She Told The Billionaire She Was The Mother. But The Real Mother Was Locked In The Basement.

"Wait."

The security guards froze.

Elara's smile wavered. "Noah, sweetheart, she's clearly unwell. She's been obsessed with me for years. She's dangerous."

"I've never met her before in my life," Noah said, his voice flat. "How could she be obsessed with me?"

Elara opened her mouth, then closed it.

"I don't know," she said, her voice strained. "Maybe she saw you on TV. You're a billionaire. People get obsessed."

"Let go of her," Noah said.

The security guards released me.

I stumbled forward, my legs shaking. The crowd parted, staring at me like I was a circus freak.

"What's your name?" Noah asked.

I opened my mouth. "Mia."

Mia.

My name. I remembered it now.

"Mia," he repeated. "Why are you here?"

"Because she stole my son," I said, pointing at Elara. "She told me he died. She took him from the hospital and raised him as her own. She told him I was dead."

The crowd gasped.

Elara laughed. "This is insane. She's making all of this up. She's clearly delusional."

"Is she?" Noah asked. His voice was calm. Too calm.

"Of course she is! Noah, look at her! She's covered in dirt! She's clearly been sleeping on the streets!"

"Then why does she look like him?" Noah asked.

He pointed at Leo.

Everyone's eyes turned to the boy.

Leo stood frozen, clutching the ring pillow, his face pale. He was looking at me. And I was looking at him.

The resemblance was undeniable.

The same dark eyes. The same small chin. The same shape of the nose.

"He looks like her," someone in the crowd whispered.

"He does," another voice agreed. "Look at the eyes."

Elara's face went white. "It's a coincidence. Lots of people look alike."

"He has her smile," Noah said. "Look closely."

I smiled. A small, shaky smile.

Leo's mouth curved up too.

Identical.

The crowd erupted.

Elara's composure shattered. "Enough! This is my wedding! My son! She's a nobody! A nobody who is trying to ruin my life!"

"Then prove it," Noah said. "Prove he's yours. Right now. Do a DNA test."

The hall went silent.

Elara's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

"I don't have to prove anything," she said, her voice trembling. "He's my son. I raised him. I've been his mother for four years."

"Then you won't mind taking a test," Noah said.

He turned to a man in the crowd. "Gregory, get Dr. Chen. I want a DNA test. Right here. Right now."

"But the wedding—"

"The wedding can wait," Noah said. "If she's telling the truth, the test will prove it. And if she's lying..." He looked at Elara, his eyes cold. "Then she'll go to prison for kidnapping."

The crowd was dead silent.

Elara's face was a mask of fury and fear.

"Dr. Chen," a guest said, "I'm a doctor. I can do the test."

Noah nodded. "Then do it."

The doctor stepped forward, carrying a small kit.

Elara backed away. "No. I won't do it. You can't make me."

"The hell I can't," Noah said.

He grabbed Leo's hand, pulling him forward. Leo yelped.

"Let go of him!" I screamed.

Noah ignored me. "Your name?" he asked the boy.

"L-Leo," he stammered. "My name is Leo."

"Leo, I need you to be brave," Noah said. "This nice doctor is going to take a small swab from your mouth. It won't hurt. Can you do that?"