Color left Abelâs face, his mouth set in a firm line.
With icy scorn, Mitchel demanded, âTell me the truth! Or the child wonât live.
I have no patience for anyone who dishonors my family.
â
âYou canât harm the child!â Abelâs voice was full of turmoil.
Mitchelâs silence pressed for an answer.
Finally, Abel admitted, âItâs mine.
â
Mitchel, despite having anticipated the confession, felt a sense of relief.
He had worked hard to regain Raeganâs trust and could not let anything undermine it.
âThe charity gala, wasnât it?â Mitchel asked, his voice steady.
Abel was surprised Mitchel knew about it.
âYou paid a waiter to tamper with my drink, ensuring Katie would end up in my room.
But I never returned, so you acted on your own,â
Mitchel said flatly.
With the lead on Abel, the puzzle pieces fell into place.
Given the rare occasions when Mitchel and Katie were in the same place, and the timing of Katieâs pregnancy, the conclusion was clear.
Mitchel had found a gap in the security footage from the charity gala hotel, which matched the crucial timeframe.
It was clear Abel had interfered with the surveillance.
However, Mitchelâs alertness was a flaw in their plan.
That night, feeling unwell from the tampered drink, Mitchel had Matteo drive him home.
Apart from a slight fever, Mitchel felt okay and thought little of it, attributing the incident to someoneâs attempt to seduce him.
He left the clean-up to Matteo and forgot about the night.
It wasnât until Luciana brought up month of Katieâs pregnancy that Mitchel connected the dots.
Abel lowered his head, resigned.
âYes.
â
That evening, as the plan unraveled, Abelâs thoughts turned to Katie, who was oblivious to the unfolding events.
Abel went back to the room for Katie, not knowing she had spiked her own drink, driven by a fierce desire.
In Katieâs quest for upward mobility, conceiving a child was her primary aim, with little thought for the childâs well-being.
Under the influence, Katie clung to Abel.
Abel found himself unable to refuse her, and they shared a moment of passion clouded by their impaired judgment.
The initial rush of intimacy with Katie, whom Abel had admired, overwhelmed him.
Afterward, despite his better judgment, he repeatedly engaged in intimacy with her.
The revelation of Katieâs pregnancy and the manipulated paternity test were orchestrated by Abel.
Abelâs plan was to keep this secret for as long as possible.
If Katie married Mitchel, he was ready to do anything to protect that lie.
Suddenly, Abel managed to stood up and fell to his knees with a heavy âthudâ on the hard floor.
âKatie doesnât know the truth.
She believes the child is yours,â he said, his voice echoing in the room as he struggled, his forehead bleeding from hitting the floor.
âThis is my fault.
If you want revenge, it should be against me.
â