His, Truly Series Book 2: His, Technically
Yazar
M. S. Maondo
Okur
17.0K
Bölüm
38
He is the donor father, and she is the aunt and the sole guardian of his daughter. He knows he has no rights over her, but Max would do anything to be a part of his daughter, Grace’s, life. And he’ll also do anything to make the three of them a family. But Dyani is hiding a secret, one that she believes makes it impossible for her and Max to be together, let alone imagine them as a couple.
Chapter 1: Donor 3291
MAX
They couldn’t possibly know I did it.
Making mistakes and getting caught weren’t in my vocabulary. I was a talented hacker, legendary even; every person who considered themselves significant in the hacking world had heard of me. I knew better than to leave digital traces that could lead back to me.
Or perhaps I had. Maybe all those years away from hacking had affected my skills. Maybe I had been too distracted by what I had uncovered from the clinic’s records and made a reckless move.
Otherwise, why had the manager invited me here?
I couldn’t afford to have a lawsuit on my hands. I couldn’t have the entire world find out what I had had to do in college when I was desperate for money.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting, Mr. Gonzalo,” the middle-aged manager of Banfield Spring Clinic said as she entered her office. “I’m Lana Hicks. We spoke on the phone.” She stretched out her hand, and I shook it. Going around the vintage desk, she eased into her seat.
“What is this meeting about?” I asked to confirm whether I should call my lawyer.
“I’m sorry we had to make you come all the way from New York to Miami because this is not a matter to be discussed over the phone.” She was nervous, which was a good sign. No one would be this nervous if they were about to accuse someone of committing a crime. “This shouldn’t even have happened in the first place.”
“What shouldn’t have happened, Ms. Hicks? Why am I here?”
“The clinic suffered a security breach a week ago. We tried to find the person behind it, but we hit a dead end.”
“Are you asking for GoMa Tech’s assistance? You should know we’re not cheap.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I didn’t call you here for that, Mr. Gonzalo.” She sucked in a breath. “One of the confidential records, donor 3291…you, has been compromised.”
I faked my shock. “You mean someone out there knows I donated sperm samples to this clinic?”
“Y-yes.” Her gaze fell for a brief moment. “We’ve called you here to let you know about the situation, just in case they try to contact or extort money from you. But if it’s the person we suspect, this matter can be resolved easily. And quietly.”
My brow furrowed. “And who do you think did it?”
“The mother of your donor child—in an attempt to get child support from the donor father…you,” she paused. “Your DNA resulted in a conception nine months ago. The doctor confirms that the young woman was doing it alone and didn’t have a good-paying job. The financial strain that comes with having a baby could have forced her into doing this.”
“That alone isn’t proof enough. Someone else might be behind it.”
She nodded. “Yes, of course. The clinic will monitor the internet and media to ensure we are informed if the information becomes public. Hopefully, if it does, we’ll take it down before it goes viral. But if the person asks for money, we are sorry; the clinic won’t be able to contribute. The contract you signed…”
“I’ll take care of everything myself. The clinic doesn’t have to do anything.”
“You will?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yes. I have people experienced in this kind of stuff.”
She flashed me a nervous smile. “The clinic appreciates how well you’re taking this.” Not that I could sue them if someone else had done it. The contract forbade me from doing that. But I bet they thought I could use my money and influence to make them pay in another way.
“I get that these things happen; otherwise, my company wouldn’t be in business. But I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything, Mr. Gonzalo,” she said enthusiastically.
“I would appreciate it if you took my samples off the donor list.” Reaching into the inner pocket of my cream suit jacket, I pulled out a checkbook and a pen and jotted down a figure on one of the white sheets of paper. “This should be enough compensation for the payment I received and any inconveniences I might cause.” I slid the check across the table.
A gasp escaped her mouth the moment she saw the amount. “Five hundred grand is a very generous compensation, Mr. Gonzalo.” I knew it was. The amount I’d gotten from the clinic thirteen years ago wasn’t even close to a tenth of this. “T-thank you. And consider it done.”
I eased back against the leather chair. “I’m assuming there is no other DNA of mine out there.” I knew there wasn’t, but I had to make sure.
“That’s right. They have only used one sample over the years. Would you like us to give you the rest of your samples?”
“No. I’m hoping they’ll be safe here.”
She nodded. “Of course, Mr. Gonzalo. And we’ve also fortified our system; something similar will never happen again.”
I stood up and smoothed my jacket. “If we are done here, I have something urgent to attend to.”
“Yes, we are.” She got up to shake my hand. “Thank you for coming.” She glanced down at the check again. “And thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome.”
The moment I stepped out of Banfield Spring, I called my assistant. “Deac, I hope you have tracked down that woman for me.”
“Yes, Boss. But I have some bad news for you.” He paused.
“What is it, Deac?”
“Kiana Hale passed away one month ago.”
