The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: Officially Divorced I**

Serena nodded slowly, her heart heavy yet hopeful. “He promised he would. I truly believe he is sincere about that part.” Her voice was tinged with a mixture of uncertainty and longing, as if she were grasping at the wisps of a dream that might slip away.

“Aunt, the police are asking if Alice has had any troubles lately. They’re investigating the possibility of foul play,” Lena said, her tone serious and laced with concern. “Nathan mentioned you hadn’t noticed anything unusual, but I distinctly remember Alice was suspended from work—”

“Aunt, I’m so sorry,” Serena interrupted, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s just that I couldn’t bring myself to tell Nathan.”

Lena’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean? What’s going on?”

Serena took a deep breath, her heart racing as she prepared to reveal the truth. “The truth is, Alice and I were exploring the possibility that I might not actually be Victor’s daughter. I submitted samples for a paternity test at Grand Mercy Hospital, but when the results came back, they confirmed that I am indeed Victor’s daughter,” she explained, her voice trembling as she recounted the events. “The laboratory supervisor disposed of the sample so hastily that we were convinced something was off. We argued with him, fearing that the results had been tampered with.”

“I’m so sorry, Aunt. I truly am,” Serena said, her voice thick with regret. “I might have put Alice in a precarious position.”

Lena remained silent, her gaze fixed on Serena, who had lowered her eyes to her trembling hands. After a moment, Lena reached out and gently rubbed her back, offering comfort. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, child. Who’s to say that the supervisor’s actions weren’t just carelessness? That doesn’t automatically imply foul play.”

“And even if you could prove you’re not Victor’s daughter, why would anyone want to harm Alice because of that?” Lena asked softly, her voice soothing yet probing. “What does Victor stand to gain from revealing that you’re not his daughter? Besides, isn’t it true that all of Victor’s accomplices are locked away with him?”

Before Serena could gather her thoughts to respond, Lena’s phone rang, shattering the moment of introspection.

Serena observed as Lena’s expression shifted from resolute determination to a profound sense of defeat. The call ended, and Lena turned to her, a mixture of dread and disbelief etched on her face. “Brandon just called. They identified the man who crashed into Alice’s car. He left a pub just moments before the accident, and multiple witnesses claim he was likely driving under the influence.”

The weight of the revelation sank in, and Lena broke down in tears, her voice breaking with anguish. “How could he be so reckless? Because of his irresponsibility, three lives are now irrevocably altered, including his own.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify