Gemotions

Liam stared at the printout. *Not a match*. His jaw clenched so tight he felt a muscle spasm. He'd done the test out of curiosity, a lark. Now, the weight of the information made the air thick, almost unbreathable in his small, cluttered office. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, leaving it standing on end.

He reread the details. A family, a name he didn't know. He thought of his mother, her meticulous scrapbooks, her unwavering belief in the lineage. The betrayal felt like a physical blow. He felt the blood drain from his face.

He picked up his phone, then quickly put it down. Calling his mother now would be a mistake. He needed to process. He needed to *understand*. He leaned back in his chair, the squeak of the worn leather the only sound in the room, and let the truth wash over him, cold and relentless.