Zoe was a hardworking nurse who often needed help taking care of her young son, Leo. Luckily, her mother-in-law, Denise, was always there to lend a hand. Denise was a strong-willed woman who had a way of making people feel small without even trying. After her husband had passed away, she went back to her job as head librarian at the local library, finding comfort in her work and book club meetings.
Denise could be bossy at times, but Zoe appreciated her help. With her husband, Andrew, working long, unpredictable hours at his law firm, Denise often stepped in to watch Leo when Zoe had late shifts. “It’s a grandmother’s duty to help,” Denise would say with a firm nod. Her moods could swing wildly, but she was reliable and never complained.
But lately, Zoe noticed something strange. Leo started acting differently whenever Denise was around. He would hold onto Zoe’s leg when she tried to leave or hide behind the curtains when he heard his grandmother’s car pulling up. Zoe thought it might just be a phase or some separation anxiety, which was common for young kids his age.
But one night, just before Zoe had to leave for a night shift, Leo suddenly broke down into tears, clutching her tightly and pleading, “Please, Mommy, don’t leave me with Grandma!”
Worried, Zoe knelt down and gently stroked his hair. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Grandma brings you your favorite cookies, remember?” she tried to soothe him. But Leo glanced at the door, his eyes wide with fear, and whispered, “Grandma’s been acting weird.”
Zoe’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?” she asked softly.
Leo explained that Denise had been chasing him around the house with something in her hand, trying to put it in his mouth. He described the object as a cotton swab and said she kept insisting she needed his spit for a “test.” The very thought of it terrified Leo, who was already scared of anything medical after a recent accident that had left him with a broken arm.
Zoe’s worry quickly turned to anger as she realized what was happening. Denise had been trying to get Leo’s DNA without telling her! Furious, Zoe stormed into the guest room where Denise was staying. “What are you doing, Denise?” she demanded.
Denise looked startled but quickly regained her composure. “I just… I was curious about Leo’s blonde hair,” she confessed. “It doesn’t match anyone in the family, so I thought… I just wanted to know.”
Zoe was shocked. “You were trying to prove he’s not Andrew’s son?” she shouted, her voice shaking with anger and disbelief. Denise, caught off guard, admitted that she had been trying to test Leo’s paternity behind Zoe’s back. Hurt and furious, Zoe told Denise to leave. She needed time to think and to calm her scared little boy.
In the days that followed, things were tense between Zoe and Andrew. Denise had already called Andrew and planted seeds of doubt in his mind. Despite being hesitant at first, Andrew eventually said, “Maybe we should do the DNA test, just to settle this once and for all.”
Zoe, feeling both angry and betrayed, agreed but with one condition. “Fine,” she said, “but you take a test too. If your mother is so eager to question Leo’s parentage, let’s check yours too.”
Andrew was stunned by Zoe’s demand but, after some thought, he agreed. A few days later, the results came back. Leo was indeed Andrew’s son. But there was another shock—Andrew’s test revealed that his own biological father was not the man he had believed his whole life!
Andrew was floored, trying to wrap his head around this new reality. Meanwhile, Zoe was still hurt and refused to forgive Denise easily for what she had done.
Andrew eventually confronted his mother. “Is it true?” he asked, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and confusion. Denise sighed and admitted, “Yes, I had an affair when I was young.”
Andrew felt his whole world crumbling. He decided he needed to step back from his mother and focus on his family with Zoe and Leo.
Denise, it turned out, had been carrying guilt for decades. It had driven her to project her doubts and insecurities onto Zoe and Leo. But now, Zoe and Andrew were ready to move forward, focusing on their family and leaving Denise’s drama in the past.
