Chapter 452 Shane Discovers the Truth
Shane had barely stepped outside when he encountered Grace. With an unreadable expression, she glanced at him and said softly, "Grandpa, the weather report predicts snow. Where are you headed? If it's not urgent, perhaps it's best to stay indoors."
Ordinarily, Shane might have taken her concern at face value. However, with suspicions already clouding his mind, her inquiry seemed overly intrusive, almost as if she were trying to deter him from discovering the truth.
Maintaining his composure, Shane replied, "I'm catching up with an old friend over coffee. I'll return later."
race offered a subtle smile. "Let me join you then! I can keep an eye on you and ensure you're safe."
A brief frown flickered across her brow, betraying a hint of irritation, but Shane was firm. "No need. It's just a casual chat between old friends. You wouldn't find it interesting. Besides, I have a driver. I'll be fine."
Grace conceded, "Alright, Grandpa. Just take care."
Shane nodded and departed. As his car vanished from sight, Grace's expression turned icy. She followed him in her own car, wary after the previous paternity test incident. Shane, now more vigilant, chose a different testing center and waited outside for the results, masked for anonymity.
Grace, watching from a distance, felt a wave of anxiety. The thought of Shane doubting her again, especially after Patricia's departure, troubled her. Despite her efforts to endear herself to him, Shane's affection remained distant, his smiles forced and devoid of their former warmth.
She was aware of Shane's ongoing communication with Patricia but hadn't anticipated another paternity test. The lengths she had gone to manipulate the previous results weighed heavily on her, yet Shane's persistence and his personal collection of the results underscored his growing doubts.
Unable to tamper with the test this time, Grace stood by, engulfed in anxiety and a sense of powerlessness.
Less than three hours later, the results were ready. Shane, seated on a bench near the entrance, held the envelope containing the report. Apprehensive about the possibility of the results challenging his suspicions, he inhaled deeply to calm himself. His hands trembled as he carefully opened the envelope.
Bypassing the preliminary pages, Shane turned directly to the final page for the conclusive result. It read starkly: Sample A and Sample B are related by only 0.001 percent, indicating no biological relation.
The revelation caused Shane's hand to shake uncontrollably, his heart echoing the tremors. A tightness enveloped his chest, and tears brimmed in his eyes. The truth was undeniable—Grace was not his biological granddaughter, nor was she Elise's daughter. The fog of doubt that had clouded his mind dissipated in an instant.
He pondered why he had felt an innate connection to Patricia from their first meeting, why Patricia had an inherent talent for jewelry design, and why Grace exhibited such cruelty. The answers became clear: Patricia was the true bearer of the Koch family legacy, while Grace was an interloper. The realization that he had wronged his own kin in favor of a deceitful outsider filled him with indignant rage.
Yet, this revelation spawned more questions. Why had the previous paternity test with Patricia shown a discrepancy? How did Grace learn of his search for his granddaughter? What allowed her to utter his daughter's name upon their first meeting? Furthermore, why had investigations confirmed her as Elise's daughter, and why did the DNA test conducted upon Grace's arrival match with the household?
Resolving these mysteries would demand time and diligence. Shane, clutching the report, leveraged his cane to stand and departed from the center. Once home, he secluded himself in his study, intent on piecing together the puzzle. Despite his determination, the connections remained elusive.
As time slipped away silently, night fell without him noticing.
A sudden knock on the door snapped him back to reality. "Come in!" he called out.
Grace entered, balancing a tray with a grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. She placed the tray on the desk, smiling warmly. "Grandpa, you missed dinner, and everyone's been worried. Please, have something to eat."
Shane glanced at the tray but made no move to eat.
Grace, concern etching her features, sat down across from him. "Grandpa, what's wrong? You've been cooped up here all day."
Meeting her gaze squarely, Shane's expression remained unreadable.
Feeling her heart pound yet maintaining a facade of innocence, Grace touched her face and asked, "Grandpa, why that look? Is there something on my face?"
Shane didn't beat around the bush; he placed a paternity test report right in front of her.
At the sight of the manila envelope, Grace's body quivered ever so slightly. "What's this?" she stammered.
"Just take a look," Shane said, nodding towards the envelope.
Grace hesitated, reluctant to delve into its contents. "Perhaps I shouldn't... What if it's private..."
Shane, visibly annoyed, interrupted, "If I'm showing it to you, it's meant for your eyes."
"Okay... okay..." Grace acquiesced, her fingers trembling as she opened the envelope.
As she unfolded the documents, the words "Paternity Test" leapt out at her, sending her mind into a void, her body trembling as if engulfed by an icy chill.
Why was Shane presenting this to her? Was this a confrontation?
Noticing her paralysis, a hint of scorn flashed in Shane's eyes. "Go on, read it."
Overcome with fear and panic, Grace's hands shook as she withdrew the result.
Resigned, she read through to the last page, where the stark reality awaited her: the match probability between Sample A and Sample B was a mere 0.001%, irrefutably denying any biological link. In that instant, despair enveloped her.
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