The phone call shattered the stillness of the room like a thunderclap, jolting Stella out of her reverie. With trembling fingers, she reached for the device, her heart pounding in her chest as she answered the call.
"Hello?" she said, her voice tinged with apprehension.
"Stella, it's me," Alex's voice crackled through the speaker, filled with urgency. "I've found Max. He's safe."
Stella's breath caught in her throat, relief flooding through her like a tidal wave. For days, she had agonized over Max's disappearance, haunted by visions of him lying broken and alone somewhere in the vast expanse of the city.
"Thank God," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "Where is he? Is he okay?"
"He's fine," Alex replied, his voice steady. "I'm taking care of him. We'll be back soon."
A surge of gratitude washed over Stella, her eyes prickling with tears. Max was safe. He was alive. And soon, he would be home where he belonged.
"Thank you, Alex," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you for bringing him back to us."
There was a pause on the other end of the line, as if Alex were weighing his words carefully.
"I promised you I would take care of him," he said finally. "And I intend to keep that promise."
Megan's heart raced as she stood outside the doctor's office, her mind swirling with a whirlwind of emotions. She had to know the truth – she had to find out who the father of her child truly was. With trembling hands, she pushed open the door and stepped inside, steeling herself for the confrontation that lay ahead.
The waiting room was empty, save for a lone receptionist who glanced up from her desk as Megan approached. "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Megan squared her shoulders, her resolve hardening. "I need to speak with the doctor," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside her.
The receptionist nodded, gesturing toward a door at the end of the hallway. "He's in his office. Just down the hall on the left."
With a nod of thanks, Megan made her way down the hallway, her footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. As she reached the door marked "Dr. Michaels," she hesitated for a moment, her hand poised to knock.
But before she could summon the courage to announce herself, the door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man with kind eyes and a warm smile. "Can I help you?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Megan took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. "I need a DNA test," she blurted out, her words tumbling over each other in her haste. "To find out who the father of my child is."
Dr. Michaels's expression softened, his eyes filled with understanding. "I see," he said, his voice gentle. "Please, come in and have a seat."
Megan followed him into the office, her heart pounding in her chest. She sank into the chair opposite his desk, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.
"I'm sorry, but I can't help you," Dr. Michaels said, his tone apologetic. "DNA testing is not something we offer here."
Megan's heart sank at his words, her hopes dashed in an instant. "But you have to help me," she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "I need to know the truth."
Dr. Michaels hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. "I understand your predicament," he said finally. "But DNA testing is a complex and expensive procedure. I'm afraid it's not something I can do for you."
Megan's heart sank even further at his words, her mind racing with possibilities. She had to find a way to get the DNA test – she had to know the truth, no matter the cost.
"Please," she begged, her voice cracking with emotion. "There has to be something you can do."
Dr. Michaels sighed, his expression filled with sympathy. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "But without the proper resources and equipment, there's nothing I can do."
Desperation clawed at Megan's chest as she realized the enormity of the task before her. She had to find a way to get the DNA test – she had to know the truth, no matter what it took.
As she stood to leave, a thought occurred to her – a desperate, desperate thought that filled her with equal parts hope and despair. Dr. Michaels was a respected physician, well-known in the community for his discretion and professionalism. If anyone could help her, it was him.
"Wait," she said, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "What if I were to offer you a substantial sum of money? Would that change your mind?"
Dr. Michaels's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his gaze fixed on Megan's face. "I'm not sure I understand," he said, his voice cautious.
Megan took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. "I'm willing to pay you one million dollars," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside her. "If you can help me find out the father of my child."
Dr. Michaels's eyes widened in shock, his mouth falling open in disbelief. "One million dollars?" he repeated, his voice tinged with astonishment.
Megan nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "One million dollars. If you can help me."
For a long moment, Dr. Michaels said nothing, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"I'll do it," he said, his voice filled with determination. "I'll help you find the father of your child."
Relief flooded through Megan like a tidal wave, washing away the fear and uncertainty that had plagued her for so long. She had found a way to get the DNA test – she had found a way to know the truth.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you so much."
Dr. Michaels smiled, his eyes filled with kindness. "Don't thank me yet," he said, his tone gentle. "We still have a long way to go. But together, I'm confident we can find the answers you seek."
With that, Megan left the office, her heart lighter than it had been in weeks. She had found a way to get the DNA test – she had found a way to know the truth. And no matter what it took, she would stop at nothing to uncover the secrets of her past.
Megan couldn't help but feel a surge of nervous energy coursing through her veins as she sat in the hospital room with Stella and Vella. The tension in the air was palpable, and she knew she had to do something to lighten the mood.
"So, ladies," Megan began, her voice filled with faux seriousness as she glanced between Stella and Vella. "I've been thinking..."
Stella raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Thinking about what?"
Megan leaned in closer, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Well, you know how we've all been wondering who the father of this little bundle of joy might be?"
Stella nodded slowly, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yes, go on..."
Megan took a deep breath, summoning all her comedic prowess for what was about to come. "Well, I've been doing some calculations," she said, her voice dripping with mock seriousness. "And according to my highly scientific analysis..."
She paused for dramatic effect, drawing out the suspense as Stella and Vella leaned in closer, hanging on her every word.
"...I've determined that there's a ninety-nine percent chance that the father is..."
She glanced at Alex, who was standing awkwardly in the corner of the room, his expression a mixture of amusement and apprehension.
"...Alex!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her laughter any longer. "Sorry, mate, looks like you're on the hook for this one!"
Stella burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking with mirth as she clutched her sides. "Oh, Megan, you're too much!"
But as Megan turned to gauge Vella's reaction, she was met with a stone-faced expression that sent a shiver down her spine.
Vella's lips curved into a tight smile, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she fixed Megan with a penetrating stare. "Oh, come on, Vella," Megan said, her voice tinged with nervous laughter. "You know I'm just joking, right?"
But Vella remained silent, her gaze unwavering as she turned her head to stare at the wall. Stella shot Megan a worried look, silently urging her to change the subject before things got out of hand.
"Um, so, how about those hospital food jokes, huh?" Megan said, her voice strained as she attempted to diffuse the tension in the room.
Stella chuckled weakly, her laughter tapering off into an uncomfortable silence. "Yeah, hospital food jokes," she said, her voice faltering. "Always a crowd-pleaser."
But try as she might, Megan couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over the room like a thick fog. She had meant the joke in good fun, but it seemed that Vella had taken it to heart – and now, there was no going back.
As the awkward silence stretched on, Megan cursed herself for her thoughtlessness. She had wanted to lighten the mood, but instead, she had only succeeded in casting a shadow over what should have been a joyous occasion.
With a heavy heart, she vowed to make it up to Vella – even if it meant laying off the jokes for the foreseeable future. After all, the last thing she wanted was to cause any more tension between them.