Chapter 0333

My smile is very, very genuine when Daniel finally bursts into the examination room, because it has been absolute torture waiting

here with Alessi and Natalia without him.

“Ah,” Alessi says, giving Daniel a big smile and taking a minute to wrap his arms around his nephew and kiss him on either

cheek. Daniel goes a bit pale when Alessi holds him tight, pressing his eyes closed, and I laugh a little to myself knowing that

Daniel's hangover this morning was...fierce.

It had taken everything Janeen, Jerome, and I could do to haul him out of bed and get him dressed, but eventually Daniel welled

up the strength to do it because he knew he had to. It’s a big day, after all.

Daniel gives Alessi a pained smile and then his eyes find me.

I raise my eyebrows to him in a silent question and he gives me the tiniest of nods, letting me know it’s done. I lay my head back

against the padded seat behind me, relieved.

Good. At least this one thing went right.

“My Daniel,” Natalia coos, moving forward to him next, taking his fac in her hands and tsking in disapproval. “What did they do to

you last night — you look terrible, my little groom.”

“I did it to myself, Natalia,” Daniel says, giving her a soft smile. Natalia mumbles something about how she can’t possibly believe

that, lifting her fingers to his hair to push it into order, but before she can get very far the doctor comes into the room.

“Ah,” he says, smiling at Daniel. “So, the father has finally arrived.”

“Apologies, Dr. Banks,” Daniel says, tucking away his suffering and reaching out a hand to shake the doctor’s. “I had to visit my

father this morning and the traffic on the way back from the prison was heavier than expected.”

“Sorry to hear that,” the doctor says, his eyebrows going up. Of course, he knows who Daniel’s father is — everyone does. Kent's

arrest has been national news, and our wedding — to my surprise — made the media as well, making the connection between

Kent and Daniel more apparent than it’s ever been.

“Now,” the doctor says, clapping his hands together and smiling between Daniel and I. “I understand that we’re here for a

paternity test!”

Daniel comes to my side now, taking my hand and beaming down at me. “It’s not that we have any actual hesitations here,

doctor,” Daniel says, looking at me and not at him. “But, this baby has two families who crave...assurances. Still,” he looks up

and turns that charming Lippert smile on the doctor again. “We can all rest assured that the results will not be a surprise.”

Natalia and Alessi say nothing as they stand quietly at the side of the room, Alessi beaming as if he has no hesitations at all and

Natalia looking like she doesn’t believe a damn word Daniel's saying.

The doctor, picking up on some of Natalia’s tension, clears his throat. “Well,” he says, “motives aside, the procedure is simple

enough. Mr. Lippert,” he says, nodding to Daniel, “we'll take a DNA sample from the inside of your cheek. And Mrs. Lippert,” he

says —

I grin and laugh a little to hear my new name for the first time —

“We'll take a blood sample from you.”

“Please, doctor,” Alessi says, stepping

forward now, his face curious. “Could

you please explain tug gous."

works are. wa do not

understand how a sample of Fay’s

blood will demonstrate the paternity.

Do we not have to wait until the child

is born?” Please read the original

content at .

“You used to have to wait,” the doctor

says, turning to Alessi. “But

technology has improved sothatiwe

resgen betwee blood

cafries the unborn baby’s DNA. We

will use the blood sample to compare

the baby’s DNA to the potential

father’s,” he says, gesturing towards

Daniel. Please read the original

content at .

“Amazing,” Alessi says, his face

breaking into a wide smile as he

looks between Danjelayd the dadicr.

ar ig Wet you can do now,

with the medical technology.” Daniel

smiles back, but I shift my eyes to

Natalia, who does not look nearly as

impressed. Please read the original

content at .