Evan nodded.
“What did you say, when Madaster said he’d done it?” I asked him.
“I insisted he return the sample. I more than insisted. I grabbed him and nearly threw him out of his chair. But Noah refused. His nurse wasn’t there by the time I got there. We couldn’t find her in the house. She must have taken the sample with her. When things started to get out of hand between Noah and I, Wes intervened. He pulled me off Noah. He suggested that both of us turn over the sample to him.”
“What did Wes want to do with it?”
Evan met my stare squarely. “He said he’d handle the testing, act as a neutral party to the whole thing. He knows someone at a lab in Carson City who could put a rush on the results. Noah said he could supply some of Elizabeth’s DNA, for comparison. Noah said he’d agree to that, if I did.”
He hesitated, avoiding my stare.
“Evan?”
“I told Wes to do it, Anna.”
He saw my stunned expression.
“I’m sorry. I know Noah stole the genetic material from you without your consent. But after some of the things Noah was claiming, and your similarity to Elizabeth—”
“You thought it would be better to clear up any doubts. And you are having doubts,” I said, staring blankly into space. “In the past few days, you’ve grown to suspect that I could be Elizabeth’s child.”
“I suspected Noah had been telling you some of the same lies he told me. I thought there was a possibility you’d want proof that his claims were unfounded.” He winced and glanced away. “That was before—”
“We knew for certain that I was adopted. Or you knew about this,” I said, holding up my bruised thumb.
“I’ve told you. I don’t see how it’s possible that you’re Elizabeth’s child.”
“You mean that you never thought it was possible before. Until yesterday, in Noah’s suite,” I corrected.
I saw his jaw tighten.
What about the paternity? a voice in my head screamed.
But the possible answer was too sickening… to reprehensible to say aloud, let alone consider for long. I realized it must be precisely the same situation for Evan.
So we both existed in frozen horror.
“No matter what the test results show, it won’t change how I feel about you,” he said.
It took me a few seconds to absorb his words. When I finally did, I laughed harshly. It scared me, because I couldn’t stop. I laughed until more tears ran down my cheeks and Evan stood over me, looking alarmed.
“I’m sorry,” I managed between jags of laughter. “It’s just all so insane, I think it’s making me crazy, too.”
“No,” Evan said resolutely, grabbing my upper arms and helping me to stand. “You’re overwhelmed and exhausted. Come lie down, Anna.”
I was too dismayed to argue. It felt like my heart was being crushed inside my chest. I found myself avoiding Evan’s eyes at all costs. The pain of meeting his gaze, of thinking of what had been between us and could never be again, overwhelmed me.
I curled up on my side on the bed, my back to him when he sat on the edge of the mattress. I jerked away from him, and then took a twisted comfort in the fact that he didn’t move. He remained next to me, solid and warm.
Slowly, the wave of hysteria ebbed out of me.
“How long will it take for the testing?” I asked, sniffing.
“Wes told me today that he should have the results by tomorrow, Thursday at the latest.”
God, let me wake up from this nightmare.
Evan touched me on my back.