Sharon Newman’s world came crashing down the moment she opened that trembling white envelope. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a nightmare when the DNA results confirmed her deepest fear: Ian Ward, the cult leader who once controlled her life, was Mariah’s biological father. The revelation shattered her sense of peace, sending her spiraling into a storm of guilt and horror. Memories of Ian’s manipulation came flooding back, and Sharon could barely breathe knowing his blood now flowed through her daughter’s veins. Nick tried to comfort her, insisting that Mariah was nothing like Ian, but Sharon couldn’t shake the disgust she felt. Her breakdown was explosive, fueled by years of repressed trauma. When Mariah walked in, demanding to know what was happening, Sharon blurted out the truth in anguish. Mariah’s world stopped. Her identity, her history—everything she believed about herself—suddenly twisted into a legacy of evil.

Mariah’s pain quickly turned to fury. She accused Sharon of betrayal, of hiding the truth for years under the guise of protection. The confrontation left both women shattered. Meanwhile, miles away, the man at the center of the chaos—Ian Ward himself—watched the news from a secret location. Alive, smug, and unrepentant, he relished the chaos his name still caused. “She knows now,” he murmured darkly, promising that his daughter would eventually seek him out. Back in Genoa City, Sharon sought counsel from Paul Williams, who confirmed her worst fear: Ian might still be alive and lurking in the shadows. Terrified for Mariah, Sharon vowed not to let him control their lives again. But her resolve was soon tested when a mysterious envelope appeared on her windowsill—a photo of Ian holding a baby, with three chilling words scrawled in red ink: Family reunion soon. The threat was clear. The past wasn’t done with them yet.

The revelation sent Mariah into an emotional tailspin. The weight of Ian’s name consumed her thoughts, poisoning the joy she once felt about her pregnancy with Tessa. Haunted by the fear that she might pass on Ian’s darkness to her child, Mariah made a shocking confession—she no longer wanted the baby. Her words devastated Tessa, who pleaded with her to see that she wasn’t her father’s shadow. But Mariah’s despair ran deep; every glance at her ultrasound filled her with dread instead of hope. Even Sharon’s arrival couldn’t calm her turmoil at first. “You don’t understand,” Mariah cried. “When I look at that baby, I see him.” Sharon, heartbroken yet determined, reminded her daughter of the strength she had already shown—the strength to survive, to love, and to build a new life. Mariah’s anguish echoed Sharon’s own past fears, creating a haunting parallel between mother and daughter. Still, the decision rested in Mariah’s trembling hands as she walked into the clinic to decide her fate.

At the clinic, everything came to a breaking point. Tessa refused to leave Mariah’s side, reminding her that their love was stronger than any bloodline. Inside the examination room, the rhythmic sound of their baby’s heartbeat pierced through the silence, and something inside Mariah shifted. She realized that her child wasn’t Ian Ward’s legacy—it was hers and Tessa’s, born from love, not darkness. When she walked out of the hospital, tears streamed down her face, but for the first time, they were tears of strength. She chose to keep the baby. That night, the storm outside cleared as Mariah and Tessa sat in the soft glow of the nursery, promising to take life one day at a time. Yet, just as peace seemed possible, a sinister calm settled elsewhere. Ian Ward, watching from the shadows, smirked at the news of Mariah’s decision. “My daughter decided to keep my grandchild,” he whispered coldly. His eyes glinted with malice. Genoa City’s nightmare was far from over.