It's Lance.

"Lance, what are you doing here?" she was caught off guard.

"Ingrid... I am sorry if interrupted you and Liane, but I can't help myself not to see you." Ingrid felt pity for the man, since he is nice man but she could never reciprocate what he feels for her.

"I-it's okay." she trailed off.

"Lance, just feel comfortable, I will just get us something to drink. What do you want?" Liane interrupted.

"Thanks, Liane. Water will do."

Ingrid pursed her lips and thought of some topics for diversion but she could not afford it as she looks at his sullen face.

"Lance, you are such a nice man. I know you can meet someone more worthy than me." she tried to appease the man's sorrow.

"How I wish it's that easy, Ingrid. I've waited for you all my life. But I am not complaining to you anyway, it was my decision to do so and I never regretted it." he paused and took a deep breath before he continued. "...I have been hiding this truth for so long that I could no longer bear to carry it. I knew years ago where to find you. But I did not inform it to your father because I don't want to force you to do anything. I was just observing you from afar and in those years, I saw how you struggled and eventually reached your goal. When I sense that it is high time that you, your parents and me to meet. I decided to reveal your location, and it's timely when the Briggs invited your parents on that party so I grabbed the opportunity and escorted them that night."

Ingrid huffed at what he is hearing. "Are you some kind of a stalker, Mr. McNaught?" she blurted out because she did not know what to react.

Lance shook his head. "No, I am not like that and I mean no harm. I just wanted you to soar on your own. I really wanted you to be my wife and I was so selfish back then. But when you ran away, that left me thinking." Again he took deep breaths, his eyes were moist.

"Everything was just right until you became pregnant. I thought someone took advantage of your innocence. I was enraged at the thought, but luckily it wasn't I feared." Lance took her hands.

"Lance..." she was caught off guard of Lance' action and tried to take her hands off.

"How I prayed that I am Clark's father. I will be the blessed man in the world."

...

Two days have pa.s.sed...

The day they were all waiting for except for Ingrid. For her it was a dreadful day. It's a make or break of her freedom.

They were all gathered at the huge living room of the Briggs. Their parents were still in cool demeanor. Clifford showed no emotion and Clark was unusually clingy to her and sometimes would climb to Clifford's lap and leans on his muscular chest. Lance was quiet and anxious, while Liane tried to talk nonsense things just to lighten the atmosphere.

Any minute the DNA a.n.a.lyst with the team will arrive and would reveal the result of the DNA Test. Ingrid kept on fidgeting her cold hands. Her mind is a.n.a.lyzing so many possible reactions she might have. Her anxiety grew as the minute ticks. She keeps on coming in and out of the comfort room to pee.

"Sis, are you alright?" she just nodded.

"The guests has arrived." Ingrid's body hair rose giving goose b.u.mps all over her body, she could not breathe.

All of them stood up and warmly welcomed the guests. They were escorted by Mr. Vladimir and his men. The guests who arrived were different from the experts who took the DNA samples two days ago. This time it was specially the DNA a.n.a.lyst who came.

The result was placed in a very secure attaché case with some special codes and a finger print scanner before it could be opened. They all settled down and waited for the DNA result to be revealed.

"Good day, we are deeply sorry if we're late because on our way here, someone tried to b.u.mp into our car, luckily the men Mr. Briggs sent were fast and avoided the collision." All of them was stunned and did not say a word.