The sterile scent of the private clinic filled the air, sharp and cold. Vivian sat rigid in the chair beside Daniel, her fingers laced tightly with his small hand. Across from them, Liam stood like a storm barely contained arms crossed, jaw clenched, eyes never leaving the boy who might be his.
Daniel swung his legs, wide eyes taking in the bright room. He didn't seem afraid only curious, innocent in a world of secrets.
"Why do they need my hair, Mama?" he asked, watching the nurse prepare the kit.
Vivian forced a smile, brushing a curl from his forehead. "It's just a little test, sweetheart. It won't hurt."
Daniel nodded bravely. The nurse stepped forward, snipping a few strands. Vivian kept her face calm, but inside, her heart pounded.
Liam didn't say a word as the nurse approached him, taking his sample with clinical efficiency. When it was done, Liam turned to the doctor.
"How long?"
The doctor hesitated. "We've prioritized this, Mr. Ashford. A few hours at most."
"Good." His tone brooked no argument.
Vivian rose, drawing Daniel to her side. "We'll wait in the lounge."
"No," Liam said sharply. "You'll wait here. With me."
Their eyes clashed, neither willing to yield.
Finally, Vivian sighed. "Fine. But don't think this changes anything."
Liam almost laughed bitter, humorless. "Everything's already changed, Vivian. You just don't see it yet."
---
The hours crawled by.
Liam paced the office, every tick of the clock a drumbeat in his chest. He'd built an empire from nothing, crushed rivals, commanded boardrooms but this? This was the first battle he didn't know how to fight.
Vivian sat quietly, reading to Daniel, her voice soft and soothing. Liam watched them when he thought she wouldn't notice. Watched the way the boy leaned into her, safe.
And for the first time, he felt the ache of all the years he'd missed.
---
A knock at the door.
The doctor entered, envelope in hand.
Liam snatched it, tearing it open. His eyes scanned the paper once, twice.
Silence.
Then: "It's true." His voice was rough, choked. "He's mine."
Vivian said nothing. Daniel peered up at him, uncertain.
Liam dropped to one knee, trying to speak past the lump in his throat. "Daniel... I'm your father."
The boy hesitated, then gave a shy smile. "Hi, Daddy."
The word shattered what was left of Liam's defenses. He reached out, and after a moment, Daniel stepped into his arms.
For a moment, the room was still.
Then Liam looked up at Vivian. His eyes were dark, determined.
"We're not done here," he said quietly. "Not by a long shot. You've kept him from me for five years. That ends now."
Vivian met his gaze, her own steel-hard. "You think I'm afraid of you? Think again, Liam. I'll protect him from you, from this world, from anyone who tries to use him."
Liam rose, cradling Daniel. "You can't keep me out, Vivian. I'll do whatever it takes. You want a fight? You've got one."
The battle lines were drawn.
Liam straightened slowly, his face unreadable, his mind already calculating the next move. His entire life had been built on control and in a single moment, Vivian Cole had ripped that control from him.
She thought she could walk back into his world, parading a child who bore his blood, and dictate the terms.
She was wrong.
"I don't care why you disappeared," Liam said, his voice low and sharp as a blade. "All that matters now is that he's mine. And I will decide what happens next."
Vivian didn't flinch. "You don't own him, Liam. You don't get to control his life like one of your business deals."
A cold smile touched his lips. "Everything in my life is a deal, Vivian. And this? This is the most important one of all."
Daniel watched them, sensing the tension but not the meaning. He clutched Vivian's coat, wide-eyed.
Liam's gaze flicked to the boy. His son. His blood. His responsibility.
He turned his focus back to Vivian. "You should've come to me from the start. Instead, you chose to make me look like a fool."
Vivian's eyes narrowed. "No one knew, Liam. I didn't come back for you I came back for him. To make sure he has what he needs. To make sure your enemies don't use him against you."
Liam took a step closer, towering over her. His voice dropped, deadly calm. "And you think hiding him was the way to protect him? You've handed me a scandal waiting to explode. The media. The board. My rivals. How long do you think I can keep this quiet now?"
Vivian stood her ground. "You're the great Liam Ashford. Surely you can handle it."
His eyes burned into hers, ice-cold. "Don't test me."
The door creaked open, and his assistant hesitated at the threshold. "Mr. Ashford... the board is requesting your presence. There are questions about the press leaks on the merger collapse."
Liam didn't look away from Vivian. "Tell them I'm delayed."
"But, sir"
"I said I'm delayed."
The assistant fled.
Liam exhaled slowly, forcing his fury back into its cage. He had no time for this chaos but he wouldn't lose control of the situation.
"Here's what happens next," he said, voice like steel. "You and Daniel will stay somewhere I can keep watch. I'll handle the fallout. And when the time comes, we'll make this clean."
Vivian folded her arms. "And if I refuse?"
His smile was ice. "You won't. Because for all your talk of protection, you know he's safer with me than without."
Vivian said nothing but her silence spoke volumes.
Liam adjusted his cufflinks, the picture of composure. "We'll settle this, Vivian. On my terms."
Daniel's small voice broke the tension. "Daddy? Can I come see your office?"
Liam's jaw tightened for a heartbeat. Then, with forced calm, he said, "Soon, Daniel. Very soon."
And as he turned to the window, the city stretched before him and for the first time, even Liam Ashford wasn't sure how this game would end.