*Warning* This entire installment is rated SB for Sad Broe!
I have also given this story an M rating...it seems when I wrote this story way back in 2001, I didn't mind swearing so much! LOL! Go figure...hence the need for the M rating!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this fic!
Chapter One
(This fan fic picks up directly where "The Calm Before The Storm" left off.)
"This is a vicious lie!" Brady shouted at DiMera as he attempted to attack his father's enemy. His eyes revealed the molten fury bottled up in him as he recalled how DiMera claimed Chloe as his daughter. The fascinated eyes of the remaining guests (mainly regulars and a few extras) watched the unfolding scene in mute fascination, eagerly awaiting everyone's reactions to the news.
John blocked Brady's attempt with his arms and held on tightly to a struggling Brady. He had a difficult time restraining Brady, who had his fury to strengthen him. "Calm down, son," John growled close to Brady's ears. "Calm down, and then we will get to the bottom of this mess." When Brady stopped struggling, John finally let him go.
Brady straightened the jacket of his tuxedo as he met his father's gaze defiantly. "Fine!" he sneered, "I'm calm! Now what the hell do you mean about this?" Brady turned to DiMera, his fury still evident in his eyes and the rigid stance of his body. "Chloe has had enough pain in her life. She doesn't need to be hurt by your lies now."
Stefano answered as he smiled with amusement at the Black family's reaction to his shocking news, "I can see that you care for my Chloe very much, little Black. Imagine that, John, our two children have fallen in love!"
John stared angrily as DiMera deliberately prodded Brady's temper. He put a restraining hand on Brady's shoulder, keeping Brady from attempting to attack Stefano again. "You said you had proof that you are Chloe's father." John looked at Marlena and Brady. "We don't believe that Chloe is your daughter."
Stefano reached inside his tuxedo jacket and extracted a white envelope from inside, the proof of his allegations. "I am shocked that you should question the veracity of my words! Well, since you insist, I happen to have the pertinent information on hand. This information will be shared with the Wesley family tomorrow by the adoption agency. I really should not share it with you until they see it, but, under the circumstances…"
Marlena warily eyed the envelope in Stefano's hand, afraid of what it might contain. "What is it?" she asked.
Brady snatched the envelope quickly out of Stefano's hands, causing Stefano to laugh. "John, you really must teach your son some finesse!" Stefano joked loudly, waving his hands in the air.
Brady eyed Stefano with blazing hatred but chose not to comment this time. Instead, he turned his back on them and opened the envelope. He looked through the different papers it contained. When he was finished, he looked back through them again.
"What is in the envelope, son?" John questioned Brady, after Brady was silently studying the papers for the third time.
Brady swore a blue streak under his breath as he finished his perusal of the information. When he faced his father, his expression looked defeated. He silently handed the information to his father, and stared straight ahead at the wall in front of him, trying to assimilate the information he had discovered in the envelope.
"John?" Marlena inquired after Brady had given him the information. She could tell from Brady's response that the news was not good.
John held up the first paper from the envelope. "There are three papers in the envelope. This is a copy of Nancy's daughter's birth certificate. Attached to it is a copy of her death certificate, two days after she was born."
"What was her name?" Marlena was afraid that she already knew the answer.
John responded with the obvious answer, "Chloe."
Marlena fluttered her hands in front of her as she denied it. "But that doesn't prove anything! You said that there were three papers. What is the last one?"
John sighed as he answered Marlena, "There is also the results of a DNA test in this envelope. The people tested were Chloe Lane and Stefano DiMera. The results are extremely conclusive. A 99.90% match."
Marlena fluttered her eyes for the hundredth time tonight at John as she pondered, "But how could that be?"
Stefano answered for her. "I had been attempting to find my daughter. The colleague who hid her so well died without ever revealing to me her location. I only knew that she was "placed" close to Salem. So, I started to research the possibilities of whom my daughter could be before I left Salem early this past summer. When I was nearly positive about Chloe's true identity, I had a DNA test completed. The results were conclusive."
Brady sneered at this as he focused his attention back on the group, "Oh, come on! You expect us to believe that Chloe took a DNA test without knowing it? I don't accept this!"
Stefano nodded his head at Brady and responded, "Chloe needed a physical examination before she entered school in the fall. I simply borrowed a blood sample from her and had the DNA test run. I am completely willing to do another test, but I can assure you that the results will be the same." He placed the envelope back in his tuxedo jacket.
Stefano smiled with utter conviction at the Black family. He was proud to have Chloe as his biological daughter. She was beautiful, smart, intelligent, compassionate to those she loved, and extremely talented. He could also appreciate the fact that Chloe had become another pawn for him in his ongoing battles against the Black family. The Black family, and Brady especially, would have a tough time accepting Chloe's true parentage. The pain this knowledge caused them would be immeasurable.
"Father," Lexi said as she sauntered up to the group. She blatantly ignored John and Marlena, "I believe it is time for us to leave the ball."
Stefano looked at Lexi, a daughter who had come to love and accept him. She had also joined him in schemes. How will Greta and Chloe fit into my life? he wondered as he offered Lexi his arm. "Alexandra, you are right. John, Marlena, little Black, always a pleasure." Stefano grinned with satisfaction as he and Lexi proceeded to leave Tuscany.
"Well, Father?" Lexi inquired as they waited for the elevator. She, along with the rest of the guest, had witnessed most of the startling encounter.
"Everything has gone as planned, Alexandra," Stefano confirmed as they stepped into the elevator.
Brady ran both of his hands through his hair as he looked with anger at John and Marlena. "God! This can't be true!"
"I think it might be, son," John said grimly. "I know DiMera well. He was very confident and sure of himself. It is a definite possibility that Chloe is DiMera's daughter." He sighed in defeat. "What is this knowledge doing to Chloe right now?"
Brady remembered how Chloe had fled the room earlier after Stefano had dropped his bombshell. He had wanted to go after her but his body had been immobilized with shock and anger at Stefano DiMera. Plus, he had wanted to find out if Stefano could confirm his information. "I've got to find her," he said quietly to himself as he departed the room.
Marlena turned to John as they watched Brady's exit from the room. "Oh, John! This is horrible!" She walked into his comforting embrace. "Brady and Chloe. They are going to hurt so much over this."
John responded as he laid his head on top of Marlena's. "I know." And he watched with grim sadness as his son, who had been so happily in love with Chloe, exited the room with steely determination. "I wonder what is going to happen between the two of them now."