"Eighteen years of effort, love and sacrifices—gone just because of a piece of paper?"
"It's ridiculous! Nathan's success is thanks to Jimmy. Without him, he'd never have gotten into Newman University!"
"Exactly! No one would put up with that."
One was a promising student, destined for greatness. The other, a frail and disabled young man who could barely walk. The choice was obvious.
Yet, amidst the clamor, I remained calm. "Alright," I said, "if there was a mistake, then it must be corrected."
My words silenced the room.
Even my cousin's eyes widened in shock, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he couldn't decide whether to smile or remain serious. "Y-you agree?" he stammered, clearly unprepared for my cooperation.
Hana, however, was not as composed. She turned to me, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Jimmy, have you lost your mind? How can you just hand Nathan over because of a claim and a paternity test we don't even know is real?"
My mother-in-law added her voice to the protest, clutching her pearls as if the situation were physically painful. "She's right, Jimmy! This is madness. You've raised Nathan for eighteen years. You're just going to let him go without a fight?"