Valentine is 22 and just graduated college with a PHD in Child Development. After her parents died on her birthday and she was thrown into the foster system she developed a passion for kids and their mental capacities.
Her life was regular to her n...
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(New writing style unlocked!)
The tension in the air was thick as Kaleb slid the DNA results over to Valentine. The soft clink of silverware on plates and the low hum of nearby conversations did nothing to break the silence between them.
Kaleb's eyes stayed on the paper, his thumb rubbing nervously over the corner of the envelope as Valentine stared at the results. Her heart raced, the truth sinking in slowly, but her curiosity was relentless.
"So, we're half-siblings?" Valentine asked quietly, her voice almost a whisper.
Kaleb nodded, leaning back in his chair. He tried to mask the storm inside him, but it was clear—this discovery was no easier for him than it was for her.
Valentine frowned, glancing down at the page, still processing the gravity of it all. "Wait... what does that mean exactly? Which parent do we share?"
Kaleb didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slid the paper across the table toward her, his gaze shifting to the side. "We share a father," he said, his voice almost flat.
Valentine froze, the words feeling heavier than they should have. Her eyes scanned the results again, disbelief flickering across her face. She looked up at Kaleb, searching his expression for any sign of a joke. But there was none.
Her mind raced. "Our father?" she repeated in disbelief. "But... I—he..." She stuttered, unable to form a coherent thought.
Kaleb took a deep breath. "It's not just a shock to you. I didn't know either. My adoptive mom told me... she said that my real mother 'disappeared' after something happened. She heard rumors that my dad had to cover up his affair. Apparently, he told them I had a birth defect to explain my... my existence." He paused, clearly pained by the truth. "He paid my adoptive parents $20K a year to keep quiet about it. She said that my real mom never had a chance to speak for herself."
Valentine felt a cold chill run through her veins as the weight of his words sank in. She sat back, her mind struggling to catch up with the revelation.
"And now?" she whispered. "What happens now?"
Kaleb leaned in, his voice low but firm. "I heard my biological parents are from New Orleans. They said my mom used to work at an old hotel there. I've been thinking... maybe I should go see it. See if I can learn anything more."
Valentine looked down at the table, considering it for a long moment. She thought about her own ties to New Orleans, her connection to her hometown, and how complicated things had already become. But she didn't want to leave him to face this alone.
