Sixty Days In The Billionaire's Arms

Chapter 13

Nate’s Pov

The photo on Serena’s phone felt like a punch to the gut. My mother’s face in the background, watching my father with Serena’s mom. Diana wasn’t done. Not even close. Serena’s hand shook as she held the phone, her body pressed tight against mine on the balcony. The city lights blurred below us, but all I could focus on was her— the way her breath hitched, the fear in her green eyes.

“It’s not true,” I said, taking the phone from her and setting it face down. I pulled her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her like I could block out the whole world. “The test was clear. Robert is your dad. Diana’s just trying to mess with our heads again.”

Serena clung to me, her fingers bunching in my shirt. “But the tampering… Marcus said the samples were messed with. What if she’s right? What if everything we just celebrated is about to fall apart?” Her voice was soft, tired, the kind that came after too many blows in one day. “We finally said I love you. You proposed for real. And now this?”

I kissed the top of her head, breathing in her vanilla scent. “I don’t care what new tests say. I know you, Serena. And I know us. This morning in the lobby, when the first results came, you lit up. That was real. We’re real.” I tilted her chin up so she could see my eyes. “I love you. Not the maybe-Calloway version. You. The one who fights for her dad, who saved a stranger in a storm.”

She searched my face, then rose up on her toes and kissed me. It was slow at first, full of all the uncertainty swirling around us, but it deepened fast. Her hands slid up to my neck, pulling me closer. I held her waist, feeling her warmth through the thin sweater. For those moments, it was just us—no Diana, no will, no labs. Just her lips on mine, her heart beating against my chest.

When we broke apart, both breathing a little faster, she rested her forehead on mine. “You make me believe it, Nate. Even when it feels impossible. I love you too. So much it scares me. But if this new test changes things…”

“It won’t change how I feel,” I promised. My thumb traced her jaw. “Forty-eight hours or whatever they want. We’ll do it right this time. Together. No more surprises from my messed-up family.”

Marcus cleared his throat from the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt, but the executor is ten minutes out. And Victor’s with him. Lab guy’s on the line too—says someone accessed the samples last night. Could be Diana’s doing.”

Serena pulled back but kept her hand in mine. We walked inside together. Robert was awake on the couch now, looking between us with concern. “What’s happening? More trouble?”

I squeezed Serena’s hand before letting go to talk to Marcus quietly. She went to her dad, sitting beside him and explaining in that gentle way she had. I watched them—her head on his shoulder, his arm around her. It hit me again how strong their bond was. Real dad or not, it didn’t matter. She was lucky to have that.

“Handle the press,” I told Marcus. “Buy us time. We’ll do the new test here if we have to. Private, controlled.”

He nodded and stepped away to make calls. I rejoined Serena and Robert. She looked up at me, eyes tired but full of trust. “Dad wants to stay for the new test. He says he needs to know for sure too.”

Robert met my gaze. “You’ve been good to my girl, Calloway. Better than I expected. But if this drags her through more mud, I won’t stand by.”

“I understand,” I said, sitting on her other side. I took her hand again, lacing our fingers. “I won’t let it. Serena deserves peace after everything she’s carried alone.”

We waited like that, the three of us talking in low voices. Serena told stories about her childhood to ease the tension—how Robert taught her to fish, how they read books late into the night. I shared a little about my mom, the good parts before my dad ruined things. Serena leaned against me, her head on my shoulder. Every few minutes I’d squeeze her hand or kiss her temple, reminding her I was right here.

“You’re good together,” Robert said after a while, a small smile breaking through. “Reminds me of me and her mom in the early days. Before the hard stuff.”

Serena smiled too, small but real. “Thanks, Dad. Nate… he’s been my rock through all this craziness.”

The door buzzed. The executor arrived with Victor and a new lab tech carrying sealed kits. Victor looked too pleased for my liking. “Second time’s the charm,” he said smoothly.

Serena tensed beside me. I stood up with her, arm around her shoulders. “We’ll do this quick,” I told her softly. “You and me first, then Robert if needed.”

The swabs were done in the living room—professional, watched by all of us. Serena held my hand the whole time, her grip tight. “No matter what,” she whispered when the tech packed up the samples for rush processing.

“No matter what,” I agreed. I pulled her into a hug after, right in front of everyone. She melted into me, her arms around my waist. “I meant that proposal,” I murmured in her ear. “Sixty days or sixty years. I want you.”

She nodded against my chest. “I want you too. All of this mess… it showed me how much.”

Victor watched us with narrowed eyes. The executor reviewed more papers. “The clause requires the marriage to be genuine. Love, not convenience. With the parentage confirmed or denied properly this time.”

Hours seemed to pass even though it was only minutes. We sat close on the couch, Serena’s legs draped over mine under a blanket. We talked quietly about the future—maybe a small wedding, her dad walking her down the aisle, leaving the company drama behind someday. Her fingers traced patterns on my arm, soothing and intimate.

“I never thought I’d have this,” she said softly. “Someone who stays through the storms.”

“You have it,” I replied, kissing her knuckles. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The lab tech’s phone rang. He listened, then looked up. “Results are expedited. Preliminary match analysis ready.”

Everyone went quiet. Serena sat up straighter, her hand finding mine again. I could feel her pulse racing through her palm.

The tech cleared his throat. “Mr. Calloway, Miss Voss… the new test shows a different result. There is a familial link. Victor Calloway is a biological match to Serena.”

Serena gasped. Robert went still. My blood turned cold.

“What?” Serena whispered, turning to me with wide, broken eyes. “Nate…”

Victor stepped forward. “Told you. Blood tells.”

But before I could pull her close, the executor spoke again. “This activates the full clause. Marriage within the remaining days… or the company is lost. And there’s one more revelation in your mother’s letter, Nate. She knew about the child. She hid it from everyone.”

Serena looked at me, tears starting to fall. “Nate, if this is true… what are we?”