A Son Without Proof
Chapter 05 - A Son Without Proof
The DNA results arrived the following morning.
Adrian stared at the screen.
Probability of paternity: 99.98%.
He read it again.
Then again.
Eli was his son.
For ten years, Adrian had attended charity galas, purchased companies, appeared on magazine covers, and returned every night to an empty apartment.
Meanwhile, his child had been living in rented rooms and cheap motels less than forty miles away.
Adrian found Eli sitting in the penthouse living room.
The boy looked uncomfortable among the expensive furniture.
"Am I in trouble?" Eli asked.
"No."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
Adrian sat across from him.
There was no perfect way to say it.
So he chose the truth.
"Eli, I knew your mother a long time ago."
"I know."
"She and I cared about each other."
Eli watched him carefully.
Adrian swallowed.
"I took a test."
"What kind?"
"A DNA test."
Eli's face changed.
Children understood more than adults imagined.
"Are you my dad?"
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
Eli said nothing.
Adrian had expected tears.
Questions.
Maybe happiness.
Instead, the boy stood.
"Then where were you?"
The words cut through him.
"I didn't know."
"Mom knew."
"Your mother tried to tell me."
"But you didn't come."
"I never got the chance."
Eli backed away.
"My mom worked two jobs."
"I know."
"Sometimes she didn't eat dinner so I could."
Adrian's eyes burned.
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Eli's voice broke.
"You had all this."
He gestured around the penthouse.
"And we had nothing."
Adrian had negotiated billion-dollar deals without losing his composure.
But he had no defense against his son's anger.
"You're right."
Eli stared at him.
Adrian continued.
"I can't change the ten years I missed."
The boy wiped his face.
"But I can spend the rest of my life trying to deserve whatever time you allow me."
Eli looked away.
"First find Mom."
Adrian nodded.
"That's exactly what we're going to do."
At that moment, Marcus entered.
"We found Rachel's car."
"Where?"
"Abandoned near Pier Seventeen."
"Anything inside?"
Marcus hesitated.
"Blood?"
"No."
Adrian exhaled.
"But we found her phone."
"Good."
Marcus's expression remained grim.
"It had one outgoing voicemail."
"To whom?"
"You."
Adrian stared at him.
Marcus held out the phone.
May you like
And for the first time in eleven years, Adrian heard Rachel's voice.
"Adrian... I'm sorry. Your father wasn't the only one who lied to us."
