked up at Ethan.
“This isn’t Audrey’s hair p>
“What?” Ethan and Finley spoke in unison.
I pulled out my phone and opened my photos.
“Look,” I said, finding a close–up picture of Audrey and me from lunch
yesterday.
I zoomed in on her hair.
“Audrey’s hair is dark brown, almost black in some lighting. This—” I
pointed at the sample “-is more of a golden brown p>
“Are you sure?” Ethan asked, leaning in to look.
“Positive. I notice these things,” I confirmed.
“Plus, when I was putting the hair clip in her hair yesterday, I noticed a small scar on her scalp. She mentioned hitting her head as a child. I was specifically looking at her hair when I took the sample p>
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Finley’s eyes widened in understanding.
“If that’s not Audrey’s hair, then whose is it p>
A tense silence fell over us as the implication settled in.
“Ethan,” I said carefully, “did anyone else handle this sample after I
gave it to you p>
Ethan’s face drained of color.
“Daisy… I caught Daisy with my jacket last night. She said she was
hanging it up, but p>
“She could have switched the hair,” Finley concluded grimly.
“Why would she do that?” Ethan asked, but his voice lacked
conviction.
“Because she’s afraid,” I answered softly. “Afraid of losing her place in
your family p>
Ethan sank into one of the waiting room chairs, looking devastated.
“I told her she would always be my sister. I promised her p>
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“Some people need more than words,” Finley said, sitting beside his
brother.
“Ethan, did you tell her exactly what you were testing p>
“No, but… Ethan closed his eyes.
“She must have figured it out. And then she…” He couldn’t finish the
sentence.
“So what do we do now?” Ethan asked, sounding utterly defeated.
“We go home,” Finley decided. “We regroup and figure out our next
move p>
As we walked back to the car, my mind raced with implications.
Daisy’s desperation was understandable but deeply concerning.
My phone rang just as we reached the car.
I glanced at the screen and felt my pulse quicken.
“It’s Audrey,” I said, showing the screen to Finley.
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We exchanged a meaningful look before I answered.
“Hello, Audrey p>
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Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.