Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 263

“…What did you just say?”

A paternity test?

Why a paternity test—how could it be that?

A surge of shock, confusion, panic—emotions crashed over Amelia all at once. For several seconds, she just stood there, blank and unable to react.

“What’s with that look?” Daniel waved a hand in front of her face. “Got something to hide?”

Amelia summoned every ounce of composure she had, masking her anxiety with a thin veneer of sarcasm. “You’re the one acting suspicious. And by the way, I don’t think you’re using that phrase right.”

Daniel eyed her, studying her expression. “You know, you’re acting really strange right now.”

Amelia had no idea when he’d first started to suspect, or when he’d managed to get a sample for the test. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure he must hear it, but she forced herself to act unfazed.

“Strange, my foot. Let me ask you—did you ever bother telling me you were taking Ruby’s DNA for a test? Because that’s illegal, you know. I could have you arrested for that.”

Daniel raised his eyebrows, as if she’d just told a joke. “We’re still married, Amelia. Even if Ruby’s living with you, I’m still her legal guardian. Unless you’ve remarried behind my back—then you’d be the one in trouble. So, if you really want to call the police, which one of us do you think they’ll charge?”

Amelia couldn’t out-argue him. She gripped the file folder so tightly her knuckles turned white. “You already did the test once. Why do you need another?”

The words tumbled out before she could stop them. “Don’t you trust me?”

Trust—now that was something only people with a close relationship would talk about. Daniel seemed amused, a smile flickering at the corners of his mouth. “Of course I trust you. I just don’t trust that last doctor—who knows if he even knew what he was doing?”

“Wow, just like that, you dismiss years of medical school? I almost feel bad for the guy,” Amelia shot back, edging closer to the door.

Daniel strode forward, blocking her way. He looked down at her, his gaze cool and unyielding. “Why are you trying to run?”

Running was the only thing Amelia could think to do—anything to keep Daniel from seeing the results, to keep him from finding out Ruby was his daughter.

She made a dash for it, but Daniel’s voice stopped her cold. “Go ahead and destroy it—but the results are backed up. I can just have the doctor email me another copy.”

Amelia froze.

After a long moment, all the fight went out of her. She tossed the file onto the table and slumped against the wall, defeated.

What was the point? She couldn’t win this.

Daniel hadn’t even cared about the results at first, but Amelia’s desperate attempts to keep him from seeing them sparked a glimmer of hope.

Why was she so against him looking? Could Ruby really be his daughter?

That tiny hope took root inside him, growing rapidly. Daniel walked over, picked up the folder from the table, and, for the first time, his hands were trembling.