Mark was silent for a moment, deep in thought. Then, as if struck by a sudden idea, he turned to her. “What if we took a DNA test?” Emily blinked, caught off guard. “A DNA test? Mark, you don’t seriously think—”
“No, no, of course not,” Mark interrupted, shaking his head. “I know Daniel’s mine. I have no doubts about that. But if we do the test, we can shut my mom up for good. There won’t be anything for her to question anymore.”
Emily hesitated. The idea of taking a DNA test seemed drastic, almost like admitting that Susan’s suspicions had merit, which they certainly didn’t. But at the same time,
She understood where Mark was coming from. He wasn’t doing this out of doubt—he was doing it to protect their family, to end the nagging tension that had been pulling at them for years.
And maybe, just maybe, this could be the key to restoring peace. “All right,” Emily said softly. “Let’s do it.”
The process of getting the DNA test was straightforward, though the emotional weight of it hung heavily over them. Emily and Mark went to the clinic together, and Emily tried to keep her spirits up,
