Jake looked at Tyler. Three years old. Dark hair. Blue eyes. Resemblance undeniable. But resemblance wasn't proof. DNA was proof. Science was proof. Truth was proof."Elena. If Tyler is my son. I'll support him. I'll be part of his life. I'll fulfill every obligation. But I need proof. DNA test. Medical verification. Legal confirmation. Not just your word. Not just resemblance. Not just convenient timing. Science. Truth. Then we proceed from there."Elena nodded. "I expected that. I'm not insulted. You're billionaire now. People lie to billionaires. Claim paternity. Seek money. I understand skepticism. So yes. DNA test. Today. Right now. We go to lab. We test. We verify. Then you acknowledge. Then you support. Then you be father. Deal?""Deal. But Elena. If test is negative. If Tyler isn't mine. This conversation ends. Forever. You don't come back. You don't make claims. You don't contact me. We're done. Permanently. Understand?""I understand. But Jake. I'm not worried. Because I kno

Stage three cancer.Two years to live. Maybe less. Elena dying. Tyler about to lose his mother. About to need permanent father. About to become Jake's full responsibility. Complete. Total. Permanent.Jake felt the weight. The enormity. The impossibility. He'd just learned he had a son. Hours ago. DNA test. Confirmation. Now that son needed permanent guardian. Full-time father. Sole parent. When Elena died. When cancer won. When Tyler became orphan. Jake would be everything. Only parent. Only family. Only hope."You're really dying? This isn't manipulation? Isn't strategy? Isn't way to force custody handover by claiming terminal illness?"Elena pulled out medical records. Oncology reports. Lab results. Hospital documentation. Everything official. Everything verified. Everything confirming diagnosis. Stage three pancreatic cancer. Treatment resistant. Prognosis: eighteen to twenty-four months. Survival unlikely. Death probable. Time limited.Jake read the documents. Sophia reading over

Jake grabbed his phone and called Elena before he even finished thinking about it.She picked up on the third ring."Jake? Is everything okay? Is Tyler...""Where are you right now?""Home. Tyler is sleeping. What is going on?""Stay there. I am coming. We need to talk about Tyler. About the DNA test. About everything. Do not call anyone. Do not go anywhere. Just stay.""Jake, you are scaring me...""You already know what this is about. Stay there."He hung up and looked at Sophia. "I am going to confront Elena. Right now.""I am coming with you.""No. Stay with Emma. If Victor is involved in this, I do not want Emma left alone. Derek comes with me. You stay here. Robert monitors everything."Derek was already moving toward the door, one hand pressed against his bandaged side. "Not letting you walk into that alone, boss."They drove to Elena's building in Lower Manhattan. It was a small place, worn down, exactly the kind of apartment someone struggling to survive would live in. Or exa

"Back off or the baby dies!"Victor's blade pressed against Emma's throat. She whimpered, trying to twist away, but his grip held firm.Jake's hands remained raised, every muscle frozen. "Okay. I'm backing off. See? I'm not moving.""Good." Victor's eyes darted between Jake and the doorway where Derek stood. "Now both of you—weapons on the floor. Slowly."Derek hesitated until Jake nodded. They both placed their weapons down, kicking them toward the center of the room."Phone too," Victor demanded. "Yours, Jake. Slide it over."Jake pulled out his phone carefully, sent it skidding across the nursery floor. It stopped near a stuffed elephant Emma had gotten for her second birthday."Daddy, scared," Emma whimpered."I know, sweetie. It's going to be okay. Just stay very still for Daddy, okay?"Victor shifted his position, moving toward the window while keeping Emma between himself and the door. "Touching, really. But here's what's going to happen. You're going to wire me one hundred mil