Chapter 5: The Test of Blood
Julian forced his facial muscles into the smooth, unreadable mask that had made him feared on trading floors across Europe.
"Just a minor due diligence discrepancy, Arthur," Julian said smoothly. "The vineyard's historical land titles have encumbrances dating back to the nineties. I didn't want to sign until our legal team verified the chain of custody."
On the screen, Arthur Laurent’s eyes flickered—a micro-expression of unease that Julian would have missed had he not been watching for it.
"Leave the past in the soil, my boy," Arthur rasped softly. "We buy the future, not the ghosts. Finish the deal tomorrow and return to London. We have a dynasty to secure."
"Understood, Arthur. Rest well." Julian ended the call without waiting for a reply.
Thirty-six hours later, Julian stood inside a private clinic in central Bordeaux. The chief geneticist handed him a sealed envelope. Julian didn’t open it immediately. He stood by the window, watching the rain streak the glass.
He tore the seal.
> **GENETIC ANALYSIS REPORT** > **Sample A (Julian Laurent) & Sample B (Hélène Vaneau):** > **Probability of Maternity: 99.98%**
A heavy, grounding silence fell over Julian. The void in his chest—the cold, hollow space he had filled with money, acquisitions, and luxury—snapped shut. He wasn't an abandoned orphan without roots. He was Henri Vaneau. His mother was alive, surviving on spare coins in the shadow of stone arches, waiting thirty years for a son she refused to believe was dust.
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Julian folded the document into his breast pocket, turned to his security chief, and spoke without hesitation. "Charter the jet. Bring my mother. We're going to London."
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