With that, Elliana rose and offered a polite, formal bow.
“I also apologize for my earlier behavior. Please forgive my directness.”
A collective sigh of relief swept the room. They had all feared the famously proud Milena would refuse to treat Edgar after enduring such harsh insults, yet he appeared far more gracious than anyone had imagined.
Kaleb stepped forward, eager and grateful.
“Thank you, Dr. Atkinson. Truly. What do we need to do to assist you?”
Elliana took her place beside Edgar and performed a thorough examination. When she finally finished, she lifted her head and spoke — but her next words had nothing to do with Edgar’s condition.
Elliana’s gaze locked onto Edgar as she posed the question, her words hanging in the air like a blade.
“From everything I’ve witnessed, Mr. Thompson, you strike me as decent people—upstanding, even—and yet somehow fate saddled you with two ungrateful wretches named Amilia and Karlee. Tell me, have you ever entertained the notion that they might not carry Thompson blood at all?”
The room plunged into stunned silence. Everyone had watched Milena examine Edgar with bated breath, expecting the legendary physician to work his miracle. No one anticipated that, the moment the examination ended, she would hurl such an explosive question into their midst.
The impropriety alone was staggering—an outsider meddling so brazenly in the Thompson family’s private affairs. But beyond that, the claim itself sounded absurd. What evidence could possibly suggest that Amilia and Karlee weren’t legitimate members of this family? Edgar and Elsie had raised one daughter—Amilia—cherishing her from the first breath. She had never been separated from them, not even for a day. How could anyone question whether she was their biological child?
Rita felt the shock ripple through her as well, yet she held her tongue and waited for Elliana to continue. She had learned that Elliana possessed a wisdom deeper than surface judgments. There was no reason to fear that Elliana spoke carelessly or without purpose.
Just as Rita trusted Elliana’s instincts, the others sensed there must be a reason behind the remark. Consequently, no one dared brand Milena presumptuous. Kaleb and Jenifer exchanged weighted glances while Edgar stared at Elliana as though she had torn open a hidden seam in reality itself.
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“Dr. Atkinson,” Edgar said, his voice tight with disbelief, “please speak your mind plainly.”
Elsie nodded, her expression grave.
“Yes, Dr. Atkinson—tell us precisely what weighs on your thoughts. We won’t fault you for directness, and we’ll certainly take your words to heart.”
A faint smile ghosted across Elliana’s lips.
“To put it bluntly, from a genetic perspective, Amilia and Karlee appear to bear no resemblance to either of you. Naturally, I could be mistaken. But why not settle the matter?”
“—question through scientific means?” Edgar and Elsie turned to one another, their faces mirroring confusion and disbelief. They had raised Amilia with their own hands and had never questioned her parentage—not once in all those years. The implication refused to take shape in their minds immediately. Still, they understood that Dr. Atkinson was not someone given to reckless speculation. If she voiced this concern, a reason must exist behind it—and ignoring her counsel felt dangerously foolish.
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