His Hidden Family My Ruined Marriage (Liana) novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48 You’ll Be His Mother

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She pulled into her apartment’s parking spot and looked at the little boy still strapped in his car seat, contentedly playing with a toy car.

He felt her gaze and tilted his head up, flashing her a wide, sweet smile.

Her frustration melted into a reluctant smile.

Theo’s sweet nature reminded her of the Elian she’d first met-charming, gentle.

A light drizzle was falling. She got Theo out of the car, planning to make him some scrambled eggs for dinner.

Then she noticed it—a black, older-model sedan parked a distance away. She couldn’t see who was inside, but she felt a prickle of unease, a sense of being watched.

Once bitten, twice shy. She wasn’t taking any chances. She hurried inside with Theo.

“Sir, should I ask her to come over?”

“No need. Let’s go.”

The man in the back seat closed the file he was reading and instructed the driver to leave.

When Liana’s doorbell rang again, it was past eight.

The drizzle had thickened into a steady rain.

She opened the door. “What happened to you?”

“Car broke down on the road. Took half a day to get a tow. Mind if I use your shower?”

Elian was drenched. He didn’t wait for an answer, slipping past her and heading straight for the bathroom.

Something felt off about his story, but before she could pinpoint it, Lily called.

She answered, “Hello?”

“Hey, I forgot to tell you. I sent their hair samples to the lab. We should have results within a

week.”

“How did you manage that? Labs don’t just run paternity tests for anyone.”

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Chapter 48 You’ll Be His Mother

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Liana hadn’t expected Lily to get the test done, and honestly, she didn’t want to deal with anything involving Elian and Anya.

“I went on a date with Xander. Forgot to mention that too. We’ve been texting. I told him I have a cousin whose husband is cheating, and they have a kid. She wants a fair settlement, but he’s denying paternity. Simple story.”

Lily laid out her scheme with clinical efficiency.

Liana was momentarily speechless, unsure whether to be more concerned about the date or the

DNA test.

“Liana? You’re not mad, are you?”

“You’re doing this for me. Why would I be mad? It’s just-”

“Oh crap, Xander’s calling me. Gotta go!” Lily hung up abruptly.

Meanwhile, on the sofa, Theo was happily gnawing on the TV remote.

“Hey, that’s not food!” Liana walked over and took it from him.

Theo, deprived of his new teething toy, stared at her for a second, his lip trembling, and then-

“Waaaaaah!”

The bathroom door flew open. Elian, shirtless and still damp, leaned out, his expression tense. “What happened?”

“I didn’t hit him!” Liana explained hastily, her eyes skittering away from his bare chest.

He caught her flustered reaction, but only said, cool as ever, “If he’s crying, just comfort him. Don’t try to shove the remote in his mouth.”

Liana turned back just in time to see that Theo had retrieved the remote and was chewing on it again.

She tried to explain, but Elian had already closed the bathroom door.

Do I sound like a wicked stepmother?

“It’s dirty.”

She hesitated for only two seconds before gently prying the remote from Theo’s grip again.

He felt it leaving and started wailing again.

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Chapter 48 You’ll Be His Mother

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