She Took 867

Lenny agrees to personally oversee a critical process, which deeply worries Artemis and Manny. Dan insists that both he and Conan keep a close watch, and they select trusted men to monitor the procedure. Manny, filled with hatred for Dan but powerless, reluctantly sends some of his own people as well, though without careful selection. Soon, only Dan, Dale, Artemis, and her son remain, with Artemis tearful and vulnerable, while Dan coldly mocks her emotions, suggesting she wait for the test results before reacting.

Dale, who once defended Artemis, now sits silently, smoking his cigar, offering no comfort. The atmosphere is heavy with tension and despair as Dan smiles faintly, savoring the moment he has long awaited. Meanwhile, earlier that day, Tessa has been eating an unusual amount of fruit, including cherries, strawberries, and a whole pineapple, surprising Victor with her hunger and her unconventional way of eating the pineapple. Victor worries about her health but notices she isn’t bothered by the quantity.

Victor informs Tessa that the DNA test is underway, with Dale, Dan, and Manny each sending people to supervise, ensuring no tampering can occur. Tessa reflects on how this test could shatter the Morris family, especially amid rumors of Dale’s infertility. She believes Dale deserves this reckoning due to his past misdeeds, including a marriage scam, and sees the test as a form of karmic justice.

The conversation reveals Tessa’s changing tastes, as she now finds the sweet and tangy pineapple refreshing, a contrast to her previous preference for only sweet fruits. Victor advises moderation, concerned about the effects of too much fruit. The chapter closes on a note of quiet tension, with the impending test results threatening to upend relationships and reveal painful truths.

867 The Test

Lenny nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“And you’ll watch over it yourself.”

“Yes, sir.” The rightful source is findnovel.net

Hearing that Lenny would personally oversee everything made Artemis and Manny’s hearts sink even deeper.

Dan looked over at Conan. “You too. Keep an eye on it.”

“Yes.”

Dan and Dale then picked a handful of their most trusted men to stay and monitor the process.

Manny burned with hatred for Dan but couldn’t do anything about it.

In the end, he had no choice but to send five of his own people as well–though unlike Dan and Dale, he didn’t choose carefully.

He just picked a few random ones to go along with the medical team.

Soon, everyone had left. Only Dan, Dale, and Artemis with her son remained.

Artemis turned to Dale, tears welling again.

Dan sneered. “Stop crying. If you’re going to cry, at least wait until the results are out. If the kid’s really his, then you can take your time yelling at him later.”

Any illusion Artemis or Manny tried to hold onto shattered under Dan’s blunt cruelty.

Dale, who used to always defend Artemis, sat there quietly, puffing on his cigar, saying nothing.

Artemis’s heart sank to rock bottom.

Dan flicked his lighter open and shut, a faint smile playing at his lips.

It was the smile of a man who’d waited years for this–finally getting what he wanted.

Earlier that afternoon, Tessa had eaten plenty of cherries and strawberries, yet somehow she was hungry again.

When Victor came back from a phone call, he found her sitting on the couch with an entire peeled pineapple in her hands, biting straight into it.

He raised a brow. “You’re eating it like that?”

In his mind, pineapples were supposed to be cut into slices. Seeing her hold the whole thing and bite into

T

it was a first.

“It’s more satisfying this way.” Tessa said before taking another huge bite.

Watching her eat actually made his own appetite stir.

“Doesn’t your stomach hurt from all that fruit?” Victor asked softly.

Fruit was healthy, sure—but too much of it wasn’t good, especially something that sweet and tangy.

“Nope. I’m just a little hungry,” she said.

“What do you want to eat for dinner?”

Victor suddenly realized she’d been eating nonstop. After lunch, she’d gone straight for the cherries and strawberries, and now this pineapple–it was huge, and she looked like she might actually finish it.

Could she even eat dinner after that?

“Anything’s fine,” Tessa said. “I’m not picky.”

Other than fruit, she didn’t seem to crave much else lately. Victor pulled her into his arms.

Tessa was watching TV and looked up. “What now?”

“Dale’s side–everything’s done. The samples have been sent to the lab.”

“They’re really doing it?” she asked, surprised.

When the idea of a DNA test first came up, even with how bad things had gotten between Dale and Artemis, she hadn’t thought he’d really do it.

After all, he’d treasured Artemis and the kids for so many years. And she knew him so well–what if she found a way to stop it?

But…

“Dale, Dan, and Manny each sent five people to supervise,” Victor said.

Tessa blinked in shock. “So they’re making sure there’s no way to fake it.”

He nodded. “Pretty much.”

Silence fell between them.

“This could really tear the Morris family apart,” Victor murmured.

Tessa said nothing.

Honestly, this could really get that bad. People are already whispering that Dale might be infertile. If those DNA results come back and none of the kids are his, the entire Morris family will fall apart.

“Well, he brought it on himself,” Tessa said finally. “After all the awful things he’s done, it’s about time he

paid for it.”

That marriage scam alone was disgusting enough.

It showed exactly what kind of man he was.

When someone did enough bad things, karma always found a way to come back around. If this was his payback, then he deserved every bit of it.

She took another bite of pineapple.

“Isn’t it sour?” Victor asked.

“It’s sweet and tangy.” Tessa said.

“I thought you didn’t like pineapple,” he said, smiling.

She’d always preferred sweeter fruits–she used to stay far away from anything sour.

“I didn’t before,” she admitted. “But now it tastes really refreshing.”

That mix of sweet and sour–it was something she’d never appreciated before.

Victor chuckled. “Just don’t overdo it. Too much fruit will upset your stomach.”

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The chapter closes on a tense and uncertain note, capturing the fragile emotions of those caught in the storm of suspicion and betrayal. Artemis’s tears and the cold, calculating attitudes of Dan and Dale underscore the deep fractures within the family, while Tessa’s quiet reflection on karma and change offers a contrasting perspective on justice and acceptance. The looming DNA test hangs over everyone, threatening to unravel long-held bonds and reveal painful truths.

Amidst this turmoil, the small moments—like Tessa’s newfound taste for pineapple—remind us that even in times of hardship, life’s complexities bring unexpected shifts in our feelings and desires. The blend of sweetness and sourness in her fruit mirrors the bittersweet reality facing the characters, suggesting that while pain and conflict persist, there remains space for growth, resilience, and perhaps eventual healing.

The tension surrounding the DNA test lingers heavily as the next chapter approaches, promising to delve deeper into the emotional turmoil that grips the Morris family. With trusted men from both sides overseeing the process, the stakes have never been higher, and the fragile bonds between Artemis, Manny, and Dale feel as if they might shatter under the weight of impending truths. Expect to witness the raw vulnerability and simmering resentment that have been quietly building, threatening to explode once the results are revealed.

Meanwhile, Tessa’s unusual appetite and subtle changes hint at her own internal struggles, adding a layer of quiet intrigue to the unfolding drama. Her evolving tastes and the way Victor observes her suggest that there may be more beneath the surface, perhaps reflecting shifts in her emotions or circumstances. As the family braces for the fallout, the next chapter will explore how each character confronts the potential unraveling of their lives, leaving readers eager to discover who will stand strong and who might be broken by the revelations to come.