Mitchel continued with deliberate intent, “Katie's child..."

At Katie's name, Abel tensed.

Mitchel's smirk grew. His guess was spot-on. "It's yours!"

Abel shook his head vigorously, desperation in his tone. "No!" he insisted.

Mitchel remained unfazed, his tone even. "Your hair was compared with the DNA sample," he revealed.

Color left Abel's face, his mouth set in a firm line.

With icy scorn, Mitchel demanded, “Tell me the truth! Or the child won't live. I have no patience for anyone who dishonors my family."

"You can't harm the child!" Abel's voice was full of turmoil.

Mitchel's silence pressed for an answer.

Finally, Abel admitted, "It's mine."

Mitchel, despite having anticipated the confession, felt a sense of relief. He had worked hard to regain Raegan's trust and could not let anything undermine it.

"The charity gala, wasn't it?" Mitchel asked, his voice steady.

Abel was surprised Mitchel knew about it.

"You paid a waiter to tamper with my drink, ensuring Katie would end up in my room. But I never returned, so you acted on your own,"

Mitchel said flatly.

With the lead on Abel, the puzzle pieces fell into place. Given the rare occasions when Mitchel and Katie were in the same place, and the timing of Katie's pregnancy, the conclusion was clear.

Mitchel had found a gap in the security footage from the charity gala hotel, which matched the crucial timeframe. It was clear Abel had interfered with the surveillance.

However, Mitchel's alertness was a flaw in their plan. That night, feeling unwell from the tampered drink, Mitchel had Matteo drive him home.

Apart from a slight fever, Mitchel felt okay and thought little of it, attributing the incident to someone's attempt to seduce him. He left the clean-up to Matteo and forgot about the night.

It wasn't until Luciana brought up month of Katie's pregnancy that Mitchel connected the dots.