Her Secret, His Love-Child. Tina Duncan

was cleaning the fridge two days later, trying to take her mind off the fact that today was the day the DNA test results were due, when the doorbell rang.

      Immediately, she tensed.

      What if it was Alex?

      She hadn’t received her set of results yet, but that didn’t mean Alex hadn’t received his.

      How was he going to react to the news that Samantha was indeed his daughter?

      Stripping off her green rubber-gloves, she tossed them on to the sideboard before hurrying to the door. She paused and took a deep breath before pulling it open.

      It was Alex.

      But it was an Alex she’d never seen before.

      He looked ill. Grey. Strained. Older.

      She gripped his arm, which was rock-hard with tension.

      ‘Alex, what’s wrong? Are you sick? Do you want me to call a doctor?’

      He shook his head but didn’t answer her.

      She all but pulled him into the apartment.

      It was then she noticed the piece of paper gripped in his clenched fist.

      Her heart plummeted to her toes with sickening speed, then jolted into the back of her throat.

      ‘Is that…is that the test results?’ she choked out.

      Alex looked at his hand as if surprised to see he was still clutching the document.

      He nodded, his fist unclenching as if it was spring loaded.

      The paper bearing the logo of the laboratory dropped to the carpet.

      Katrina didn’t bother picking it up. Didn’t bother because she knew the results.

      Alex lifted his head and stared at her. His face was empty of expression and Katrina registered that he was in some kind of shock.

      ‘Samantha is my daughter,’ he said simply, his voice so low she could barely hear him.

      Katrina nodded.

      ‘I’m a father,’ he croaked.

      Again, she nodded. ‘Yes. Yes, you are.’

      He ran a hand through his hair and around the back of his neck. ‘I thought I was prepared for this. When you suggested the DNA test, I knew you had to be pretty sure I was the father. But seeing it in black and white…’ He shook his head. ‘It’s knocked me for six.’

      Katrina could see that. She’d never seen Alex like this.

      But she found it hard to be sympathetic. She’d told him the truth so many times, she’d practically turned blue in the face. But he hadn’t listened to her.