Katie’s resentment toward Claire had reached a boiling point. Convinced that Claire

was an impostor in the Newman family, she devised a secret plan to expose the truth.

One evening, as Claire brushed her hair in the bathroom, Katie sneaked in and took a strand of

her hair from the brush. Pocketing the hair, Katie felt a grim satisfaction and quickly set her plan into motion.

Katie, having learned about DNA testing from crime shows and adult conversations, figured out how to get the hair strand tested discreetly. She carefully packaged it and sent it to a private lab, eagerly awaiting the results that would prove her suspicions.

Meanwhile, Victoria remained blissfully unaware of Katie’s actions. She loved Claire unconditionally and treated her as her daughter, regardless of biological ties. The idea of a DNA test terrified Victoria, as she didn’t want to risk losing Claire, who had become an integral part of her life.

A few weeks later, the DNA test results arrived. Katie, brimming with pride, rushed into the living room where Victoria, Claire, and Victor were gathered. Holding the envelope, she announced, “Mom, Grandpa, look what I have! It’s the results of a DNA test about Claire.”

Victoria’s heart sank. “Katie, what have you done?” she asked, her voice shaking. Ignoring her mother’s distress, Katie tore open the envelope and revealed the shocking news: “Claire isn’t your daughter, Mom. She’s not a Newman.”

The room fell into stunned silence. Claire’s face turned pale, and her eyes welled up with tears. Victor’s expression darkened, and Nikki, who had just entered, looked shocked and angry. “What is the meaning of this?” Victor demanded, grabbing the paper from Katie. As he read the results, his face hardened. “This can’t be true.”

Victoria, fighting back tears, took the paper from her father. Her hands trembled as she read the damning evidence. Claire wasn’t her biological daughter. Despite this, Victoria’s feelings for Claire hadn’t changed. She looked at Claire, who stood frozen in place, and her heart broke for the young girl she loved as her own. “Katie, why did you do this?” Victoria asked, her voice thick with emotion.

“Because she’s not one of us, Mom,” Katie replied defiantly. “She’s been lying to us all this time. She’s an outsider.”

Claire, finally finding her voice, said, “I never lied about who I am. I didn’t know I wasn’t your daughter, Victoria, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you. You’ve always been my mother.”

Victoria walked over to Claire and wrapped her arms around her. “You are my daughter, Claire. No piece of paper will ever change that.”

Victor and Nikki exchanged troubled glances. “Victoria, this is a serious matter,” Victor said. “We need to understand who Claire really is. Claire, if you’re not Victoria’s daughter, who are you? Where do you come from?”

“I don’t know,” Claire sobbed. “I’ve always thought you were my family.”

Victor’s face hardened. “We need to get to the bottom of this. We can’t have someone in the family who doesn’t belong.”

Feeling vindicated, Katie smirked. “See? I told you she didn’t belong here.”

“Enough, Katie,” Victoria snapped. “This is not a game. We’re talking about people’s lives here.”

The tension in the room was palpable. Over the next few days, Victor ordered a thorough investigation into Claire’s background. The atmosphere in the Newman household became tense and uneasy. Claire, feeling isolated, withdrew into herself, haunted by the possibility of losing the only family she had ever known. Victoria struggled to maintain a semblance of normalcy, but the strain was evident.