Chapter 453

Pearl sat quietly for several minutes.

"You got any proof of all this?" Jim asked. Erik handed Jim the file Sydney scanned over earlier that day containing everything they had so far.

He handed Pearl a piece of paper as well.

"What's this." Her voice wavered and he could barely hear her.

"It's a DNA profile. Your DNA profile. We ran it blind through a system even though we suspected what we would find already."

"What made you suspect?" She asked.

"First, your doctor. He told me you didn't present anywhere near your age. And then… Dylan." He said.

"Dylan?" Jim asked.

"He had the newspaper clippings and a copy of your birth certificate in a folder in his office. I found it when I gathered all the important paperwork for the ranch after the funeral."'

"Dylan knew this?" Pearl looked bewildered and terribly in shock.

"I don't think he knew for sure but something triggered his suspicion. I can't figure out why but he was looking into it. Your birth certificate was absolutely altered. It was made to say a different name. Different birth date. Different everything. There are no records of your birth anywhere but on that certificate. We ran your DNA through the National database but found nothing. Then, we ran it through an ancestry site and we got a bite. A woman by the name of Marie. Marie Sloane. Second cousin to Henry Sloane of Chicago, Illinois. My PI went to his house and explained that we were looking into the case again. He gladly submitted DNA and it's a match. A sibling match to yours. 99.97% Pearl."

"I have a brother?" She stood up and began to pace.

"Pearl, are you alright to be up and walking around?" Erik asked.

"Yes. Fine." Pearl said.

"So she's how old?" Jim asked.

"She is 48. She'll be 49 in December."Erik said. "She's younger than I am." Pearl shook her head in disbelief.

"Please take some time to process this, I know it's a lot. However you choose to go about it, if you choose to do anything at all, I support you completely. I understand what it's like to find out your entire life was a lie. Your parents. Your family. Your memories. I'm here, Pearl." Erik said, taking her hand in his.

"Pearl I'm sorry to hear this. I don't know what to say. I'm not much comfort, but I think you should give some closure to this Sloane family. What's left of it, anyway."Jim said.

"I want to see my mother." Pearl finally said after a long period of silence.

"Darlene? That woman is nuts. She's been at the home for a decade now and Allen is in the ground, where he belongs." Jim said.

"She has dementia. But she isn't crazy. I'm going to see her tomorrow."

"Suit yourself." Jim said shrugging.

"Thank you for being here, Jim. I hope you stay a few days." Erik said as he shook his hand.

"Yeah. I think I'll stick around a few days, make sure she's alright." Jim got up and put his arm around her.

"They never deserved you, baby girl. None of 'em." He said, and walked out of the study.

Pearl sat down in the chair and in silence for quite some time. Erik stood against the wall, watching her. He wanted to help her so badly but he knew that the best thing to do was stand by her, in silence and hold her hand in the dark until she was able to find the light again.