Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 529

Chapter 529

That question of how the DNA report could have come back as a match was one Diana had already considered long ago. She had even discussed it with Leon.

His explanation had been cautious and vague. “There’s always a margin of error in genetic testing. Mistakes can happen.”

But then he had added another possibility-one that made far too much sense. Maybe the sample itself had been swapped.

Maybe Penelope and Megan already knew who the real Vee was. Maybe they had prepared a fake specimen ahead of time and bribed someone inside the testing center to make the exchange.

After all, who had physically delivered the samples to the lab? Leon himself. And who else could have tampered with them if not someone close to him, like his secretary?

Diana had no intention of exposing his little affair. She was done caring about such things and certainly wasn’t about to waste energy fighting with a man she was about to divorce, especially over a secretary.

She had bigger problems now and didn’t have time to explain her suspicions to James.

“Figure it out yourself,” she said curtly.

At her assistant’s cue, she hung up and strode into the conference room.

Just before crossing the threshold, she stopped mid-step, turned sharply, and dialed another number.

“Duncan? You’re at the old estate, right? Good. Do me a favor. Pull up the security footage from Grandpa’s birthday party.

“Yes, from the moment Leon arrived to collect the DNA samples. I want every angle from the first floor. Copy everything and send it to my email.”

Then it hit her-the swap might not have happened at the lab at all. It might have happened right under their noses. The most dangerous kind of deception was the kind that hid in plain sight.

Meanwhile, Sydney was driving back to Delta Mansion. Even though rush hour traffic was a nightmare-bumper to bumper, barely moving-nothing could spoil her mood.

Everything finally felt right. She wasn’t a burden to Julian. She wasn’t dragging him down with her past. It was a relief.

At a red light, she rested one hand on her gently rounding belly, her expression soft and glowing.

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‘Baby,’ she thought tenderly. ‘Tonight we’ll tell Daddy the truth… That you’re his little one. He’ll be happy, won’t he?’

She couldn’t be completely sure. Maybe he wasn’t ready to be a father. But he wouldn’t reject it either. He wouldn’t reject them.

Her smile deepened.

Sydney pulled into the villa’s driveway and parked. Just as she turned off the engine, her phone rang. The Caller ID showed “Jules” now instead of “Brother.”

She answered immediately, but the voice on the other end wasn’t Julian’s.

“Ms. Wilson, it’s me, Elliot,” came the anxious voice. “Mr. Sterling had to leave the country on urgent business. He left in such a rush he forgot his phone. He’s already on the plane, and I didn’t want you to worry if you couldn’t reach him.”

“He went abroad?” Sydney froze. “And you didn’t go with him?”

In her memory, whenever Julian traveled for work, Elliot always went along.

There was a pause before Elliot replied, “No, Ms. Wilson. It all happened so suddenly. Mr. Sterling just transferred a large portion of shares from Madam Sterling’s holdings, and he was worried she might try something while he’s away. Hence, I stayed behind to keep watch.”

“I see.” She nodded, though something about his story didn’t sit right. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it

“Alright. Thank you for letting me know.” She hung up and stepped out of the car.

A sharp autumn wind swept through the courtyard, chilling her to the bone. Before she could close her coat, she spotted Agatha nearby, one hand on her cane, the other clutching a cashmere shawl.

Sydney hurried over instinctively, but Agatha’s face went pale with alarm.

“Don’t run! Walk slowly!” she scolded. “You’re pregnant, girl!”

No matter that Sydney was soon to be a mother herself-in Agatha’s eyes, she was still just a girl.

With a sigh of fondness and mild exasperation, Agatha draped the shawl around her shoulders.

“The temperature drops fast at dusk,” she murmured. “Keep an extra coat in your car. Even a few steps outside can chill you and harm the baby”

Sydney listened patiently, not the least bit annoyed. She slipped a hand under Agatha’s arm to support her. “How’s your leg today? Is the swelling any better? You shouldn’t have come out in the cold to meet me. If you were worried, you could’ve just sent a maid. What if you slipped?

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