Forbidden Passion
Chapter 539 Theodore's Wild Guess

"Hey, don't sweat it. Theodore might look like a grizzly, but he's a teddy bear deep down." Phoebe saw Grace was spooked by Theodore, so she grabbed her hand and led her to a bench. She fished out a tissue from her bag and handed it over. "So, spill it. What happened?" Phoebe asked. Grace's eyes welled up, and she started bawling like a lost kid. Phoebe just sat there, rubbing her back, waiting for the waterworks to stop.

Grace, still sniffling, glanced at Theodore. She hardly ever saw him at the office. Even though her dad Brandon and her brother Theodore worked just a few floors apart, their paths never crossed.

Grace felt all kinds of messed up. Theodore was her blood, but he looked at her like she was a stranger, all cold and bossy.

Phoebe noticed Grace kept sneaking peeks at Theodore, each one making her more upset. She frowned, thinking Grace might've figured something out.

This morning, when Grace met Taylor, she was totally normal, clueless. But now, something had definitely clicked.

"Grace, did you find out something?" Phoebe asked.

Grace froze, staring at Phoebe. "Phoebe."

Phoebe could see it in her eyes-Grace knew. She pinched the bridge of her nose. This was the worst time for Grace to find out about her past.

Grace was a mess, not sure if she should spill what she knew.

She even wondered if she'd imagined the whole thing, just stress messing with her head. If she was wrong, what would Phoebe think? That she was some gold-digger trying to scam the Reynolds family? No way, not even in her wildest dreams. Seeing Grace hesitate, Phoebe gently squeezed her hand and gave her an encouraging look. "If you're not ready to talk, that's cool. Take your time."

Grace took another peek at Theodore and finally spoke up. "Mr. Reynolds, can we do a paternity test?"

Theodore shot back, "Even if I hit puberty early, there's no way I could have a daughter your age. Are you nuts?"

Phoebe and Grace were floored by Theodore's wild guess. After a beat, Phoebe burst out laughing.

"Sorry, I can't help it," Phoebe said, trying to stifle her giggles but failing miserably.

Theodore and Grace just stared at her.

Phoebe cleared her throat, but she couldn't stop grinning. "Mr. Reynolds, you got it all wrong. She thinks you might be her brother, not her dad." Theodore looked a bit sheepish and rubbed his nose. "I thought I had a daughter this old."

Phoebe lost it again, laughing out loud.

Theodore's stern face turned a rare shade of red. He glared at Phoebe. "You think it's funny, me having a daughter this age?"

"Depends if you could even manage that," Phoebe said, still cracking up.

What was supposed to be a serious moment turned into a comedy show thanks to Theodore. Hearing Phoebe and Theodore joke around, Grace realized the rumors were true. Phoebe really was Theodore's wife.

"Phoebe," Grace called out, feeling all kinds of hurt.

Phoebe tried to hold back her laughter. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. Look, Grace is turning blushed. Now, can you tell us why you want the paternity test?"

Grace looked down, her fingers twisted together, veins popping on the back of her hands.

"Can I, uh, not say why?" she mumbled.

Theodore's eyes narrowed. "Miss Sullivan, do I look like someone with a lot of patience?"

Grace was at a loss for words.

She knew asking for a paternity test out of the blue was a lot, but she wasn't ready to spill the beans. If it was all a big misunderstanding, she'd apologize to Theodore later. No need to drag innocent people into this mess. Phoebe saw the conflict on Grace's face and had a pretty good idea why she was holding back. Despite everything, Grace still wanted to protect the Sullivans.

Grace was just too kind-hearted.

Phoebe turned to Theodore. "Theodore, I think Grace has her reasons. Why not just go along with it?"

Theodore frowned, staring at Phoebe. "What are you getting at?"

"I mean, Grace might actually be your sister. She should be doing a test with Mom, not you," Phoebe said bluntly.

Ever since Madison started going after Grace, Phoebe was convinced Grace was the real Reynolds daughter. Otherwise, Madison would have had no need to drive Grace out of Queen Entertainment. "Phoebe!" Theodore's voice was icy, laced with annoyance.

The family was already a mess. Was Phoebe suggesting Taylor had a secret daughter? That would make them a laughingstock. Phoebe saw the misunderstanding in Theodore's eyes. "Grace and Madison were born at the same time. It's possible that..."

"Phoebe!" Theodore cut her off, his glare freezing. "I know you don't like Madison, but there's no need to replace her." "Theodore."

Phoebe watched him walk away, feeling a mix of frustration and anger. He didn't believe a word she said.

If Vanessa had told him this, he'd believe it in a heartbeat.

Phoebe slumped into the chair, seeing the tears in Grace's eyes. She sighed. "I'm sorry, I think I made things worse."

Grace stared at Phoebe, bewildered. "Phoebe, did you know all along?"

"Sort of," Phoebe paused. "Remember when I came back from that charity trip and saw Madison bullying you in the cafeteria? I had my suspicions then."

Phoebe explained, "Madison's spoiled and bratty, but she's not usually that nasty. And the way your dad treated her was weird. When you asked for a paternity test today, it all clicked." Grace gave a bitter smile. "Everyone says you're super smart, and I guess they were right."

"So, what's next? Do you want to meet your real parents?" Phoebe asked gently, knowing it was a tough time.

But the truth was out there.

Grace clenched her fists. "I don't know. Mr. Reynolds doesn't believe me. He'll think we're trying to scam him."

Phoebe's fingers curled slightly. She stared at the cracks in the bricks, lost in thought, and said, "I'm sorry, I really messed this up."

Theodore didn't believe Phoebe. If she hadn't been there, maybe he would've agreed to the paternity test.