So I did not punish him for it.
I took one final sealed envelope from the portfolio.
“Yes.”
Walter immediately said, “You cannot possibly know without—”
“DNA testing?”
I looked at him.
“Already done.”
Colton went still.
Walter’s face emptied of color again.
I handed the envelope to Colton.
“I had testing performed through an accredited lab before coming here.
Daniel has the chain-of-custody records and full report.”
Colton looked at the envelope but did not open it.
“How did you get my sample?”
Daniel answered carefully.
“Through a lawful comparison using an existing medical genetics sample Mr.
Hayes had previously consented to have stored and used for familial matching under the provider’s authorization terms.”
Walter turned on him.
“You had no right—”
Daniel did not flinch.
“The process was reviewed before any filing or disclosure was made.”
Colton finally opened the envelope.
He read silently.
Then he looked at the four children.
His eyes filled.
“Four?”
I nodded.
“All four.”
The ballroom had become so quiet that the distant clink of glassware from the hotel corridor sounded loud.
Colton lowered the report.
“I’m their father.”
It was not a question anymore.
“Yes.”
Celeste turned away.
For a moment I felt sorry for her.
She had not created this lie.
She had walked into a wedding believing the man beside her was free of unfinished history.
She looked at Colton.
“Did you know any of this?”
“No.”
She studied his face and seemed to believe him.
Then she removed the engagement ring from her finger.
Walter stepped toward her.
“Celeste, this can be handled privately.”
She gave him a stunned look.
“That seems to be how your family creates disasters.”
She placed the ring on a nearby table.
“I’m not getting married while four children discover their father exists in the middle of our ceremony.”
She walked away from the altar, her mother following behind her.
Walter called after her, but she never turned around.
The wedding was over.
Not because I had demanded it.
Not because I had exposed some secret affair.
Because the truth had arrived and made pretending impossible.
Walter turned back toward me.
His embarrassment became anger.
