The 100th Test Snitched

The results came out fast.

Sasha held the report, voice steady. "Maya, I watched them run it myself. There's no way it's wrong. You need to come to your senses. Go home and make it up to Lily. She's been terrified these past few months."

I crossed my arms and didn't take it. I stared her down. "Nothing wrong with it? You willing to stake your career on that?"

She froze. Then she glanced at the cameras, her face turning hurt. "Don't take this out on me. I swear on my integrity."

Wesley stepped in front of her. "Maya, you've gone too far. How can you accuse Sasha like that? Just because the results aren't what you want, you take it out on her?"

He flipped the report open. Didn't even look—just threw it at my face.

I caught it, frowning.

Bold black letters: biological relationship.

A reporter snatched it from my hand and passed it around.

Everyone around me looked at me with pure disdain.

"I told you. Ninety-nine tests, and every one said the same thing. How would this be any different?"

"She's completely lost it."

"Now she's blaming the doctor, trying to stir things up. Disgusting."

A security guard came over and shoved me. "Don't make a scene. We don't tolerate harassment here."

I almost stumbled.

I looked around. Every face—mocking, disgusted, full of contempt.

Two uniformed officers walked in. "Who is Maya Madison?"

Wesley pointed at me. "Her! I'm her husband—I called the police! She abuses children! She abuses my daughter!"

He looked pained, but I caught the smile in his eyes.

Lily wrapped her arms around an officer's leg. "Officer, Mommy hits me. It really hurts."

The livestream blew up—cheers, people telling me to rot in prison.

The officers exchanged a look. "Maya Madison called us. We got a report of child trafficking."

I stepped forward, holding up my ID. "I'm Maya Madison. I'm reporting Sasha Reed for child trafficking. She trafficked my child."

Everything froze.

Even the crowd went quiet.

They just stared, like their brains couldn't catch up.

Sasha's face went pale. She rushed to explain, "Lily is your child! Officer, here's the DNA test!"

Wesley jumped in. "She's my daughter! My wife gave birth to her! My wife's unstable—everyone knows she's been imagining our daughter isn't hers."

My phone rang. I smiled and put it on speaker.

"Maya, all the hospitals in the city finished the tests! Just like you thought! I'm downstairs at Bellemont—I'm coming up now!"

I hung up. "Officer, wait. The evidence is on the way."

Before I came here, I'd already pulled some of Lily's hair—mine too—and had my cousin Keira run tests.

I was going to confirm it quietly.

Didn't expect Wesley to call the press and drag me through the dirt.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"They already did a hundred tests."

"Why do more?"

"What's it gonna change?"

I lifted my chin and pointed at Sasha. "It changes everything. Every test before went through her. I sent our hair samples to every hospital in the city that can run DNA tests. If they all match, I'll accept it. But if they don't—Sasha Reed, I want to know where you took my real child."

Right as I finished, Keira walked in, arms full of reports.

"All of them. One from each hospital."

The crowd surged forward, grabbing the reports.

They read—then froze.

Shock hit all at once, spreading across their faces.

Every single report said the same thing in bold black letters—

[not biologically related.]