Elara sat in the back of the car, staring out the window as the world passed by in a blur. The city streets, normally vibrant and full of life, felt muted, their usual noise drowned out by the turmoil in her mind. Her thoughts raced, replaying the doctor's words over and over again, each repetition deepening the ache in her chest.
A mismatch.
She wasn't a Sinclair. The family she had known her entire life wasn't hers by blood.
"Elara, are you sure you want to do this now?" Violet's voice broke through the haze. She glanced at her friend, her expression filled with concern.
Elara gripped her seatbelt, her knuckles turning white. "I have to. I can't keep pretending everything's normal. They need to know."
Violet hesitated but nodded. "Okay. I'm with you."
As the car pulled up to the Sinclair mansion, Elara felt a wave of nausea rise in her stomach. The sprawling estate, with its manicured gardens and grand architecture, had always been her home. But now, it felt like a prison, trapping her in a life that wasn't hers.
The driver opened the door, and Elara stepped out, her legs feeling shaky beneath her. Violet followed closely behind, her presence steadying Elara as they walked toward the front entrance. Every step felt heavier than the last, as if the weight of the truth was physically dragging her down.
They entered the mansion, the familiar scent of lavender filling the air. Elara's mother had always insisted on fresh flowers in every room, a symbol of the Sinclair family's elegance and refinement. But today, the flowers did nothing to soothe Elara's nerves.
Her mother was in the drawing room, seated by the window with a cup of tea. When she saw Elara, she smiled warmly, but the smile faltered as soon as she saw the look on her daughter's face.
"Elara? What's wrong?" her mother asked, setting the cup down and standing up, her eyes filled with concern.
Elara swallowed hard, her mouth dry. She glanced at Violet, who gave her an encouraging nod. Then, with a deep breath, Elara stepped forward.
"I went to get tested," Elara said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her mother's face paled. "What do you mean, tested?"
Elara took another breath, forcing the words out. "A DNA test. To see if what Clara said was true."
Her mother's expression shifted from concern to fear, her eyes widening. "Elara, you didn't… you didn't have to do that. We were going to—"
"The test came back," Elara interrupted, her voice trembling. "It's true. I'm not your daughter."
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. For a moment, there was only silence, the weight of the revelation crashing down on both of them.
Her mother's face crumpled, her hands shaking as she reached for the back of the chair to steady herself. "Elara… no… this can't be…"
Tears welled up in Elara's eyes, but she fought to keep them at bay. She couldn't break down now. She needed answers. "How could this happen? How could you not know?"
Her mother looked at her, her eyes filled with pain and guilt. "We didn't know, Elara. I swear, we didn't know. When you were born, there were complications, and you were in the nursery with other newborns. We trusted the staff to take care of you… but we never suspected anything like this."
Elara shook her head, her anger bubbling to the surface. "How could you not notice? How could you raise someone else's child and not realize it?"
Her mother's voice cracked as she spoke. "You were our child, Elara. From the moment we brought you home, you were ours. I didn't question it because I loved you. You've always been our daughter, no matter what."
"But I'm not!" Elara's voice rose, the pain and confusion spilling out. "I'm not a Sinclair. I'm not your daughter by blood. Everything I've ever known… it's a lie!"
Her mother's eyes filled with tears, and she stepped forward, reaching for Elara's hand. "You're still my daughter, Elara. Blood doesn't change that. We raised you, we loved you, and that will never change."
Elara pulled her hand away, the distance between them growing. "But it changes everything for me. I don't know who I am anymore. I don't know where I belong."
Her mother's face fell, and for the first time, Elara saw her mother not as the poised and composed woman she had always known, but as someone who was just as lost and broken as she was.
"We'll figure this out," her mother whispered, her voice trembling. "Please, Elara, don't push us away. We'll find out what happened. We'll get to the truth."
Elara shook her head, her heart heavy with the weight of everything that had come crashing down on her. "I need time. I can't… I can't stay here right now."
Her mother's face crumpled, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Take whatever time you need. But please, Elara… come back to us."
Elara turned away, unable to bear the sight of her mother's tear-filled eyes. She felt like she was suffocating, trapped in a world that no longer made sense. Violet placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as they walked toward the door.
As they stepped outside, Elara felt the cool air hit her face, a small relief from the suffocating tension inside the mansion. But it didn't make the pain go away. The truth had shattered her world, and now, all she had left was the uncertainty of what came next.
As the car pulled away from the mansion, Elara stared out the window, her heart aching with a deep sense of loss. She wasn't sure where she was headed or how she would find herself again. But one thing was certain: her life would never be the same.