Chapter 34
IT WAS POSITIVE
DEREK
I was on my feet the moment I saw them emerge from the hallway.
Paige walked beside Jennifer, and my first instinct was panic. She was gone too long, and something terrible must have happened. Did she get her periods and didn’t have a pad or tampon? But before I could ask if she was okay, Jennifer caught my eye and smiled.
“She’s fine,” Jennifer said. “Everything’s fine.”
I looked at Paige again. Her makeup was gone, but her skin had a glow to it that made her look ethereal. And her lips were a different shade, as if she reapplied her lipstick in the bathroom.
She looked absolutely stunning and I wanted to kiss her.
I moved to her immediately, pulling her close to my side where she belonged.
“We should celebrate tonight,” I said, keeping my voice low enough that only she could hear. “Dinner somewhere nice. Whatever you want.”
“How are you so sure we’ll win?” she asked.
“Because I never lose a case,” I said confidently.
“You mean me, right?” Jennifer asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course, Jennifer,” I grinned. “You’re the brilliant one here.”
One of Jennifer’s assistants appeared then, holding a manila folder. “The results are here,” Jennifer said.
My heart hammered against my ribs as we filed back into the courtroom. This is it. The moment that would prove Jack’s DNA test was fabricated, that his accusations were nothing but desperate lies.
The judge opened the envelope, and the seconds stretched into eternity as she reviewed the contents. Then she looked up, her expression neutral but firm.
“The independent paternity test confirms that Lily Mitchell is the biological daughter of Jack Mitchell and Paige Mitchell.”
Relief flooded through me as Paige’s hand tightened in mine.
But Jack raged. He has always been a sore loser.
“That’s impossible!” He said standing up, his face red. “They faked it! Peterson’s been paying everyone off! The lab, the judge, probably even you—”
“Mister Mitchell,” The judge’s voice was calm. “Sit down and calm yourself, or I will hold you in contempt.”
“But she… he—” Jack sputtered, but his lawyer was already pulling him back into his seat.
“Fabricating evidence is a serious crime, Mr. Mitchell,” the judge continued, her tone cold. “I suggest you speak with your attorney about the implications of presenting false documentation to this court.”
Jack slumped in his chair since his last play had failed and his desperate attempt to discredit Paige had backfired spectacularly.
What an ass.
The rest of the hearing proceeded smoothly as the judge outlined the terms with custody arrangement, alimony, and division of assets.
When it was finally over, when the judge’s gavel came down, I felt Paige sag against me with relief.
“It’s over,” she whispered. “It’s really over and Lily is…”
“Yes,” I whispered and cupped her face in my hands, kissing her softly. It was short and sweet.
It was finally done, and now I could tell her everything. Now there were no more obstacles, no more fake arrangements, no more waiting.
As we gathered our things, Jack’s lawyer approached Jennifer. He was a good-looking guy in his thirties, and I watched with amusement as he leaned in to kiss Jennifer’s cheek.
“That was impressive,” he said, his voice warm with genuine admiration. “You destroyed us in there.”
Jennifer smiled. “Just doing my job, Marcus.”
“For what it’s worth,” Marcus said, glancing at us. “Jack was a lost cause. He showed up this morning with that fake DNA test, and I couldn’t talk him out of using it.” He looked at Paige directly. “Congratulations on your divorce, Paige. You deserve better than him.”
Then he turned back to Jennifer with a grin. “Speaking of which, would you like to celebrate with dinner? Somewhere nice. My treat.”
I smirked at Jennifer as we walked away. I’ll send her favorite champagne to her office.
In the car, I couldn’t stop stealing glances at Paige. She looked exhausted but relieved, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
“So,” I said, keeping my tone light. “Where do you want to go? What food are you craving? Mexican? Indian? Italian? We could also do fine dining if you want something fancy.”
She started to answer, but I saw how tired she seemed.
“Or,” I said. “We could spend the day with Lily and order takeout? Just relax at home?”
“That sounds perfect,” she said with a smile that finally reached her eyes. My shoulders relaxed when she reached out to hold my hand.
Lily greeted us with squeals of delight, toddling toward us with that unsteady gait that made my heart squeeze every time. She had been walking for days now, but I still wasn’t used to it. I held my breath every time she took those wobbly steps.
I settled on the couch with my iPad, scrolling through real estate listings while Paige played with Lily on the living room floor. Houses with yards, good school districts and neighborhoods where Lily could grow up safe and happy.
I wasn’t sure when I had started thinking of it as we instead of her. When Lily had become our daughter instead of Paige’s daughter in my mind. But it had happened, and now I couldn't imagine any other future.
The Indian food arrived, and I watched in amazement as Paige inhaled her chicken tikka masala like she had never tasted food before. She was barely able to keep anything down for days, and seeing her eat with enthusiasm made me glad.
“This is so good,” she mumbled around a mouthful of naan. “Why is this so good?”
“Eat as much as you want. I’ll order more if you finish it,” I said with a grin. I’ll have to ask Donna to teach me how to make Indian food.
After dinner, we bathed Lily together while she sang in broken words, making us giggle and I told Paige to rest as I read to her and tucked her in the crib. After closing the nursery’s door, I collapsed beside Paige on the couch.
Some romantic comedy was playing, but I wasn’t paying attention to the screen. I was too aware of her tucked against my side, her head on my shoulder and her hand resting on my chest.
This is it. The perfect moment and the right time to tell her everything.
“I’ll be right back,” I promised, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Wait here for me.”
In the bathroom, I stared at myself in the mirror and tried to organize my thoughts into something coherent.
Paige, I’ve been in love with you since we were kids.
Since you punched Tommy and held my hand and made me believe I was worth defending.
I’ve loved you through your marriage, through my failed relationships, through every moment we’ve been apart.
And now that you’re here, now that you’re free, I need you to know—
I stopped. That was too much for a woman who had just gotten divorced.
Paige, I love you. I want to make this real. I want—
I reached up to close the bathroom cabinet, which Paige must have left open when she rushed in earlier, but I paused. The contents were disheveled with items pushed to one side like someone who was in a rush.
I remembered Jennifer handing Paige something in the courthouse hallway. A small package that Paige had tucked into her purse quickly without meeting my eyes.
Curiosity got the better of me as I opened the cabinet wider, looking at the various body care items Paige kept there like serums, toners, and face wash. Also, the period supplies I made sure were fully stocked.
But the period box was pushed to the back, slightly open.
I reached for it without thinking, and my hand froze when I saw what was inside.
A pregnancy test.
My heart stopped.
I pulled it out with shaking hands and stared at the small plastic stick like it was a live grenade.
There were two lines staring back at me.
It was positive.