Vanessa rested against a stack of pillows. Her makeup was flawless, but her fingers kept twisting the edge of the white blanket.
Grant kissed her forehead.
“You look nervous.”
“I’m fine.”
“After today, there won’t be anything to worry about.”
The physician, Dr. Rachel Meyers, entered with a tablet.
Vanessa had agreed to an advanced prenatal screening because Grant insisted on knowing everything about the baby. He wanted the gender, the health report, and confirmation of paternity before announcing the pregnancy to investors.
Dr. Meyers began the ultrasound.
For several seconds, the room filled with excited whispers.
Then the doctor became quiet.
She studied the screen, checked the measurements, and looked at the tablet again.
Grant stepped closer.
“Well?”
Dr. Meyers turned off the monitor.
“Mr. Holloway, there are two matters we need to discuss.”
Margaret gripped her purse.
“Is the baby healthy?”
“The ultrasound appears normal. However, the pregnancy is considerably further along than the dates we were given.”
Vanessa’s face drained of color.
Grant frowned.
“How much further?”
“Ms. Cole is approximately twenty-two weeks pregnant.”
Grant stared at the doctor.
“That’s impossible. She told me she was twelve weeks.”
No one looked at Vanessa.
Not yet.
Grant’s voice grew sharper.
“What about the paternity screening?”
Dr. Meyers hesitated.
“The noninvasive prenatal test indicates that you are not the biological father.”
The silence that followed was so complete that the soft hum of the air-conditioning sounded enormous.
Natalie slowly lowered her phone.
Margaret’s hand slipped from her purse.
The cake sat untouched in the corner.
Grant gave a short, confused laugh.
“No. Run the test again.”
“The laboratory already repeated the analysis.”
“You made a mistake.”
“The probability of error is extremely low.”
Grant turned toward Vanessa.
She closed her eyes.
“Tell her,” he said.
Vanessa began to cry.
“Grant—”
“Tell her she’s wrong.”
“I was going to explain.”
The pride vanished from his face.
“You let me divorce my wife this morning.”
“I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“You let my family throw a celebration.”
“I thought the baby might be yours.”
“Might be?”
NEXT PAGE
