To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 255

For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, Zane didn’t feel the slightest twinge of sadness.

He raised an eyebrow, his tone skeptical. “She was sick, but still made a special trip out here just to give a DNA sample?”

The woman from the village hurried to explain. “She used to work here, you know. Not long after the test, she fell ill. She tried to tough it out alone, but eventually she had to go back to her hometown. And before the doctors could even figure out what was wrong, she was gone.”

As she spoke, she handed over a thick stack of receipts.

“We took Surplus in and cared for her for fourteen years. Fed her, clothed her—everything. Then when she got sick and needed the hospital, we spent a small fortune. These are all the medical bills from the village clinic. You folks should reimburse us for these expenses.”

Zane didn’t even look at the paperwork she was waving.

Quincy Shelton stepped forward. “Don’t worry. Once we’ve confirmed everything, you’ll get every penny you’re owed. Not a cent less.”

The woman grew agitated. “But she’s dead! What’s left to confirm? I’ll tell you now, if you want to take her ashes, that’s going to cost extra too.”

Quincy could see the greed written all over her face. He spoke with a hint of warning in his voice. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. If your story checks out and your daughter is the person we’re looking for, you’ll get what you deserve. But if you’re lying to us… you’ll have to deal with the consequences.”

“It’s all true, I swear.” The woman clammed up after that.

…

Elara found out that Mrs. Lawrence always visited a beauty clinic at Global Horizons International at the same time every week.

Coincidentally, Jason had asked to meet up.

So Elara set the meeting spot at a café right next door to the beauty clinic. She even reserved a table in advance.

At two in the afternoon, Jason arrived first and sent her a quick message.

Standing in the glass corridor on the fourth floor, Elara looked down at Jason, who sat with his back to the clinic. She quickly replied: *“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”*

Jason closed the chat and switched to his trading app to check the markets.

Ryan, who sat beside Elara, was a bundle of nerves. “Are you sure this is going to work?”

Elara’s face was unreadable. “Not sure at all.”

Ryan fell silent, not daring to press further.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Lawrence arrived from the parking lot, surrounded by her assistants and security.

As they neared the clinic entrance, one assistant’s eyes lit up. She pointed toward the café. “Ma’am, isn’t that your son over there?”

Upstairs, Elara’s lips curled in a satisfied smile.

She’d handpicked this actress from the local theater and even used professional software to make sure the woman’s silhouette and style matched the previous photo to perfection.

As the assistant relayed her findings, Mrs. Lawrence was fuming, her chest heaving with fury.

“So yesterday, Jason was with this woman—not that illegitimate child?”

The assistant spoke cautiously. “Maybe the young master has a thing for older women, and he’s been hiding it from you because he’s afraid you’d disapprove?”

Mrs. Lawrence stamped her foot in frustration. “Who is this woman? Why haven’t I gotten her information yet?”

Elara watched the scene unfold, her smile fading. She turned to Ryan. “We should split up. Go upstairs, catch a movie, and leave later.”

“You’re not going to stick around?” Ryan was still eager for more drama, but Elara was already heading for the elevator.

Meanwhile, Jason’s phone rang. It was his mother. His face darkened, and his glare could have cut glass as he turned to the woman still clinging to him.

“Who told you to come here?”