“The original birth certificate,” Mr. Bennett repeated. “Not the altered copy. Not the certified duplicate issued years later. I’m talking about the original document registered at the hospital.”
Vivian swallowed. “I don’t understand why this matters.”
“This matters,” he said, “because your husband specifically asked me to ask you if the DNA results ever became relevant.”
Alyssa stared at her mother. “What does Dad’s will have to do with Mom’s birth certificate?”
Mr. Bennett finally looked at her. “Not your mother’s birth certificate.”
He paused. “Yours.”
Alyssa’s face changed. “What?”
Mr. Bennett placed the report on the table.
“Miss Alyssa Harper, the DNA test confirms that William Harper was not your biological father.”
A sound escaped Vivian.
Not a sound.
Not a hiccup.
Something smaller.
A broken breath.
Alyssa stared at him as if he had spoken another language.
” No. “
Mr. Bennett continued.
“And the second test confirms that Candace
