Chapter 7 - Lily’s Birth Certificate
Claire spent that night reading Ethan’s private file.
Most of it was financial.
Bank transfers.
Emails.
Vendor reports.
Then she found a sealed medical envelope.
LILY — PERSONAL.
Claire’s hands trembled.
Inside was a copy of Lily’s birth certificate.
Nothing unusual.
Then a second document.
A paternity acknowledgment.
Ethan’s signature.
And attached to it—
a private DNA test.
Claire stared.
Ethan had tested Lily.
Why?
Her chest tightened.
Had he doubted her?
David answered the next morning.
“No.”
“Then why is there a DNA test?”
“Ethan knew something about his own medical history.”
Claire frowned.
Ethan had been adopted by Walter’s wife, Susan, as an infant.
Walter had always been presented as his biological father.
Vanessa was Walter and Susan’s biological daughter.
But Ethan had discovered something while preparing for Lily’s birth.
Walter was not his biological father.
Claire blinked.
“Ethan knew?”
“Yes.”
Walter had adopted Ethan privately after marrying Susan.
The paperwork was sealed.
Walter never wanted outsiders to know.
Ethan stumbled across it while requesting family medical records.
He confronted Walter.
Walter admitted the truth.
Claire felt dizzy.
“What does that have to do with Lily?”
David explained.
Ethan wasn’t afraid Lily wasn’t his.
He was afraid Vanessa would someday use blood against her.
Because Parker Development’s oldest corporate documents gave voting preference to Walter’s “biological descendants.”
A bizarre clause written decades earlier.
If Ethan was not Walter’s biological son, Vanessa could argue Ethan’s shares—and Lily’s inherited rights—were invalid.
“So Ethan did the DNA test…”
“To establish Lily was his biological child.”
Not to question Claire.
To protect Lily.
Claire’s anger at Ethan dissolved into grief.
“He knew Vanessa would do this.”
“He suspected.”
“What did the test say?”
David looked at her.
“It confirmed Ethan was Lily’s biological father.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Of course.
Then David handed her another page.
Ethan had already challenged the corporation’s biological-descendant clause.
He argued Walter had legally adopted him.
Therefore Ethan had equal inheritance rights regardless of genetics.
Walter had signed an agreement acknowledging that.
Claire looked at the signature.
“So Vanessa can’t take Lily’s shares.”
“Correct.”
“Then why is she still fighting?”
David’s expression changed.
“Because Lily’s shares carry something more valuable than money.”
“What?”
“Voting control.”
Claire stared.
When Ethan died, Lily’s trust became the deciding block between Walter and Vanessa.
If Claire voted Lily’s shares—
Vanessa could be removed from the company.
And the audit could proceed without her interference.
Suddenly everything fit.
Vanessa didn’t need Lily dead.
She needed Lily legally controlled.
And Claire neutralized.
Then David opened Ethan’s final sealed letter.
Claire read the first line.
Claire, if you’re reading this, Vanessa has probably already told you I didn’t trust you.
Claire began crying.
May you like
Ethan knew his sister that well.
👉 Ethan’s DNA test was never evidence against Claire—it was a shield for Lily, and the next page revealed exactly who Ethan believed might try to take that shield away.
