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Somehow, the shock his brother and father displayed was a comfort to Ryder. The relationship the three of them shared often felt dysfunctional at its core, so he’d been unsure how the two of them would greet his news.
“We’re waiting for his DNA test to come back—”
“Then you don’t know for certain,” Chandler interrupted.
“I know,” Ryder answered definitively. “He and the other baby, born the same night, could be twins. But Chase has the Hayes cleft in his chin.” Ryder rubbed a hand against his jaw. “And Noah looks like his biological mother.”
“I don’t understand...” his father muttered.
“Esme, the other baby’s mother, had DNA testing done for her son—a gift from a family member. The results reported that she shared no DNA with her child, and members of our family showed up in his genetic profile. The hospital attorney called me this morning, and Noah and I went in for a meeting.” He shook his head. “I don’t need a test to confirm what I know in my heart to be true. I can’t explain how the mistake happened, but we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“We?” his father asked.
“Esme Fortune and me,” Ryder clarified. Simply saying her name out loud calmed him. He wished he could bottle her soothing and sweet personality to call upon whenever he needed to talk to his dad or Brandon.
“Your new baby mama is a Fortune?” Brandon snorted. “Way to set a high bar.”
“Don’t call her that,” Ryder snapped, his temper flaring. “Neither Esme nor I chose this, but we’re going to work together to do what’s best for our boys.”
“I was joking,” Brandon insisted, lifting his hands like he was ready to ward off a physical blow. “You’re a good father, Ry. You’ll do the right thing.”
“Do we need to get the lawyers involved?” his father asked, already picking up the phone. Chandler Hayes was the only person Ryder knew who still preferred talking on a landline.
“No, Dad. It’s fine for now.” Ryder stepped toward the desk and then sat in one of the tufted leather chairs in front of it. “Though I appreciate the support.”
He was both grateful and slightly shell-shocked. Offering to sic the company attorneys on someone was akin to a warm hug from his dad.
Chandler placed the receiver back on the cradle and frowned. “What do you know about this Fortune woman?”
“Not a lot yet, but my gut tells me to trust her. She’s a good mother and wants to do the right thing.” He drew a deep breath and continued, “So do I, which is why I’d like to take personal leave for the next two weeks.”
Brandon let out a low whistle behind him and whispered, “Bro.”
The one syllable was thick with meaning, but Ryder couldn’t worry about that now.
“Why?” his father demanded.
“Because Noah and Chase need me to step up. That means being fully present during this transition. Esme and I are going to raise our sons together.” His heart clenched at the thought of those two innocent babies thrust into this inconceivable situation. “Just because Noah isn’t my biological child doesn’t change the fact that I love him. I love Chase, too.”
“The Fortune woman shares this sentiment?” Chandler raised a brow. “What about her husband?”
“Late husband,” Ryder clarified. “And she’s not after my money, Dad. Neither of us asked for this, but we’re going to make it work.” Saying the words solidified his conviction that they were doing the right thing. “I don’t have a lot of answers, but you can bet I’m going to find them. I need time to work out our arrangement and do some digging at the hospital. Someone has information on what happened the night the babies were born, and I’m going to figure out who made this mistake.”
“If you need help, I’ll be your wingman,” Brandon announced. “I’m tougher and smarter than you.”
Ryder laughed at his brother’s ego shining through even in the middle of an offer of assistance.
His smile faded as his father continued to frown. “I’m sorry, Dad,” he said automatically. “I know this is a critical time for the company’s future, and I’m letting you down.”
“You’re not,” Chandler answered without hesitation, but Ryder didn’t believe him. His dad had expressed disappointment for far less.
“As soon as Esme and I settle into a routine, I’ll be back.”
“Probably not as CEO,” Brandon couldn’t help but mutter.
“Stop.” Chandler held up a hand to his younger son. “This isn’t the time for petty posturing.”
“It was a joke,” Brandon insisted.
