Chapter 2: A dangerous idea.

The silence in the room was suffocating, thick with unspoken questions  and tensions.The air between them seemed  charged, every  second stretching into an eternity as Alexander stared at her,his mind working  overtime to process her  revelation . Daniela's  chest tightened under his penetrating gaze, and goosebumps prickled her arms despite the heat of her anger.

“ But  how?” he finally  managed, his voice  rough, strained.” We used protection that night. How could this child ….. How is he mine?” Her knuckles turned white as the weight of the moment  bore down on her. She could see the storm brewing in her eyes- confusion, denial , and something  else she couldn't quite place.  A part of her wanted to lash out at him for questioning her, for doubting the  existence of their  child. But  she knew it was pointless.She had her share of guilt to bear for keeping the truth from him all these years. Taking a step  closer, she steadied herself, her voice soft but firm.“ The child is yours , Alexander . She said, each word heavy with emotion. “I didn't  ask for  this. I  didn't  want this. But when you walked away, you left  something  behind- something I  couldn't escape, even if  I tried”.

His jaw tightened, and his hands  clenched into fists at his sides. The sight of the envelope in her hand seemed to unnerve him, as if it held a truth he wasn't ready to face. He took a step back, his posture rigid. “ You expect me to believe this?”he said, his voice low and  laced with  anger. “ That after all these years , you suddenly decide to tell me about a child?”

“ Believe what you want”,Daniela snapped, her voice trembling with suppressed fury. “ I’m not here to convince you, Alexander . I am here to tell you the truth. I raised  him alone. I kept him far away from the world  you built, from the life you chose. It's  not the life  I wanted for him . But  he's asking  questions now, Alexander . He wants  to know his father”.

 Alexander's  hardened expression didnt falter , his skepticism evident.  “ Words arent enough, Daniela . Do you think i will just take your  word for it after five years of silence? Where's  your  proof”?   Daniela's  grip on the  envelope  tightened . Her knuckles  turned white as she fought  to stay composed . Without a word,she stepped  closer and held the envelope out  to him”.   “ What  is this?” he asked, eyeing it from afar.    “ its the proof you are so desperate  for”,she said, her voice  steady but filled with hurt.    “ It's a DNA test , Alexander . It confirms what have  been trying to tell you. Noah is your  son”. Alexander's  hesistation was palpable as he reached for  his envelope , his fingers trembling  slightly.  He tore it open and scanned through  the document  inside , his eyes darting across the  page. Daniela  watched as disbelief  turned into shock and then something  deeper full of regrets.   “ It's …… real”,he mummered, his voice barely  above a whisper . His hand fell to his side, still holding the paper. He looked  up at Daniela , his faze unsteady. “ Why didn't  u tell me before”?  Daniela's  throat tightened.    “Because  i was scared”, she admitted, her voice breaking. Before  Alexander  could  respond, a new voice broke through the charged atmosphere . “ Well, well”, Richard drawled,stepping forward with his usual smirk,his tone oozing sarcasm. “ This is an interesting development “. Daniela  barely spared him a glance, her focus locked on Alexander . “ Stay out of this, Richard”, she snapped , her patience already fraying at the edges.  But Richard wasn’t one to back down. He crossed his arms, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “ Oh, but how can I ?Family dramas are my favourite form of entertainment “.   Alexander shot his brother with a warning  glare ,but Daniela  didn't wait for the brothers to turn this into one of their infamous sparring matches. Her attention was laser- focused on Alexander , her voice  softening just enough to convey her desperation.   “ This isn't about you”,  she said, her voice  breaking slightly.  “ It's about him. Your son, Alexander . He needs answers- answers only you can give”.  “ Is this some kind of game?”he finally asked, his voice low but seething with suspicion. “ Five years,  Daniela. Five years, and now you suddenly  show up with this story? You expect me to believe you have  a child for me?

  A flush rose to Daniela's cheeks ,her grip tightening on the  envelope she held.Her knuckles  turned white under the pressure.  “ Believe what you want,”she snapped, trying to keep her composure.  “ This isn't  about  your world or your  rules, Alexander . I  kept him away because i wanted to protect him. I didn't want him caught  in the chaos of your  life”. Alexander's  expression darkened,his jaw tightening . “ What’s his name?” he asked, his tone chillingly controlled.  Her heart twisted  painfully. “ Noah. His name is  Noah”. For a few  moment, his hard expression  eased , and something  gentle appeared in his eyes- regret, guilt or perhaps disbelief - but it was quickly buried. “ So you thought you could raise him alone?” His voice was calm, but the bitterness  was unmistakable. Daniela's  voice softened  though the fire in her eyes  remained. “ I  didn't  just think it- I did.  He's  smart , kind and everything I could have hoped  for . I wanted him far  away from the  ruthless games  you play,from a father who cared more about  profits than people. "His gaze  bore into her, unyielding . “ Then why now?Why come here after all this time?” The truth  tasted  bitter on her tongue,but she forced herself to speak. “ Because I can't  shield him from everything anymore. He's asking questions Alexander . He wants to know who is father is, and I won't  lie to him”.

 Before Alexander  could respond, a slow clap echoed across the room . Richard , his younger brother stepped forward, his smirk dripping with sarcasm.” Well, this is a twist” he drawled, his voice laced with mock  amusement .” So, you just thought  you’d waltz in here and turn Alexander's life upside down?Entertaining,to say the least”. Daniela's  patience frayed,and she shot him a glare. “This has nothing to do with you, Richard”. “Oh, but it does”, Richard countered,his smile widening. “ Family  secrets have a way of blowing up in everyone's face.And this little revelation?it doesn't just affect him. It affects all of us”. Alexander turned to Richard, his expression hardening. “ Enough”, he snapped .” This isn't your business”.  “ Isn't  it?” Richard said, stepping  closer, unfazed by his  brother's fury. “ Do you even understand what's at stake here? A child appearing out of  nowhere isn't just a personal  matter, Alexander . The Dane's family  legacy is on the line, and you know  how much the media loves crime".  Daniela's throat tightened as the weight of Richard's  words settled over her. This wasn't just about  Noah or Alexander. It was about  an empire - one built on ruthless ambition and public  perception.  Alexander's  focus returned to her, his eyes searching hers. “ Tell me everything”, he demanded, his tone softer but now firm.  “ If Noah is  my son,I  need to know what that means for him- and for us.”

Daniela's  heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice, but she steeled herself .”It means you have a chance, Alexander- a chance to be a father. To do better. To be there for him”. He exhaled sharply,his voice tinged with doubt. “ What if I fail?”   “ Then you try again”,she said firmly . “ You don't have to be perfect, Alexander . You just have to be  there for him as a father. That's all Noah needs”.

Richard let out a low chuckle, leaning against the wall with an air of amusement. “Oh, this is rich,” he said. “You think a single meeting will solve everything? Life isn’t some fairytale, Daniela.”

“Then we’ll make it real,” she retorted, her determination unwavering. “Alexander deserves to meet his son. Noah deserves the truth. That’s all I’m asking.”

Alexander hesitated, torn between disbelief and the desire to know the boy who bore his name. Finally, he spoke. “When?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Daniela said, her voice steady. “You deserve to know your son.”

Richard scoffed, shaking his head. “And what if this all goes south? Do you think you can handle it, Alexander? Because I doubt it.”

Alexander turned on his brother, his voice sharp. “That’s enough, Richard. This is my decision—not yours.”

As Daniela  reached for the  door, Alexander's  voice  stopped her , laced with a mixture of hesitation  and something she couldn't  quite place.“ Wait,” he said , stepping closer, his presence filling the room.“ If Noah is  my  son I will  meet him tomorrow - but  only if you answer  one last thing right  now”. Her pulse quickened as she turned back to him, meeting the storm in his eyes.  “What is it?” She  asked, her voice  barely steady.

He hesitated for a moment, his guarded expression faltering. “ Are you here just for  Noah, or is there another reason you've  come back into my life?”