But Madame Fontaine raised her hand to stop him. She pulled out an envelope from her purse.
“Do you know what this is? A DNA test. I requested it right after the birth.”
She slowly placed the document in front of him.
“Look closely… this child is not yours, Marc. Not a single match.”
Marc paled.
“It’s impossible… Chloe told me that…”
Madame Fontaine let out a bitter laugh.
“You kicked my daughter out because she was expecting a girl. You threw her out of her home to save a few euros. And for another woman, you spent thousands. For what? To find out you weren’t raising your son, but someone else’s child.”
She put the papers away and headed for the door. Before leaving, she added calmly:
“Elise is fine. She gave birth to a beautiful, healthy girl. And don’t worry… she already has a father by her side. But it’s not you. From today, my daughter and granddaughter no longer need a man who’s incapable of facing the consequences of his actions.”
The door closed, leaving Marc collapsed in a chair. The cry of a newborn echoed in the hallway; just hours earlier, he would have considered it a miracle. Now, he only heard a cruel reminder of his own downfall.
Weeks later, the clinic notified him of a bill exceeding 12,000 euros. Chloe had disappeared, leaving all the expenses in his name. The apartment he had bought was seized. He lost his savings. And his pride.
In Annecy, Elise gradually regained her strength. The sunset reflected on the turquoise lake while Madame Fontaine watched her rock her baby on the terrace.
“Do you see, my dear? Life always puts everyone in their place. You have love. He… is left with his mistakes.”
Elise kissed her daughter’s forehead, a sweet smile lighting up her face. The warm air descended from the mountains, gently moving the apple tree leaves in the garden.
And for the first time in a long time, Elise breathed in peace.
