Harryâs heart pounded in his chest as he sat across from Dr. Dennison, watching the doctor flip through the boysâ medical files. The gentle hum of the pediatric office seemed distant, as if Harry was underwater. Heâd been there countless times, but this time something felt different.
âMr. Campbell,â the doctor said, his tone unexpectedly serious. âCan we speak in private?â
Harryâs heart rate quickened. Heâd been through endless appointments for Joshâs anemia, but thisâthis felt more ominous. The doctor had asked for this meeting without the boys, and now Harry wondered what he was about to hear.
âOf course,â Harry replied, his voice strained as he stood, glancing over at his sons, who were happily chattering in the waiting room. He had no idea what was coming.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Dr. Dennisonâs words hit Harry like a punch to the gut.
âDid you adopt the boys, Mr. Campbell?â the doctor asked, his gaze steady and filled with concern.
Harry froze, his blood running cold. âWhat do you mean?â He laughed nervously. âTheyâre my sons. Of course, I didnât adopt them.â
âWell,â Dr. Dennison said, âitâs a little more complicated. Your blood type is incompatible with theirs. You and your wife both have type B blood, and the boys⊠their blood types are A.â
Harry shook his head, his mind racing. âThat canât be right. Itâs just a mix-up. Some parents canât donate to their kids, but that doesnât meanââ
âMr. Campbell,â the doctor cut in gently, pushing a folder across the desk. âIâve run a DNA test. I believe thereâs something more here.â
The words hit like a freight train. Harry picked up the papers, his hands trembling. There, in black and white, was the truth. âHalf-siblings,â it said, loud and clear.
Harryâs stomach churned as the realization sank in. âWhat⊠are you saying?â His voice was barely a whisper.
âYour sons,â Dr. Dennison explained quietly, âare your half-siblings. Not your biological children.â
The world seemed to spin. Harry couldnât breathe, his thoughts chaotic. He sat there, his mind reeling. This couldnât be true. This didnât make sense. But the evidence was right there in front of him.
He barely remembered the drive home. His mind was clouded, numb with disbelief. The boysâ laughter from the backseat made his heart ache. Heâd raised them, loved them, been their father in every sense that mattered. But nowânow everything was turned upside down.
When Harry pulled into the driveway, the front door opened, and he saw his father standing there with Josh and Andrew, laughing with them like it was any other day. But Harry felt something shift inside him. The truth was right in front of him, and the walls were closing in.
âWhy are you here, Dad?â Harry asked, his voice strained as he tried to hold his emotions together.
His father, Robert, smiled and waved him in. But Harry couldnât let it go. His fists clenched at his sides. He turned to Josh and Andrew, forcing a smile. âBoys, werenât you supposed to go to Bobbyâs house for game night?â
Josh and Andrew, oblivious to the storm swirling around their father, grabbed their controllers and left, but Harry could feel the anger rising inside him.
Did you sleep with my father, Nancy?â he exploded, turning to his wife.
Nancyâs face drained of color, and Robert, who had been about to speak, fell silent. Harryâs words hung in the air like an accusation, sharp and unforgiving.
Nancy didnât meet his gaze. âHarry has every right to be angry,â she muttered, as if preparing herself for the inevitable fallout. She began to recall the fateful night 13 years ago that had set everything in motion.
Nancy remembered that night in Las Vegas like it was yesterday. The music, the lights, the strangers all around. And Robertâolder, confident, with that irresistible charm. She hadnât been looking for anything, but somehow they ended up in his bed. It was meant to be a one-night fling, something to forget in the morning. But three weeks later, Nancy found herself pregnant. She hadnât even considered telling Robert; he wasnât the kind of man who would stick around.
When she found out, she was devastated but chose to keep the baby. She confided in her friend Anna, who, in a moment of mischief, encouraged Nancy to sleep with Harry. âHe seems nice. Heâll never know.â
Nancy hesitated, but the thought of her child having a father pushed her to make a choice sheâd regret. And so, when Harry proposed months later, Nancy said yes, thinking everything would be perfect.
When Harry finally learned the truth, his anger boiled over. He demanded answers from Nancy and his father, his voice rising with each word. âHow is it that the pediatrician had to tell me my sons are my siblings? How did this happen?â
Robert, defeated, sighed. âIt happened in Vegas,â he admitted, his voice heavy with regret.
âVegas?!â Harry whispered, the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. âThe trip you took right before I slept with Nancy?â
Nancy couldnât meet Harryâs eyes anymore. âYes,â she whispered.
âDid you know you were pregnant already?â Harry asked, his voice shaking with fury.
âYes,â Nancy replied softly, unable to look at him.
âYou baby-trapped me,â Harry said, his voice full of disbelief. âBut not even with my own babies!â
Robert tried to interrupt, but Harry wouldnât hear it. âDNA doesnât lie, Nancy. You and Dadâwhat the hell?â
The truth hung between them like a heavy fog. âWhat about your son?â Harry spat. âWhat about Jake, your son, who you abandoned for 12 years?â
âI didnât want to be a mother,â Nancy muttered, avoiding his gaze.
âYou didnât want to be a mother,â Harry repeated, voice cracking. âWell, I didnât want to be lied to, but here we are.â
âLetâs just wrap this up,â Olivia said, growing more impatient with each passing second. She wanted the full inheritance, plain and simple. She couldnât be bothered with the details. âJust give me my share, and Iâll leave. This isnât going anywhere.â
Rachel laughed softly. âItâs not about the inheritance anymore. Youâve already taken too much.â