Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption-Chapter 145: Results

Jessica turned to face Donald and gave him a polite nod. He stood there frozen, looking at her as if she were a ghost from his past.

His lips parted slightly, then closed again, as though he wanted to say something but had lost the words. The look in his eyes was one of pure shock—he was clearly struggling to process what he was seeing, even though he tried to keep a straight face.

He hadn’t expected that depth of familiarity. .

She looked so familiar—her features, her grace, her presence. There was something about her that stirred a memory buried deep within him.

But it wasn’t just her appearance. It was the way she carried herself. The feeling in the air had changed the moment she arrived. It was subtle, yet strong—like something finally fitting into place.

Jessica noticed the way he was staring and offered a gentle smile, hoping to ease the sudden tension. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Santiago," she said calmly.

"Uh... likewise," Donald stammered, shaking himself out of his daze. He reached out and gave her a quick, awkward handshake.

Lady Matilda let out a soft chuckle. "He doesn’t usually get this quiet," she teased, her voice filled with amusement.

Jessica laughed lightly, still feeling the weight of her own thoughts. Her heart was racing again. The closer she got to the truth, the more nervous she became. Though she had tried to bury the emotions, they always found their way back.

"Well," she said with a soft smile, "I need to go inside now. Maybe we’ll meet again sometime soon."

They exchanged a parting greeting and she turned and walked toward the entrance. Donald’s eyes followed her the whole way, his mind spinning. "She is indeed Nora’s duplicate.

And then— the necklace.

Because of the way her blouse dipped slightly at the neckline, the necklace she wore had become visible. His breath caught in his throat. It was the necklace—The Santiagos’ relics. The one his mother had described again and again.

He had thought the story was just a wish his mother refused to let go of. He had never truly believed they would find her. And yet, here she was—so real, so close. A storm of emotions swept through him—joy, disbelief, hope, and fear all mixed into one.

He stayed quiet for a few seconds, trying to process it all. But then, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

"Mom," he said in a quiet, calm voice. "Do you think... will she accept us?"

Lady Matilda turned to her son and looked at him with calm, determined eyes. She could see the uncertainty in him, and she understood it. This moment was as overwhelming for him as it was for her the first day.

"You don’t have to worry about that, Donald," she said gently, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Here’s what you’ll do. Make arrangements for her to be my attending doctor. That way, we can be around her more often. We’ll give her time to adjust."

Donald’s brows drew together, still unsure. "And after that?" he asked, his tone more serious now. "What happens next?"

Lady Matilda smiled thoughtfully. "We go with the flow," she replied.

There was no perfect plan for this kind of situation. Life didn’t always follow a script. Some things had to unfold naturally. For now, they would stay close to her without forcing anything. When the time was right, the truth would reveal itself, and they would be there for her—no matter what.

"We can’t rush it," Lady Matilda added. "She might have been through a lot. She needs time, and we need patience."

Donald nodded slowly, though his chest still felt tight with emotion. He had been the closest to Nora but when she left they didn’t know but had gone into frenzy searching for her but for years they couldn’t find her.

Lady Matilda turned her gaze toward the building where Jessica had entered. Her eyes shimmered with tears she didn’t allow to fall. She had always known, deep inside, that her daughter was still alive.

The day she lost her, something inside her never stopped hoping. Now, standing so close to her granddaughter, it felt almost unreal.

But hope wasn’t enough. She needed to make sure Jessica was safe and protected—whether or not she ever accepted them as her family.

"We have to inform the Santiago family," Matilda said firmly. "She must be placed under discreet protection. She doesn’t know us yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t shield her from afar."

Donald looked at his mother. "You’re sure about this?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation. "She’s our blood. Until she knows the truth and decides what she wants, we’ll do our part—from the shadows if we must. No harm must come to her."

,

,

,

Jessica stepped into the center and was welcomed warmly by a nurse, who politely led her to the waiting area. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest as she tried to stay calm. All she could think about was the result.

Her expression was composed, but her mind was in chaos. She hadn’t told Davis, Elliot or Bella that she was coming here for test. She just hoped they would understand her reasons when the time was right.

Over the past few days, she had observed how the each of them acted around each other. There was something subtle in the way they cared for one another—gentle gestures, lingering looks—but neither had the courage to confront what they might already suspect.

She had tried once to talk to Davis about it, gently probing for his opinion. But he had shut down quickly, unwilling to explore the possibility. His reasons were understandable—he was still hurting.

Holding onto a silent grudge, he resented the fact that no one ever searched for his mother, and perhaps deep down, he feared that hoping would only end in disappointment.

As Jessica struggled to untangle her thoughts, the door opened and Dr. Maxwell stepped out, a brown file in his hand. Her heart leapt to her throat at the sight.

"Dr. Max," she greeted him with a slight bow of her head.

The doctor gave a small nod in return, his face calm and professional. "As you requested," he began, "I personally supervised the entire process. From the handling of the samples to the test itself—I can assure you, no tampering occurred."

Jessica nodded in appreciation. Dr. Maxwell was the only one she had confided in about this matter. She had submitted the samples using coded labels to keep the identities discreet, but she trusted him to match the names accurately.

With trembling fingers, she took the file from him and carefully opened it. Her eyes scanned the content quickly, locking onto the words she had both expected and feared:

Davis Allen – confirmed blood relation to Elliot Raven.

Davis Allen – confirmed full sibling relationship with Bella Raven.

Her breath caught in her chest, and for a moment, she simply stood there, holding the paper like it was the most fragile thing in the world.

She had expected this outcome—her instincts had been screaming it for days—but seeing it confirmed in black and white made everything real.

"Thank you, Doctor," she said quietly, her voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside her.

Dr. Maxwell gave her a kind smile. "Your welcome."

With a final nod, Jessica turned and walked out of the center, the file tucked securely in her bag. The weight of the truth settled on her shoulders. She knew this would have to change everything.

Now she had to figure out how to break the news. And when. She felt headache coming on..