<b>Chapter </b><b>100 </b>


    Mason


    “I have no idea what you are talking about,” Mr. Johnson said.


    His eyes moved around in his socket, refusing to settle on anything, finched forward, sping my hand


    “Did you lie to me?”


    I did not want to believe that he had been deceiving me all along, “I did not,” he said.


    “You’re hiding something from me.” His reaction to what I said was proof of this. “If you tell me the truth, I won’t me you for lying. I would not even ask you why you lie. But if you try to deceive me one more time.” I gritted my teeth.


    “I swear I’ll make sure this office of yours goes out of existence and you will be cklisted in this industry.“I paused, leaning back into the chair, with my legs wide apart, to establish dominance.


    “I’ll make sure you can’t even feed your family, no matter how hard you work.” My lips pulled to the side, “Trust me, I can do that without lifting a finger.”


    Those words finally got to him, and he lifted his eyes. He grabbed one of the two water bottles in front of him and gulped <b>it </b>down. Sunlight streamed into the office.


    “I called you some weeks ago to inform you that I had some information about what I was asked to search for.” He began, and I nodded.


    It was the night I took Zoe out to have dinner because she had refused to eat. It was <b>since </b>that day he began avoiding my calls.


    “I had a visitor the next day. Someone I never thought would walk into these four walls, and she said the same thing you just said. can’t help but think you and Miss. Brooks are alike when ites to threats.” Heughed at his own joke.


    I squinted, not finding him funny. “Lydia was here?”


    “Yes.” He paused, then <b>stood </b>and walked to his table. “She made a request which I was unable to reject.”


    “What did she say?” Mr. Johnson walked around the table, leaned down, and opened one of the drawers.


    “She got a whiff of the fact that I was investigating her past. She wasn’t pleased.” He came back to his seat with a brown envelope.


    ed one hand over the brown envelope. “She threatened me, so I had “Thea information was what she told me to say.” He wiped no choice. At first, I didn’t want to meet you because I didn’t want to lie to you.”


    It was now making sense why he had given so many excuses. Why did he avoid my calls? But what could he have found out to warrant Lydiaing <b>over</b>? What did Lydia want to hide?


    “I’m sorry about that.” He raised the brown envelope, “This was what I found out and wanted to tell you.” I reached for it and brought out the content.


    “Lydia wasn’t in aa. She was saved by a nurse and met her mother. However, the fire incident affected her, and she had her babies prematurely.” There were pictures. I pulled the table closer and scattered the pictures all over it


    “Babies?” Lasked, raising one of the pictures which showed two babies being held by Lydia.


    “She had twins.” Two separate pictures of them, probably at two years old. I hold both pictures, studying them. “A boy aid i Mr. Johnson added. The twins looked familiar, as if I had met them before,


    “Lydia returned five months ago alone. Later, her mom came with her children.” Mr. Johnson pointed to a picture of a wom probably in herte forties, leading both twins towards a car. At the side was a woman spreading out her hand to wee them.


    “Lydia,” I muttered underbreath, slowly tracing her face with my finger.


    But here is the thing, the girl looks so much like you. I had aparison test carried out, and it turns out 86% of her facial <b>features </b>are the same as yours. The boy, on the other hand, looks so much like his mother.”


    He paused, his gaze softened, “The report…” he painted to a paper I had brought out from the envelope. I picked it, “it says there’s a 60% chance that you and the girl are rted, based on your facial features alone.”


    I picked it and quickly scanned the content. He was right. The girl looked familiar, and that was when it clicked. I had seen the <b>boy </b>in the hospital, and he told me he had a sister who looked like me.


    My mind reverted back to our first meeting and then to the second meeting. We had met coincidentally, and he had introduced his


    sister to me.


    How did I forget that? I brushed the meeting and the fact that the girl looks like the female version of my younger self to the back <b>of </b>my mind. I never considered the possibility that she might be my daughter,


    My entire body began to tremble. I took arge breath, trying to steady myself. Mr. Johnson wasn’t speaking, so I looked up at him.


    “Is this all you found<b>?</b><b>” </b>Trying to keep myposure was the hardest, but I had to keep reminding myself that I couldn’t break down here. I had to be strong and listen to <b>all </b>he had to say first.


    “I also conducted a DNA test between you and Mnie, just to be sure before I told you.”


    He called her name. He called her Mnie. Even if he didn’t do the test, it was already clear that this little girl smiling brightly at the camera was my daughter.


    “The test came out positive. You are her father.” I closed my eyes and felt something warm slide down,


    “Not just the girl, they are twins, I mean, you know…”


    “They are my children. They are mine.” I felt my heart squeeze. To think I have been living a good life, not knowing I had twins.


    I med Lydia for carrying another man’s child and abandoned her. Five yearster, it turned out I didn’t just abandon Lydia, but i abandoned our twins.


    At the thought of that, I slipped out of my chair, and my knees hit the floor with a thud. My back shook, and I let it all out and lost theposure I was trying to keep.


    I returned to the hospital, the procedure was still on, but I couldn’t find Lydia. She had moved M matter how hard I tried or how much string I pulled, I wasn’t able to find them.


    nother ward and no


    Daniel ced a hand on my shoulder. He looked sad, too. “I’m sorry you have to find out this way. But you should stop ming yourself.” We <b>are </b>seated on a bench in one of the hallways.


    People bristled around. The strong smell of antiseptic and bleach hung in <b>the </b><b>air</b>.


    “She was arrested and had an affair with your stepdad at the same time.” He <b>paused </b>not knowing if he had spoken out of line.


    But he hasn’t, he only spoke the truth, and I couldn’t me him for that. She killed my mother’s husband, but couldnTE


    for that.


    <b>“</b><b>Anyone </b>in your shoes would have done the same.” Daniel was trying to console me. I knew and I appreciated it, but that vend eet change the truth.


    “I don’t care about the entire murder process anymore. It doesn’t change the fact that I wasn’t there when she needed me have never been in my twin’s life.” I paused, feeling a sharp pain in my chest.


    I left the hospital with a resolve.


    I may not have been part of the twins‘ lives from the start, but all that is going to change now. From what happened earlier, it was clear that Lydia didn’t want me in their life. Ipletely understand. If I were in her position, I’d probably not want me either.


    However, I would not allow that to deter me. I would keep trying to win her and the twins over.


    I got a call from Zoe the next day, she informed <b>me </b>that the surgery was sessful. She was still in the hospital and would be remaining there for the next week.


    I thought that week was enough to have a chance to speak with Lydia. But I have never been so wrong


    Lydia refused to speak to me. I couldn’t even get her to see me. She was taking care of Mnie at the hospital. I tried reaching for her at home but it was impossible.


    Two weeks went <i>by </i>without being able to see her. When Daniel informed me that she would be in the office for an emergency meeting, I decided to seize the opportunity to speak to her.