Chapter 602: Rest
Hayley’s POV:
After rescuing Jonah that day, I didn’t give much thought to the Ortega family’s situation. But a few days later, I came across a news report. Jonah had caused a commotion at a bar, trying to avoid paying, and in the process, got himself beaten to the point of unconsciousness. Meanwhile, Tina, unable to handle the emotional stress, had lost her grip on reality. I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pity as I read about it.
I took care of the necessary paperwork for Grandma’s discharge from the hospital and brought her back home. After a few sessions of needle therapy, she regained the ability to walk without any issues. I decided to let her rest for a while before arranging for both her and Grandpa to visit a specialist out of town. To celebrate Grandma’s recovery, Justin was also released.
May hadn’t heard from him in the past few days, so when she saw him walk through the door, she immediately pulled him aside for a quiet conversation.
I helped Grandma sit down and noticed Virginia exhaling deeply, her expression heavy with sadness. I followed her into the kitchen, concerned.
“Mrs. Virginia,” I said softly, “You don’t seem like yourself today. Is everything alright?”
Startled, Virginia quickly turned away, wiping away a tear. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”
Her attempt to hide it only made me more concerned. I could see right through her act. I stepped closer, speaking more gently, “Mrs. Virginia, if you consider me family, please don’t keep things from me. You don’t need to hide it.”
Virginia sighed heavily, taking my hand in hers. “I just feel so heartbroken. You’re such a wonderful young lady, and yet, you’re not my daughter.” Her voice trembled with emotion. “I’m upset, not for any particular reason, but because when I learned you were adopted, I was desperate to have a DNA test done. And when the results came back… I wished with all my heart that you were my daughter.”
As she spoke, I felt Hera’s energy shift—calm and affectionate—as she moved closer to Virginia. My heart skipped a beat at the sensation.
I quickly composed myself and asked, “Have you been out recently?”
Virginia blinked, clearly startled, then quickly apologized. “Oh, yes, I went out… I just had to take the sample for the test. I’m sorry, Hayley. I didn’t follow your instructions exactly.”
“No,” I said, my voice becoming more serious. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“You worried about something else?” Virginia asked, confused.
I let out a heavy sigh, then decided to be upfront with her, “Freya’s people have been keeping an eye on the house. They’ve been close by.”
“What!?” Virginia gasped, clutching her chest in fear. “So… does that mean she knows about the DNA test?”
“Well, whether she knows or not isn’t a huge issue,” I said, trying to calm her. “What I really need from you is the test result. Can you give me a copy?”
Virginia still looked puzzled. “The results are just numbers and data. Do you even understand any of it?”
“I don’t fully understand it,” I admitted. “But I might be able to trace where the information came from.”
Virginia hesitated for a moment, but then, as if realizing she had no other choice, she went to her room and returned with the report. I took the document from her, heading back to my own room.
Using the testing center’s name and the report’s code, I accessed the center’s database. When I saw the real results, my heart nearly stopped. For a moment, I couldn’t even breathe. The woman I had been caring for, Virginia, was… my biological mother!