*Chapter 7: The DNA Bomb*
1244 Words
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Ava stared at the text message until the words blurred.
`Tell him about Richard Kingsley or lose him. -S`
Richard Kingsley. Alexander’s dead father.
Her hands shook. “I don’t know him,” she whispered. “Mom never said his name.”
The door opened. Not Alexander. Sophia.
But Sophia wasn’t in a wheelchair anymore. She walked in. Slow. Smiling.
“No more act?” Ava stood up. “You can walk.”
Sophia shrugged. “Wheelchair gets sympathy. Sympathy gets Alexander to marry me.”
Ava’s blood went cold. “You’re not pregnant.”
“Obviously not,” Sophia laughed. She pulled a pregnancy test from her purse. Two pink lines. “Store-bought. $4.99. Men believe what they want to believe.”
Ava lunged forward. “Give me that—”
Sophia stepped back. “Too late. He already thinks you lied. I win.”
The door opened again. Alexander. His face was stone.
Sophia changed instantly. Hand to stomach. Face pale. “Alex… I’m bleeding. The baby—”
“Stop,” Alexander said. Voice flat.
Sophia froze. “What?”
Alexander looked at Ava first. Then Sophia. Then the pregnancy test in her hand.
“Doctor just called,” Alexander said. “I ran bloodwork on both of you 5 minutes ago. While you were talking.”
Sophia’s smile dropped. “You what?”
“You’re not pregnant,” Alexander said to Sophia. “HCG levels zero. You’ve never been pregnant.”
Sophia’s face went white. “That’s impossible—”
“And you,” Alexander turned to Ava. He held up a folder. “You’re not my niece.”
Ava’s heart stopped. “What?”
“DNA test,” Alexander said. He opened the folder. “I ran it while you were locked in the guest room. With hair from your brush.”
Ava couldn’t breathe. “And?”
“99.8% match,” Alexander said. His voice was rough. “Not to me. To Richard Kingsley.”
The room tilted.
Ava grabbed the doorframe. “No. No, my mom said my dad died before I was born. A truck driver. Not a billionaire—”
“Your mom lied,” Alexander said. He stepped closer. “Richard had an affair 23 years ago. With a woman named Lila Thompson. Housekeeper at Kingsley Estate. She got pregnant. He paid her off. Made her sign an NDA.”
Ava shook her head. “No. That’s not me. I’m Ava Thompson. Not Ava Kingsley.”
“Keep reading,” Alexander said. He pointed to the folder.
Ava looked down. Birth certificate. Lila Thompson. Father: Richard Kingsley.
Her birth certificate.
Tears fell on the paper. “All this time… Victoria tried to kill me because she knew?”
“Yes,” Alexander said. “That’s why she poisoned Sophia. To frame you. To get you out before the will reading next week. The will leaves 50% to ‘any legitimate heir of Richard Kingsley’.”
Sophia screamed. “No! He promised me! He said the money was mine if I gave him an heir!”
“Richard promised a lot of things,” Alexander said coldly. “To you. To my mother. To Ava’s mother. He was good at that.”
Sophia lunged at Ava, nails out. “You stole everything from me!”
Alexander moved faster. He caught Sophia’s wrist mid-air. Twisted it until she dropped the fake test.
“Touch her again and I’ll make sure you never walk again,” Alexander said. Quiet. Deadly.
Sophia started crying. Real tears this time. “Alex, please. I love you. We grew up together—”
“You love my money,” Alexander cut her off. He shoved her away. She stumbled but didn’t fall. No wheelchair needed.
Alexander turned to Ava. His eyes were different now. Not doubt. Not anger.
Ache.
“I thought you were my cousin,” he said softly. “I spent 3 months fighting feelings I thought were wrong. I thought I was a monster.”
Ava wiped her tears. “And now?”
“Now I know you’re Richard’s daughter,” Alexander said. “Which means Victoria’s will threat is real. If she releases it, you inherit half of Kingsley Corp. With me.”
Ava laughed bitterly. “Great. So now I’m rich and hated.”
“No,” Alexander said. He stepped closer. Ignored Sophia sobbing on the floor. “Now you’re free. No scandal. No ‘cousin’ excuse. No reason I can’t—”
He didn’t finish. He didn’t need to.
He pulled her into his arms. Tight. Like he’d been holding his breath for 23 years.
“I’m not letting Victoria take you,” Alexander whispered into her hair. “I’m not letting anyone take you. You’re Richard’s daughter. You’re my equal. And you belong to me.”
Ava closed her eyes. For the first time since the storm, she let herself believe it.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
Alexander froze.
“Not now,” Ava clarified quickly. “But I could be. If we… if you… I want it to be with you. Not because of money. Because of the rain. Because of the storm.”
Alexander pulled back. Stared into her eyes. “Say that again.”
“I want you,” Ava said. No fear. No games. “Only you.”
Alexander kissed her.
Not possessive like before. Not desperate like in the guest room.
This was different. This was claiming her as family. As partner. As his.
For 10 seconds, nothing else mattered.
Then Victoria burst in with security. “What’s going on here?! Why is Sophia on the floor?!”
Alexander didn’t break the kiss.
When he finally pulled away, he turned to his grandmother with Ava’s hand in his.
“Grandmother,” Alexander said. Voice cold enough to freeze Greyford City. “Meet Ava Kingsley. Richard’s daughter. My fiancée. And the new 50% owner of Kingsley Corp.”
Victoria’s face went purple. “You can’t— She’s a nobody—”
“She’s my somebody,” Alexander said. He lifted Ava’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “And if you release that will, you’ll be releasing her too. Let’s see the world destroy the woman who tried to kill two pregnant women.”
Sophia choked. “I’m not pregnant!”
“Exactly,” Alexander smiled. No warmth. “And the world will know why you faked it.”
Victoria staggered back. Defeated.
As security dragged Sophia out screaming, Alexander looked at Ava.
“You just became the most dangerous woman in Greyford City,” he murmured. “Are you scared?”
Ava thought about it. Thought about being nobody. Then being a suspect. Then being rich.
“No,” she said. She stood taller. “I’m Richard Kingsley’s daughter. And I don’t run from storms anymore.”
Alexander’s smile was slow. Dangerous. Proud.
“Good,” he said. “Because the real war starts tomorrow. Board meeting. They’ll try to vote you out.”
He kissed her forehead. “And I’ll burn the whole boardroom down before I let them touch you.”
Behind them, Victoria whispered: “You don’t know who your mother really is, girl…”
Ava turned. “What?”
Victoria smiled. Evil. “Lila Thompson didn’t just sleep with Richard. She slept with someone else too. Someone worse. And that man… is still alive.”
The lights flickered.
*End of Chapter 7*
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- Writer
