CEO's Regret After I Divorced-Chapter 382 Tampered Test Samples

Author’s POV

The hospital corridor blazed with harsh, sterile light as Zoe stared at the security footage—her twentieth time replaying it. Her eyes stung from the unrelenting glow of the monitor, but she dared not blink, afraid to miss even the smallest detail that could unravel the truth.

"There!" Her finger jabbed sharply at the screen, voice tight with barely contained rage. "This is the person who tested my blood and hair samples—alongside someone else’s!" The realization sent a cold chill coursing through her veins, icing her bones. "And there’s no name on the label!"

The hospital director leaned in, his face draining of color as he squinted at the footage. "I can’t believe this happened under my roof," he muttered, his jaw tightening with resolve. "I’ll have this staff member summoned for questioning immediately."

Zoe’s normally poised demeanor had cracked, shards of frustration and anger slipping through. This wasn’t mere professional negligence—it was deliberate, calculated sabotage. "I need you to personally contact Serena and clarify this mess," she insisted, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Perhaps we should wait until the investigation wraps up—"

"What more investigation do you need?" Zoe cut him off, her voice sharp as a blade. "The evidence is right in front of you! If Serena and I drift apart because of this, my lawyers will be in touch—and you’ll regret ever letting this happen."

The director flinched, clearly intimidated. "Please calm down, Miss Quinn. I’ll call her right away."

He pulled up the contact information Serena had provided during her blood draw and dialed. The line rang several times before clicking to voicemail, a soft, distant tone echoing through the room.

"She must be busy," he offered weakly, scrambling for an excuse. "We should wait a bit—try again after we question the technician."

Zoe’s jaw clamped shut, her knuckles whitening as she fought to rein in her temper. She nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But don’t make me wait long."

When the lab technician arrived, his eyes darted nervously around the room, his gaze skittering away from Zoe’s like a frightened animal. He couldn’t meet her eyes—not even for a second.

"Who put you up to this?" she demanded, skipping all pleasantries. No one tampered with medical results without a motive—someone had paid him, or threatened him, and she intended to find out who.

The man’s denials spilled out too quickly, too rehearsed. "It was an accident! I was working overnight, dead on my feet—I just mixed up the samples, that’s all."

"Dead on your feet?" Zoe let out a laugh, cold and hollow. "Director, do you really think someone this careless belongs in a lab? Where one mistake could cost someone their life?"

The director, eager to contain the damage and placate the Quinns, nodded vigorously. "You’re absolutely right, Miss Quinn. This level of negligence is unforgivable."

He turned to the technician, his voice firm. "Clear out your desk. You’re fired—effective immediately."

The man’s face flushed crimson, his hands balling into fists. "But I—"

"If you have something to say," Zoe interrupted, her tone icy enough to freeze the air, "now is your last chance. After this, you’ll be lucky to find another job in this city."

A flicker of hope crossed the technician’s face. "If I tell you who did it... can I keep my job?"

Zoe’s lips curved into a smile that never reached her eyes. "Absolutely not. Everyone pays for their choices—and you’re no exception. But you might spare yourself further trouble if you talk."

His shoulders slumped in defeat, all hope draining from him. "Then I have nothing to say." He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him with a resounding crash that echoed down the corridor.

Zoe turned back to the director, her expression hardening once more. "Don’t forget my request—contact Serena the moment she answers. And send that security footage to my email immediately. No delays."

Back at Quinn Manor, the family waited anxiously in the living room, their faces etched with worry. Zoe didn’t sugarcoat the news—she laid it all out, raw and unfiltered.

"I failed," she admitted, her voice heavy. "The test results were tampered with, deliberately. But there’s something else—Serena doesn’t just deny being Serena Quinn. The very thought of that identity distresses her, like it’s a weight she can’t bear."

She hesitated, her brow furrowed with concern. "And it seems Ryan has already tried to reach her multiple times. But she thinks... she thinks he sees her as some kind of replacement. Like he’s clinging to a ghost of who she used to be."

Maya’s outrage exploded instantly. "Ryan knew all along and didn’t tell us? A replacement? That’s exactly the kind of lie Cedric Lancaster would spin to keep her under his thumb!"

"Ryan probably wanted to handle it himself," Ethan offered, stepping in to defend his brother-in-law. "He didn’t want to worry us—especially not when he wasn’t sure how to reach her."

Maya scoffed, crossing her arms. "Or maybe he wasn’t sure if it was really her? They were married—how could he not recognize his own wife?"

"Ryan isn’t like that," Ethan insisted, his voice firm. "He’s been searching for her for three years. I’ll go talk to him—find out what his plan is."

Zoe nodded, agreeing. "That’s for the best. We can’t push Serena if she’s resistant—it’ll only make her pull away further. We need to uncover what Cedric did to her, or hope that her memories come back on their own."

Eleanor frowned, her voice laced with confusion. "She recovered her memories once before. What’s different now? Didn’t the portfolio trigger anything?"

"Maybe a flicker of recognition," Zoe sighed, running a hand through her hair. "But the aversion was stronger—like her mind is fighting against it. We might have gone about this all wrong from the start."

The Quinns exchanged worried glances, the weight of the situation hanging heavy in the air, as Ethan grabbed his coat and headed out to find Ryan.