Chapter 4 - THE LIE THAT COULD DESTROY EVERYTHING
The accusation spread faster than anyone expected.
By noon, every major news network had repeated the same story.
“Questions Raised About Sterling Heir’s DNA.”
“Mystery Woman Claims Billionaire Fatherhood.”
“Family Sources Deny Daughter Allegation.”
Maya sat on the edge of her small couch, staring at the television screen.
Her own face appeared beside words that made her stomach turn.
Fraud.
Scammer.
Attention seeker.
A woman looking for money.
She turned the television off.
But the silence felt even worse.
For years, Maya had imagined meeting her father.
She imagined him being surprised.
Maybe angry.
Maybe confused.
But she never imagined him watching the world call her a liar.
A knock came at the door.
Again.
This time, Maya didn’t move.
“I know you’re inside.”
It was Arthur.
His voice sounded different.
Not like the billionaire from television.
Not like the powerful businessman everyone feared.
Like a man who had spent one night realizing he had lost his daughter before he even met her.
Maya opened the door.
Arthur stood there with his lawyer, Daniel Reeves.
Daniel held a folder.
“We need to discuss the situation.”
Maya looked at him.
“Situation?”
Daniel hesitated.
“The DNA report being questioned.”
Maya laughed softly.
“You mean the lie someone created.”
Arthur stepped forward.
“I believe you.”
The words surprised her.
Maya looked at him.
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Arthur looked at her face.
“Because I know Victoria.”
That answer made Maya uncomfortable.
“What does your wife have to do with this?”
Arthur didn’t respond immediately.
And that silence told her everything.
Maya’s expression changed.
“She did this.”
Arthur looked away.
“I don’t know.”
“But you suspect her.”
Another silence.
Maya stepped back.
“So the woman who slapped me in front of hundreds of people is now trying to erase me?”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“I’m sorry.”
Maya looked at him.
The apology was real.
But it couldn’t fix thirty years.
“Sorry doesn’t bring back my mother’s life.”
Arthur lowered his head.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
Maya’s voice broke.
“You had a choice.”
“You could have searched for her.”
“You could have looked for me.”
“You could have asked questions.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
Every word hurt because every word was true.
“I was a coward.”
Maya didn’t expect that.
The billionaire admitted it.
Not privately.
Not in front of cameras.
To her.
“I spent thirty years convincing myself I made the right decision.”
Arthur looked at the floor.
“But yesterday, when I saw that photograph…”
His voice became quieter.
“I realized I spent thirty years losing the most important thing in my life.”
Maya looked away.
She wanted to believe him.
But pain was stronger than hope.
Daniel opened the folder.
“There is something else.”
Maya looked at him.
“What?”
“The original DNA evidence.”
Arthur frowned.
“What evidence?”
Daniel looked between them.
“The test was never completed.”
The room went silent.
Maya blinked.
“What?”
Daniel placed the papers on the table.
“The document released online is fake.”
Arthur picked it up.
His eyes narrowed.
“Someone created a false report.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked at Maya.
“To make everyone believe she is lying.”
Arthur’s expression darkened.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
A few seconds later…
his face changed.
“What happened?”
Daniel immediately noticed.
“Sir?”
Arthur slowly lowered the phone.
“The Sterling Foundation database was hacked.”
Maya frowned.
“What does that have to do with me?”
Arthur looked at her.
“Someone stole files from thirty years ago.”
Daniel’s voice became serious.
“What files?”
Arthur answered.
“The files about Isabella Torres.”
Maya froze.
Her mother’s name.
Again.
Always her mother.
Arthur stared at the stolen document alert on his phone.
Then he whispered:
May you like
“Someone isn’t trying to prove Maya is a fraud.”
“They’re trying to hide what happened thirty years ago.”
