Chapter 18
**Chapter 18: The Blood Type p>
Serena found herself lost in a whirlwind of thoughts as she navigated her way back to the heart of the city. The hum of the engine was almost soothing, a stark contrast to the chaos swirling in her mind. Suddenly, her phone rang, jolting her from her reverie. When she glanced at the screen, her breath hitched in her throat. Nathaniel was calling. The mere sight of his name sent a rush of adrenaline through her veins, causing her to slam on the brakes a bit too hard.
She pulled over to the side of the road, the tires skidding slightly on the gravel. Her phone vibrated insistently in her lap, and she felt a mix of anticipation and dread.
Taking a deep breath, she finally answered, though she remained silent, allowing him to speak first.
“I spoke to my mother,” Nathaniel’s voice came through, calm yet heavy with unspoken tension. “She was the one who orchestrated the unofficial blacklist against you. We came to an agreement, and I’ve revoked it. You should now be free to apply for jobs in Velmon City. Alternatively, you could p>
Before he could finish, Serena abruptly ended the call. The decision to leave after the divorce was finalized had been made long ago, and she wasn’t about to waver now. The anger about her mother’s will still simmered within her, but she couldn’t let it overshadow the glimmers of hope that were beginning to surface.
Upon arriving at Alice’s apartment, she was greeted by the sound of her phone ringing again. This time it was the agent handling the sale of her marital home.
“Miss Kline, I have some fantastic news,” the agent announced, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. “I found a buyer who is willing to pay double the market price.” Serena’s brow furrowed in disbelief. “Double? Fourteen million p>
“Exactly, Miss Kline,” he confirmed, the excitement palpable. “And he’s also prepared to pay an additional six million for the luxury items you left behind p>
“Really?” she asked, her heart racing as she rummaged through the fridge for something to eat. Despite the ache in her chest, this news felt like a small victory. The prospect of shedding the weight of that house and starting afresh was exhilarating.
“Thank you,” Serena replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “When can I meet the buyer p>
“The buyer prefers to stay anonymous, Miss Kline. His lawyers will manage everything through me. Rest assured, we’ll finalize the sale once the funds are transferred p>
Serena forced a smile, though it felt slightly strained. “Alright, whatever works for him p>
Alice had gone out after catching a few hours of sleep, her last message indicating she was meeting a friend at Velmon Prime Medical Center. If it hadn’t been for her visit to her father, Serena would have joined her. Regardless, they had plans for dinner together later.
Alice returned sooner than expected, and they sat down for a meal. However, Serena noticed her friend seemed preoccupied, her mind clearly elsewhere. It wasn’t until they finished eating that Alice finally broke the silence. “So, I went to see my friend at Velmon Prime Medical Center. She helped me dig into the old medical records regarding your mom and your birth p>
Serena leaned forward, her interest piqued. She had just finished her soup, and the prospect of uncovering new information made her heart race.
Alice stood up, retrieving a set of documents from a brown envelope. “Serena, when you were born, the hospital conducted a standard blood typing p>
“And?” Serena prompted, her curiosity intensifying.
Alice slid the documents across the table toward her. “According to these records, Roselind Kline gave birth to a baby girl with A+ blood type. But you… you’re O+. If Dianna’s suspicions hold any truth, this is a significant clue p>
Serena felt the world tilt beneath her. Just last week, Dianna, her mother’s longtime assistant, had confided in her, saying, “Serena, I’ve always sensed that you weren’t truly Roselind and Victor’s daughter. The way they spoke about you when you weren’t around—it felt like you were a stranger to them p>
If anyone had witnessed the coldness of her parents towards her, it was Dianna and the old nanny who had taken care of her.
Given what Alice had just revealed, it felt as if the ground was shifting beneath her. Either Dianna was right, or her parents were simply cruel beyond measure.
“Though,” Alice added cautiously, “I have to say, hospitals can make mistakes. Samples can get mixed up, and errors can occur… and this result is over twenty years old. We still need more concrete evidence p>
Serena felt a dull throb in her temples as she massaged them gently. “The only way to confirm this is with a DNA test p>
She looked up at Alice, who had a concerned expression on her face. “Are you p>
Serena exhaled slowly, a wave of emotions crashing over her. Her eyes felt heavy with unshed tears cant I can’t face Victor anymore. And if this is true, I know he wouldn’t willingly give me his DNA p>
“Then what do we do? Exhume your mother?” Alice suggested, her voice laced with
a mix of concern and frustration.
That thought sent a chill down Serena’s spine. The mere idea of disturbing her mother’s resting place was unbearable, complicated, and would undoubtedly infuriate Victor.
“There has to be another clue,” she murmured, her brow furrowing in deep thought. “Have the police investigated everything in your parents’ mansion?” Alice inquired.
“I know Nathan seized the property, and yes, they’re going through it with
a fine-tooth comb,” Serena replied
Qu
“A new complainant has come forward-the wife of an old driver who worked for victor years ag She claims her husband was killed because he uncovered a secret… something related to Victor. But she never learned what that secret was p>
“So the investigators are digging deeper,” Alice noted, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Victor was truly something else, wasn’t he?” Alice muttered, her disgust evident.
Serena nodded in agreement. “I don’t even want to be associated with him anymore. I loathe my last name p>
It was a miracle that she had survived it all—the early abuse, her parents’ frigid demeanor, the incessant belittling. Victor and Roselind had only begun to feign interest in her once Nathaniel entered her life.
It wasn’t love. It wasn’t even affection. It was merely a means to an end. Nathaniel represented everything they had always desired but could never attain. He was the brilliant heir to the Thorne Empire, the man who could elevate Kline BioSolutions beyond Victor’s grasp.
And because Nathaniel had chosen her, suddenly Serena became… valuable.
That was the first time she felt even a semblance of “acceptance” from her own parents.
Not embraced. Not loved.
Just… acknowledged.
At best, Victor and Roselind viewed her as a potential asset, not as their daughter. They never truly appreciated her hard work as the Director for Clinical Research at Kline BioSolutions. During her tenure, shë developed two groundbreaking antibiotics, an achievement that Nathaniel alone
praised and rewarded.
Or did he? Was that merely part of the act?
Serena couldn’t shake the suspicion. After all, Nathaniel had married her to gather
evidence against Victor.
“Why don’t we… sneak in?” Alice proposed suddenly, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You know the mansion inside and out. I remember you mentioned another way in, right p>
A sharp hiss escaped Serena. “It’s a terrible idea p>
“If we don’t do this,” Alice reminded her, “we’ll have to exhume your mother p>
Serena glanced down at her belly, a wave of apprehension washing over her. She knew she shouldn’t engage in anything dangerous, but a part of her yearned to uncover the truth.
What if she truly wasn’t their daughter? What if another family was out there, waiting for her?
After a moment of deliberation, she swallowed hard and finally conceded, “Fine p>