Aliana's POV
"Michael, you need to listen to me," I say as I pace in the dim light of our living room. The room is heavy with tension, the silence broken only by the sound of our anxious breaths. Michael sits on the edge of the sofa, his eyes troubled and searching.
"I've been trying to understand everything, Aliana," Michael replies, his voice low and steady. "But this DNA test—it changed everything. I confronted Sarah about it. I needed to know the truth."
I stop pacing and face him, my heart aching with a mixture of hope and bitterness. "And what did she say, Michael? Tell me everything."
Michael sighs deeply, running his fingers through his hair. "I told her I needed answers about Ethan. I asked her directly if the test was real. But she just laughed it off, denying everything." His eyes fill with disappointment as he continues, "I could see the cracks in her story, even as she repeated the same lies. It was like watching someone crumble under the weight of their own deceit."
Before I can ask more, the doorbell rings sharply, echoing through the empty space. Michael stands up, his face set in determination, and goes to answer it. I follow silently, my mind racing with unanswered questions and a lingering sense of betrayal.
Sarah steps into the room with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "Michael, Aliana, what a surprise to see you both here," she says, her tone saccharine but laced with tension.
Michael meets her gaze evenly. "Sarah, we need to talk. I know about the DNA test, and I know something is wrong." His voice trembles with a mix of anger and hurt.
Sarah's smile falters for a moment, and she crosses her arms. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Michael. That test was completely genuine. You must be mistaken."
I feel my chest tighten as I watch Michael's face. I can see his eyes narrowing with suspicion as he presses on, "Then why do I feel like you're trying to trap me, Sarah? Your story doesn't add up. Every time I ask, you dodge, you change the subject. I can see the cracks, the fear behind your eyes."
Sarah shifts uncomfortably, her gaze darting away. "I—Michael, please, you're overreacting. It's just a simple test. I thought we could put this matter behind us and move on."
I step forward, unable to keep my hurt silent any longer. "Move on? How can we move on when the truth is hidden behind more lies, Sarah? How can you expect us to trust you when every word you speak feels like a carefully rehearsed act?" My voice shakes with a blend of sorrow and anger.
Michael's eyes plead for an explanation as he turns his attention back to Sarah. "I need you to be honest, Sarah. For Ethan's sake, for all our sakes. What did you do? What is the truth behind that DNA test?" His tone is a mix of desperation and resolve.
Sarah's eyes flash with a moment of panic before she quickly masks it with a forced calm. "There's nothing to explain, Michael. The test is real, and it shows exactly what it's supposed to. Ethan is—" She pauses, her voice faltering. "Ethan is exactly as he should be."
I can't hold back my disbelief any longer. "Then why did I receive that message? Why do I have this overwhelming feeling that everything is a trap?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper as I look between Michael and Sarah.
Sarah's expression hardens, and for a long, tense moment, the only sound in the room is the beating of our hearts. Finally, with a trembling sigh, she speaks. "You think you know the truth, but there's more to this than you can imagine. Michael, I never meant to hurt you. I only wanted to secure our future."
Michael frowns, stepping closer. "Secure our future? How do you secure something by lying, Sarah? By faking a test? By trapping me in a web of deceit?"
A shadow crosses her face, and for the first time, her eyes betray a glimmer of desperation. "I did what I thought was necessary," she says softly, her voice cracking under the strain. "I—I faked the DNA test. It was never meant to be real."
I gasp, my heart shattering at her confession. "What? You faked it? How could you, Sarah? How could you play with our lives like that?" My voice trembles with a mix of anger and disbelief.
Michael takes a step back, his face a mask of hurt and betrayal. "You... you manipulated everything. All this time, I trusted you, and you used that trust to trap me in a lie. Tell me, why? What did you hope to gain by faking that test?"
Sarah's eyes fill with tears as she struggles to maintain control. "I—I wanted you to believe in me, Michael. I was scared, and I felt invisible until I made you see me. The test, the lies—it was all a desperate attempt to secure your love, to make you stay by my side." Her voice quivers with raw emotion as she continues, "I never wanted to hurt anyone, but I was drowning in loneliness and fear. I thought if I could create a future where everything was perfect, you would finally see me for who I am."
I stand frozen, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. The pain of betrayal mixes with a strange pity for the broken woman before me. "But at what cost, Sarah? You destroyed our family. You made me doubt everything. How can we ever trust you again?" I ask, my voice thick with emotion.
Michael's face contorts with anguish as he takes in her words. "Sarah, why did you do this? Why did you have to fake the test? What did you think would happen?" His voice is barely audible, filled with heartache.
Sarah looks down, her hands trembling. "I thought I could control it all. I thought I could fix everything if you only believed in me. But I see now that I was wrong. I was so desperate to feel wanted, to be loved, that I lost sight of what was real." Her confession hangs in the air like a heavy fog, and for a long moment, no one speaks.
I feel tears welling up in my eyes, and my heart aches at the depth of the betrayal. "Michael, I... I don't know if I can forgive you for everything that's happened, or even for trusting her when she lied," I say softly, my voice barely audible. The wound is too deep, and my heart is too fragile.
Michael reaches for my hand, but I pull away slightly, still lost in the whirlwind of emotions. "I understand, Aliana. I'm hurt too. But we have to find a way forward, even if it's just facing the truth, no matter how painful it is," he pleads, his eyes full of longing for reconciliation yet shadowed by the betrayal.
Sarah, her face pale and eyes haunted, wipes away a tear. "I know I've shattered everything, and I can't take it back. But I need you to know—I never wanted to trap you. I was trapped in my own fears, and I made a terrible mistake," she confesses, her voice breaking as the full weight of her actions sinks in.
The room feels as if it's closing in on us, the air thick with heartache and uncertainty. Michael's voice is strained as he asks, "What now, Sarah? How do we fix this? How do we move forward when the foundation of our trust is gone?"
Before Sarah can answer, the silence is shattered by a sudden, loud knock on the door. We all freeze, our hearts pounding in unison. The knock sounds urgent, almost as if someone knows we are at the edge of a confession that could change everything.