Chapter 25: The Unshakable Doubt

Later that evening, Lani sat in her home office, staring blankly at her laptop screen. She wasn't working—her mind was still stuck on Leo's joke and the way Luca had reacted.

"You guys kinda look alike."

She scoffed under her breath. Kids say the weirdest things. But the moment replayed in her head over and over again, and she couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling growing inside her.

The truth was, she had noticed small similarities before. Lily's mannerisms, the way she scrunched her nose when she was thinking, even her occasional brooding silence—it all reminded her of Elias. But she had always brushed it off.

Now, with Luca's silent but intense reaction, she felt like she was being forced to confront something she wasn't ready for.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Come in," she said, rubbing her temples.

Nina, her secretary, peeked her head in. "Hey, just checking in. You okay? You seemed distracted earlier."

Lani forced a small smile. "I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."

"Want me to cancel tomorrow's morning meeting?"

"No, it's fine. Thanks, Nina."

Nina nodded and left, closing the door behind her. Lani exhaled sharply and leaned back in her chair. She hated feeling this unsettled, this unsure.

And the worst part? A small, dangerous part of her wanted to investigate further.

Meanwhile…

Elias sat alone in his small apartment, his fingers loosely gripping a cup of coffee he had barely touched. The day's events played in his mind, but more than anything, he kept seeing Lily's face.

She was sick, but she had recovered quickly. Still, something about the way she clung to him, the way she trusted him so easily—it did something to his chest.

He had spent years keeping people at arm's length. But this little girl had managed to slip past all of his walls.

And now, her brother had started looking at him differently.

Luca wasn't a loud, impulsive kid like Leo. He was quiet, observant. And Elias had seen that look before—the one that said, I know something's not right.

The logical thing to do was to quit for real this time. Walk away before the attachment got any deeper, before anyone started asking real questions.

But the thought of not seeing Lily again made his chest tighten painfully.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm in trouble."

He just didn't know how much yet.

The Next Morning

Lani was already awake before her alarm went off. She had barely slept.

As she got the twins ready for school, she caught Luca stealing glances at her, his expression unreadable.

"Mom?" he finally said as she adjusted his uniform collar.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

He hesitated. "Are you sure Elias is just our babysitter?"

Lani's hands stilled. The question sent a shiver down her spine.

"Of course he is," she said with forced lightness. "Why do you ask?"

Luca pursed his lips, then shook his head. "No reason."

But Lani knew that wasn't true. And as she watched him walk off to get his backpack, she realized something terrifying.

She wasn't the only one starting to question things.

And sooner or later, the truth—whatever it was—was going to come out.

Lani couldn't shake the anxiety crawling up her spine. Luca's question was simple, yet it felt like a ticking time bomb.

She hurried through the morning routine, dropping the twins off at school. As she watched them disappear into the building, her eyes lingered on Lily. Her daughter's ponytail swayed as she walked, and for the first time, Lani really looked at her.

Her heart clenched.

The shape of her nose. The way she moved. The way she smiled just slightly before saying something sarcastic.

They were Elias' mannerisms.

Lani swallowed hard. I'm overthinking this. There's no way—

But the doubt had already sunk in.

At Lelani Tech Corp

The workday was a blur. Olivia noticed immediately.

"What's up with you?" Olivia asked as she placed a coffee cup on Lani's desk and took a seat across from her.

Lani sighed, rubbing her temples. "Nothing. Just... something Luca said this morning."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Must've been a hell of a statement to put you in this mood."

Lani hesitated. Should she say it out loud? Saying it would make it real.

She took a deep breath. "He asked me if I was sure Elias was just their babysitter."

Olivia blinked. Then she leaned forward, her expression sharp. "Why would he ask that?"

Lani exhaled. "Because... Leo made a joke yesterday. He said Lily and Elias look alike. And Luca didn't laugh. He just—he noticed something."

Olivia didn't respond right away. She stared at Lani, her brain clearly processing.

Then she whispered, "Do you think it's possible?"

Lani shot up from her chair, pacing. "No. I mean—no, right? That night was years ago. Seven years. I don't even remember what he looked like that well, Olivia. He was just some drunk guy in a bar."

Olivia's silence made Lani pause.

Then her best friend said, "What if he wasn't?"

Lani's stomach dropped.

The thought had barely crossed her mind before. But now? It was staring her in the face.

"I—I need proof," Lani mumbled. "Something concrete. I can't just accuse him of—"

Olivia nodded. "Okay. But be careful, Lani. If this is true, and Elias really is—"

She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't have to.

The weight of the what if hung in the air between them.

Meanwhile...

Elias leaned against his motorcycle outside the hospital, staring at the blood test results in his hand.

Heart condition worsening.

Need transplant sooner rather than later.

He exhaled slowly. The doctor had warned him that the stress wasn't helping. But how could he not be stressed?

Every day he spent at Lani's house, his attachment to Lily deepened.

And now, Luca was looking at him like he knew something.

Elias closed his eyes. He had spent years shutting off his emotions, keeping himself distant from everyone. But Lily? She made it impossible.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

Lani.

He hesitated before answering.

"What's wrong?" he asked immediately.

Lani's voice was steady, but there was something underneath it. Something careful. "Can we talk? In person?"

Elias' grip on the phone tightened.

This wasn't just a casual request.

Something was very wrong.