The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 488

Before Joseph could cut him off, Raymond eagerly pressed on. "How about this? Let me show you around the city for the next couple of days. The traffic in Sydville is a nightmare, and navigating the streets on your own can be a huge headache."

"We'll pass. We have our own itinerary, and we won't be needing a tour guide."

Joseph delivered the rejection without a shred of emotion, then turned on his heel and strode back into the hotel lobby.

Raymond wanted to push the issue, but hitting the absolute brick wall of Joseph's icy demeanor, the words died in his throat. He let out a heavy sigh.

Defeated, Raymond pinched the bridge of his nose. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw his mother's name on the screen.

"Hey, Mom..."

On the other end, Cheryl had finally managed to calm Hillary down. Exhausted but desperate for an update, she had immediately called her son.

"Raymond, what happened? They didn't leave for the airport, did they?"

Raymond watched through the massive glass windows of the lobby as Joseph disappeared into an elevator. He turned and leaned against his car.

"Relax, Mom. They're still here. It looks like they're planning to stay and show their kid around the city for a couple of days."

"Thank God..." Cheryl breathed out, the tension draining from her voice. "We just need to be patient. Once the DNA results come back, Vivica will come around."

"Yeah, I think so too. We just pushed her way too hard today."

***

When Joseph returned to their suite, he found Vivica curled up on the couch, scrolling through her phone.

She looked up at the sound of the door closing. "You're back. Did you get the keys?"

He gently rubbed her shoulder, his voice filled with quiet regret.

"Don't say that. It's not your fault. It's just my own mess of a brain," she sighed, leaning into him. "I honestly thought I was ready to face them. But the second I was standing outside that door, the sheer panic just took over."

Resting her head against his chest, listening to the steady, comforting rhythm of his heartbeat, the last of her anxiety finally bled away. She felt safe enough to vocalize her tangled emotions.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm just permanently damaged goods. The way Zebulon and Evelyn treated me... it left this massive, ugly scar when it comes to the whole concept of parents. I know I sound incredibly cold-blooded. Most people would think reuniting with your real family is this beautiful, Hallmark-movie moment. But the very thought of walking into a room full of hysterics and sobbing completely paralyzes me. I just instinctively want to run."

She finished her quiet confession and tilted her head up to look at him. "Am I overreacting? Am I just being overly dramatic about this?"

Joseph looked down, a soft, affectionate smile touching his lips. He shifted his arm, brushing his knuckles gently against her cheek.

"You're not overreacting at all. You were separated from them before you even had the ability to form memories. To you, they are total strangers. There is no emotional foundation here. And let's be honest—they're seeking you out right now because real-world circumstances forced their hand. They might love you in their own way, but that doesn't just instantly erase decades of absence and mistakes. It is completely, one-hundred-percent normal that you aren't ready to welcome them with open arms."