She Took 863

In a tense confrontation, Dan reveals his desire to uncover the truth behind the family’s secrets, suggesting a DNA test to settle lingering doubts. His words shock Artemis, who feels a deep sense of betrayal, recognizing Dan’s ruthless nature inherited from his mother. Despite her inner turmoil, she remains silent as Dan insists on clearing everything up, causing Manny to react with anger and warning.

Artemis reluctantly agrees to the DNA tests for Dale’s daughters, Lina and Lana, hoping to divert suspicion away from Manny. The decision weighs heavily on her, knowing it could unravel the family’s carefully guarded secrets. Manny voices his concern, fearing the consequences of such revelations, but Dan pushes relentlessly, even suggesting that everyone, including Tessa, should be tested to prove their lineage.

The atmosphere grows increasingly hostile as Dan’s accusations threaten to humiliate Dale and fracture the family. Manny warns of the scandal that would erupt if the truth became public, but Dan dismisses the fear of ridicule, insisting that the truth is more important than appearances. Artemis, overwhelmed and desperate, pleads for the conflict to end, but Dan’s relentless pursuit of the truth leaves her and Manny frozen in silence.

The chapter ends with Dan challenging Dale to choose between facing public humiliation or continuing to raise children who might not be his own. The weight of the question hangs heavily in the room, signaling a breaking point in the family’s fragile unity and setting the stage for inevitable revelations.

863: The Truth Beneath the Lies

Dan let out a low, almost bitter chuckle that echoed softly in the tense room.

That single phrase—“I want to find out too”—landed with the force of a bombshell, shattering the fragile silence that had settled.

What exactly did he mean by that? Was it possible that after all these years, doubt hadn’t been confined to outsiders alone? Had he harbored suspicion all along, quietly simmering beneath the surface?

Artemis felt a sharp constriction in her chest, as if a cold hand was squeezing her heart. The son of that woman—of course he was just as ruthless and unforgiving. She should have seen it coming. Cruelty wasn’t just a trait; it was in his very blood.

Who did he think he was, daring to question them like this?

Yet, despite the rising storm inside her, Artemis held her tongue, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of a response.

Before she could gather her thoughts, Dan repeated himself, this time slower, his voice dripping with icy resolve. “We need to clear everything up. All of it.”

That word—everything—pierced Artemis and Manny like a dagger, sharp and unforgiving.

“Dan, don’t push this too far!” Manny growled, stepping forward with clenched fists. Fresh chapters posted on FindN()vel.net

But Artemis caught his wrist before he could move any further, her eyes silently warning him to hold back.

Everything? No. That was impossible. Absolutely not.

If Dale insisted on running a DNA test between himself and Manny today, it would shatter everything they had tried to protect.

Pressed into a corner by Dan’s relentless insistence, Artemis found herself forced to retreat, swallowing her pride.

She turned sharply to the butler. “Lenny, any news from Trevor?”

“Not yet,” Lenny replied softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Then tell them to hurry!” she snapped through gritted teeth, frustration and desperation lacing her words.

She had made a choice—she had agreed.

She had consented to Dale, Lina, and Lana undergoing the test.

In that moment, Artemis realized the cruel truth: she had to sacrifice someone.

Since Dale was determined to test his daughters, she had to find a way to divert his attention away from Manny.

“Mother,” Manny’s voice cut through the tension, low and sharp.

A DNA test with Lina and Lana? That would unravel everything.

Artemis felt a pounding ache behind her temples. She looked toward Dale, her voice soft but trembling with emotion. “Manny, your father doesn’t trust us anymore. If this is the only way for him to find peace, then we have to give him that, okay?”

“But—”

“Save it,” Dan interrupted, his tone cold and unyielding. “No one’s backing out. You, me, everyone—test included.”

Artemis stared at him, stunned into silence.

Manny fell quiet, the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

Dale’s gaze sharpened, cold and piercing, locking eyes with Dan.

Dan met that stare head-on, a mocking smirk playing on his lips. “Well? What do you say?”

Dale remained silent, but the tightness around his eyes betrayed his crumbling composure.

Artemis’s stomach twisted into knots. She prayed silently that Dale would refuse.

Dan leaned back casually, as if enjoying the unfolding chaos. “Or maybe we should have Tessa take one too?”

“Are you trying to humiliate me?” Dale’s voice was ice—sharp, dangerous, and full of barely controlled anger.

All of them taking DNA tests—what did that imply? That none of his children were truly his? That every woman in his life had betrayed him?

“Dan, that’s enough!” Manny snapped, his voice rising in frustration. “If this gets out, everyone in Redwood will laugh at Dad!”

Accusing Dale of raising children who weren’t his—how could that not become the biggest scandal the town had ever seen?

Dale’s breathing grew heavy as he glared daggers at Dan.

Dan’s smile turned colder still. “Better to be laughed at than to keep raising someone else’s kids, don’t you think?”

“Dan!” Manny shouted, his voice cracking.

“What’s the rush?” Dan sneered. “Unless you’re not really his either.”

“You—”

“Dan, don’t go too far!” Artemis snapped, her voice trembling with frustration and pain. “After everything I’ve done for all of you these years—”

She couldn’t bear it anymore. She had already agreed to the tests for Lina and Lana, yet Dan kept pushing, relentless.

Seeing her unravel like this, Dale finally turned to look at her for the first time that night.

That single glance made Artemis’s heart plummet.

She took a deep breath, fighting to steady her shaking hands. “Please, don’t humiliate me like this,” she whispered, almost pleading.

“Humiliation?” Dan shot back sharply. “Or are you just afraid to take the test?”

Artemis and Manny froze, the accusation hanging heavy in the air.

Dan wasn’t about to relent. No matter what they said, he kept dragging the conversation back to the DNA test.

The truth was, he had been waiting for this moment for years.

Dan had hoped for any sign of strain between Dale and Artemis, but their marriage had always been unbreakable—too close, too strong for anyone to tear apart.

Now that crack had finally appeared, and Dan was determined to exploit it fully.

Whatever move Artemis made, he countered with even more pressure.

Both Artemis and Manny felt their hearts pounding so loudly it seemed the whole room could hear.

Dan fixed his gaze on Dale, voice cold and merciless. “So, what’s it going to be? Become the town’s laughingstock—or keep raising someone else’s children?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and impossible to ignore.

The chapter closes on a fragile moment of confrontation and raw vulnerability, where trust has been fractured and the weight of suspicion threatens to unravel the family’s carefully guarded bonds. Artemis, caught between protecting her loved ones and facing the harsh demands of truth, embodies the painful sacrifice that loyalty sometimes demands. The relentless pressure from Dan exposes the deep fissures beneath the surface, forcing each character to confront their fears and the possibility that everything they believed might be a lie.

Amidst the turmoil, the emotional tension underscores the themes of trust, betrayal, and the desperate need for clarity. The chapter leaves the family teetering on the edge of exposure, with the looming DNA tests symbolizing the ultimate reckoning. It is a moment charged with uncertainty and heartache, where the characters must navigate the fragile line between preserving their identities and facing the consequences of hidden truths.

The next chapter promises to plunge deeper into the simmering tensions that have only just begun to surface. As Artemis grapples with the impossible choice she’s been forced to make, the fragile bonds within the family are poised to be tested like never before. The looming DNA tests threaten not only to reveal hidden truths but also to unravel carefully constructed facades, leaving everyone vulnerable to exposure and heartbreak.

Emotions will run high as secrets claw their way into the light, and loyalties will be strained under the weight of suspicion and fear. With Dan’s relentless push and Dale’s crumbling composure, the stage is set for confrontations that could change everything. Readers will find themselves caught in the whirlwind of doubt and desperation, wondering who will stand firm and who will break under the pressure of the truth waiting to be uncovered.