Chapter 6 A Name That Cannot Be Erased
That morning, the hospital air was filled with the sharp scent of antiseptic. The long white corridors were busy with nurses moving back and forth, pushing medicine carts and guiding patients toward treatment rooms. Inside one of the rooms, Daniel sat with a serious expression, occasionally glancing at the watch on his wrist.
The door opened. Steffy entered with Nadine. Steffy's face was tense, as if she hadn't slept all night. Nadine looked exhausted as well, faint dark circles visible beneath her eyes.
"Daniel..." Steffy greeted softly.
Daniel stood up and gave a brief nod. "You're right on time." His gaze shifted to Nadine, filled with questions. "What about the test result?"
Nadine took a deep breath, then reached into her handbag. Carefully, she pulled out a slightly crumpled brown envelope and placed it on the small table in the center of the room.
Steffy held her breath. Daniel immediately took the envelope, opening it quickly but cautiously. He pulled out several sheets of paper, scanning them line by line with a furrowed brow.
The waiting room suddenly fell silent, as if the entire bustle of the hospital had paused for a moment.
Daniel read aloud the most important part: "...no DNA match was found between subject Steffy Willson and Hendry Willson..."
He slowly lowered the paper and looked at Nadine, then at Steffy.
"This... is very clear," he said in a heavy voice. "This test states that there is no biological relationship between Steffy and Mr. Hendry."
Steffy froze. Her eyes widened, her lips trembling. "So... it's true I'm not Father's daughter?" she whispered, barely audible.
Nadine immediately grasped her daughter's hand. "Don't jump to conclusions, sweetheart. Remember, this test... was handled by Evelyn. We don't know how it was done, whether the procedure was correct, or if there was manipulation."
Daniel nodded slowly. "That's why I still want us to meet my mother. Martha was a witness that night. She's the only one who knows what really happened."
Steffy wiped her eyes quickly, trying to hold back her tears. "Then let's go. I want to hear it directly from her. I want to know who I really am."
Nadine looked at the two of them in turn. There was a determination in her daughter's eyes that she had rarely seen before. She knew that whatever they would hear next, their lives would never be the same again.
The journey to Martha's house felt long, even though it only took two hours. Their car drove through suburban roads lined with lush trees. In the back seat, Steffy sat quietly, clutching her bag tightly. Nadine occasionally glanced at her, wanting to speak but unable to find the right words.
Daniel, who was driving, kept his eyes on the road, though now and then he glanced at the rearview mirror, watching Steffy's expression. There was something heavy in his heart-an empathy he couldn't put into words.
At last, they arrived at a modest house painted a pale white, with a small rusted iron gate. Martha was already sitting on the front porch, waiting. Her aged face looked serious, yet her eyes held something deeper-a mixture of fear and courage.
Daniel stepped out first. "Mom..." he called softly.
Martha stood up slowly and nodded at Nadine and Steffy. "You've come..." her voice was low and hoarse. "Come in."
The three of them followed her inside. The house was simple, its walls filled with old photographs, some of them faded. The faint aroma of warm tea drifted from the kitchen.
They sat in the living room. Martha looked at them one by one, then let out a long breath. "Daniel said you wanted to talk about the past. About the baby that was supposedly... switched."
Nadine straightened her back. "Yes, Nurse Martha. I... I want to hear it directly from you. Because this DNA test," she handed over the paper Daniel had been holding, "states that Steffy is not Hendry's biological child."
Martha took the paper, glanced at it briefly, then gave a bitter smile. "Tests like this can be wrong. They can be manipulated. But a mother's memory-especially a nurse who handled that night-cannot."
Steffy looked at her with hope. "Please tell me the truth, ma'am. Who am I?"
Martha lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked straight at Steffy. "You are the daughter of Hendry Willson and Nadine. There was no baby switch that night. I was the one who handled your birth. I know exactly who I brought into this world."
Those words made Steffy choke. "But... how is that possible? Then why does the DNA test say otherwise?"
Daniel spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "That's what we need to find out. But I trust my mother. She would never forget what happened that night. I've heard the story many times since I was a child. No other baby entered or left that room except you, Steffy."
Martha nodded. "That's right. That night was chaotic-there was a power outage, a small fire in the storage room. But I remained conscious and alert. I carried you myself, Steffy. I handed you directly to Nadine."
Nadine covered her mouth with her hand as tears began to fall. "So... all this time I wasn't wrong... Steffy is my child."
Steffy held her mother's hand, torn between relief and confusion. "But... why is the test different?"
Martha looked at the paper again, then placed it on the table. "Because someone wants you to believe that you are not part of that family. For whatever reason-perhaps revenge, perhaps something else. But remember, the truth cannot be erased by a single piece of paper."
Daniel added, "We need to run another test. With proper procedures, in an independent laboratory. Don't fully trust the result that Evelyn has."
The name was spoken. Steffy flinched, then lowered her head. "Evelyn... my own sister. So it's true-she's the one trying to push me away from the family?"
Nadine pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "Calm down, sweetheart. We'll face this together."
The living room fell silent for a moment, filled only with Steffy's soft sobs as she released days of tension. Nadine stroked her daughter's hair, while Daniel watched them with a mixture of relief and concern.
Outside, the wind blew gently, rustling the leaves. But inside their hearts, a storm had just begun-because the truth they now held stood in direct opposition to the written proof in Evelyn's hands.
That same night, after another DNA test, Steffy was alone.
Although she had briefly returned to the Willson house, she chose to go back to the villa, not yet ready to face Evelyn.
She leaned against the sofa, listening to music. Her emotions were still unstable.
She hoped that the truth would lead her toward a new chapter in life.
A tear slipped down her cheek as she stared at an envelope lying on the table.
Then suddenly, her phone rang.
Daniel.
For some reason, he was calling her in the middle of the night.
"Yes, Daniel. Is something wrong?" Steffy asked, puzzled.
"Steffy," Daniel said, his voice serious, "I need to ask you something. It's about you... Are you pregnant?"
