<b>Chapter </b>164
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<b>58 </b>
Frank stared at the papers, his face ashen, the bat lowering slightly in his grip. The typewritten words swam before his eyes, but certain phrases stood out in stark relief: “twin delivery” and “male infant deceased.”
With a sudden move, he snatched them from Linda’s hands and threw them to the ground. “That’s garbage! What boy and girl? Both my daughters are alive and well!”
Archer collected the scattered papers calmly, smoothing them with practiced hands. “Mr. Morgan, these are authentic hospital records. I can arrange for hospital staff to verify them if you’d like.”
“I don’t need verification of lies!”
“Then perhaps a DNA test would settle this,” Archer suggested, his voice reasonable, almost sympathetic. “If Jade truly is your biological daughter, I’ll apologize profusely andpensate you for the disturbance.”
Frank’s face flushed with anger, a vein pulsing at his temple. “We’re not doing any tests. You’re not taking her blood or anything else.”
“Frank, why are you so against a test if you’re so sure?” Linda asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing as she studied her
husband’s face.
“Because it’s an invasion of our privacy! Because our daughter isn’t some science experiment!” Frank’s voice cracked with emotion, his hands trembling visibly now.
Archer’s eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. “If Jade is my brother’s child, I can’t allow my only niece to remain estranged from her family. If you continue to refuse cooperation, I’ll have no choice but to contact the
authorities.”
“Go ahead! Call them!” Frank challenged, though fear flickered across his face.
I’ll also speak with her school principal,” Archer added, straightening his tie. “I visited Jade beforeing here. I had hoped to avoid disrupting her life before confirming the truth, but you leave me no choice.”
The baseball bat slowly lowered in Frank’s grip as the reality of the situation sank in.
‘Let’s take this inside,” he muttered, shoulders slumping in defeat.
Once the door closed, Frank copsed onto the sofa, head in his hands. The baty forgotten on the floor beside him. Linda paced nervously, her heels clicking on the linoleum floor, while Archer sat in the armchair opposite, maintaining hisposure.
“I’ve raised that girl since she was a baby,” Frank said, his voice hollow, eyes fixed on a water stain on the carpet. “Changed her diapers, taught her to ride a bike, worked double shifts to put food on the table.”
17:14 Wed, Sep 24 <b>B</b>..
“We both have,” Linda interjected, pulling away from Frank’s restraining hand with a sharp jerk. “Do you know how hard it’s been? All these years taking care of a child that isn’t even mine? And we barely have enough money for
ourselves.”
58
Archer leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “If what I suspect is true, you and your husband are the Sullivan family’s benefactors. We would ensure you’re properly thanked for raising my brother’s daughter.”
Linda’s eyes lit up at the implication, calctions running behind her gaze. “We’ve sacrificed everything for these kids. Especially that one. Do you know how difficult she was? Always cold, never grateful-”
“What happened to your brother?” Frank interrupted, looking up at Archer with red–rimmed eyes. “And the mother? Why aren’t they here instead of you?”
Archer’s expression softened slightly, a sh of genuine grief crossing his features. “My brother passed away over fifteen years ago. As for the child’s mother, I don’t know. My brother never knew he had a child. He didn’t abandon
her – he couldn’t have. The mother must have had her reasons…”
A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the ticking of a wall clock and Linda’s nervous fidgeting with her bracelets.
“I found her,” Frank finally whispered, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He looked older suddenly, the weight of a long–held secret visible in the new lines on his face. “Behind themunity hospital. In a cardboard box.”
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