Chapter 4 - The Birth Certificate They Feared
Lauren sent a photograph of Ruby’s original birth certificate.
Anna was listed as the mother.
The father’s name was not Ethan Cole.
It was Charles Cole—Margaret’s late husband and Ethan’s father.
Vanessa laughed with cruel satisfaction.
“The banquet girl is not Ethan’s daughter. She is his sister. Your precious family reunion just became a public disgrace.”
Ruby looked at Ethan in horror.
“You said the test proved he was my father.”
Dr. Crane admitted the laboratory report had been altered.
The original test showed Ruby shared enough genetic material with Ethan to be a close relative, but Vanessa paid him to label it a parent-child match.
She wanted Ethan humiliated before the wedding guests so he would deny Ruby publicly and destroy her credibility.
Ethan turned toward Vanessa.
“You slapped a sixteen-year-old because you thought shame would make her disappear.”
Vanessa answered, “I protected the man I was marrying from a girl who arrived carrying scandal in a canvas uniform.”
Margaret’s voice broke with fury.
“No. You protected access to our trust.”
Charles’s will granted a controlling share of Cole Bridal to any surviving child not previously acknowledged.
If Ruby was his daughter, Vanessa’s marriage would no longer give her access to Ethan’s majority vote.
Ruby did not celebrate.
“I did not come for shares. I came because my mother died believing this family erased her.”
Margaret examined the birth certificate and noticed the attending nurse.
It was Grace Miller, the current head of Cole household staff.
Grace stepped forward.
“Anna gave birth to twins.”
Ruby stared at her.
“Where is the other child?”
May you like
Grace looked directly at Vanessa.
“She has been standing beside you all night.”
