Ethan backed away.

“No. Don’t say it.”

James stopped.

Laura covered her mouth.

But Michael finally looked at Ethan.

“James is your biological father.”

Ethan stared at his uncle.

Then at his mother.

“You lied to me for seventeen years?”

Laura began crying.

“I was terrified.”

“Of what?”

James answered quietly.

“Of losing Michael.”

Ethan looked at him.

“What does that even mean?”

Michael’s voice was barely audible.

“Your mother and I had separated for a few months before you were born.”

Laura wiped her face.

“I thought our marriage was over.”

Ethan looked toward James.

“And you?”

James couldn’t hold his gaze.

“One night. One mistake.”

Ethan laughed once, but there was no humor in it.

“So everybody knew except me?”

Michael shook his head.

“I didn’t know at first.”

Ethan froze.

“When did you find out?”

Michael’s eyes filled.

“When you were three.”

“Then why did you stay?”

Michael looked at the boy he had raised.

“Because you were already my son.”

Ethan’s anger faltered.

Michael continued.

“You called for me when you had nightmares. You waited by the window when I came home from work. You fell asleep on my chest.”

His voice broke.

“A piece of paper wasn’t going to erase that.”

Ethan looked down at the DNA test.

Then at James.

“So why are you here now?”

James reached into his pocket.

“I didn’t come to take his place.”

He placed a sealed envelope on the table.

“I came because there’s something else the DNA test revealed.”

Laura suddenly looked terrified.

“James, no.”

Ethan stared at her.

“What else?”

James slid the envelope toward him.

“The test didn’t just prove Michael isn’t your biological father.”

He swallowed.

“It proved I’m not either.”