He Pawned the Engagement Ring — But the DNA Test Changed Everything
For years, love had been both a promise and a battlefield for Derrick Fernandez and Shanice Butler. What started as a whirlwind romance turned into a storm of accusations, lies, and heartbreak — all centered around a little girl named
They met young, both fiery, both certain they had finally found something real. Within months, they were engaged. The laughter, the late-night talks, the plans for a wedding — all of it seemed to point toward forever. But behind closed doors, jealousy and mistrust brewed. Derrick had a history; when Shanice met him, he already had a girlfriend. “He was a cheater,” she would later say in court. And when old patterns resurfaced, she did what many hurt lovers do — she fought fire with fire.
She claimed he came home one night smelling like sex. “I knew what I smelled,” she told Judge Lake, “and I believe my nose over his lies.” Heartbroken, she went out with friends, drank too much, and ended up sleeping with another man. “But I used a condom,” she insisted. The problem was, she had also told Derrick she was allergic to latex. That lie, small as it seemed at the time, would unravel their world.
When their daughter Divine was born, Derrick couldn’t shake his doubts. He loved the child, he swore he did — he even tattooed her name on his arm — but every argument with Shanice brought the same cruel refrain:
The fights escalated. He called off the wedding, pawned the engagement ring, and sued her for the $300 he lost. It wasn’t about the money. It was about revenge, about control, about finding proof that his pain had a reason.
In Paternity Court, Judge Lake listened patiently as both sides told their stories — both full of half-truths and regret. Shanice cried when she admitted she’d lied about the condom allergy. Derrick’s voice cracked when he said he couldn’t live another day not knowing the truth. “It’s on my mind every day,” he confessed. “I love that little girl, but I need to know.”
The courtroom was silent as the judge opened the envelope. Derrick’s hands shook. Shanice held her breath, her eyes fixed on the paper that could shatter or save their family.
“In the case of Fernandez v. Butler,” Judge Lake read slowly,
“it has been determined by this court… Mr. Fernandez — you are her father.”
The words hit like thunder, then sunlight. Shanice burst into tears, shouting, “I told you! I told you she’s yours!” Derrick’s face softened; he looked at Shanice, then at the judge, then back at the woman he once promised forever. Slowly, he stood, walked across the courtroom, and pulled her into his arms. “I love you,” he whispered. The audience erupted in applause.
That 30-second moment erased years of doubt. The ring, the pawn ticket, the anger — all of it faded as they held each other and cried. Even Judge Lake smiled through the emotion. “Relationships are hard,” she said gently. “Marriage is even harder. But when you have an issue, work it out together.”
In that moment, love felt possible again. Derrick withdrew his lawsuit, promising to rebuild what he had broken. “I’m happy for you both,” the judge said. And for once, everyone in the room believed in a second chance.
But life, as the next case in court would remind everyone, is rarely that simple.
Thirty years earlier, another woman, Lorraine Bollijack, had spent her entire life searching for the truth about her father — a truth buried under summer love, addiction, and regret. As the courtroom transitioned from one family’s redemption to another’s lifelong mystery, one truth became clear:
DNA might determine who a parent is — but it can’t measure the love, pain, or forgiveness that defines a family.
And in the end, for Derrick and Shanice, the truth didn’t just settle a question. It gave them something they’d both nearly lost —
He questioned the baby's father... after they planned the pregnancy?! You won't believe the DNA test results and the Judge's final words!
The Unraveling: A Paternity Nightmare on Divorce Court
The sterile, unforgiving silence of Judge Lynn Toller’s courtroom hung heavy, a stark contrast to the emotional chaos brewing between Lakita "Lita" Cullison and her husband, Frank. Lita, 31 and pregnant, sat across from Frank, their marriage a casualty of infidelity accusations and deep-seated distrust. The immediate, high-stakes issue was the paternity of their six-month-old son, Frankie Jr.
“Mr. Cullison is questioning the paternity of the six-month-old son he has with you already, correct?” Judge Toller’s voice cut through the tension. Lita confirmed. The Judge then revealed a key fact that ratcheted up the drama: the DNA test had already been taken. The answer was in the envelope.
Lita’s marriage history—three marriages by 31—became an immediate point of scrutiny. She admitted she used to demand marriage, feeling like a princess when wooed. But with Frank, she claimed it was different. Yet, trouble brewed quickly. Frank claimed his friends planted the seed of doubt. "They don't think he's mine," he mumbled, basing it on the speed of the pregnancy. More damaging, Lita herself had thrown out a devastating jab during a heated argument: "Are you sure you want to take a baby that’s not yours?"
The revelation that followed was shocking: Lita and Frank had actively planned this child. Lita had bought an ovulation kit, tracking the exact time to conceive. Frank had been overjoyed when he heard the news.
“You mean to tell me you’re questioning the paternity of a child you actively tried to have?” Judge Toller pressed, incredulous.
Frank weakly defended himself, citing the relentless neighborhood gossip and Lita’s cruel words as the source of his fear. He then pivoted, listing his own grievances. He claimed Lita had "let herself go," transforming from "Beyoncé to the frumpy Don King," and that her constant jealousy was suffocating. Lita, he claimed, prevented him from getting jobs in restaurants or hotels because they had too many women.
Lita’s defense of her appearance was poignant: "I stay pregnant all the time, so who feels like getting dressed up and doing their hair and nails?"
The jealousy issue was equally toxic. Lita admitted calling her exes to pick her up during arguments, yet she scoured Frank’s Facebook, finding old messages where he called ex-girlfriends "gorgeous." The judge interjected, warning Lita that marriage cannot be "one long investigation." If Frank hasn't shown signs of cheating, she must trust him.
The judge then delivered a final, stinging point before the ruling. She asked Lita what her life consisted of. No work, no school. Lita admitted to living a "liquid life"—aimlessly hanging out with friends.
“They don’t say that the idle mind is the playground of the devil for no reason,” Judge Toller stated. “You have to swim in order to keep whatever’s happened around you from depositing you somewhere you never intended to be.”
The judge turned to the DNA test. Frank was visibly nervous. The tension was unbearable.
“Mr. Cullison,” the Judge commanded, “look to your right and repeat after me: ‘Darling, I am so sorry that I ever questioned the paternity of my son.’”
The test results were undeniable. Frankie Jr. was his son.
Frank collapsed in relief, an enormous smile breaking his composure.
But the relief was short-lived. The judge had a final condemnation for Lita. Frank had detailed his daily life: getting the baby dressed, feeding the children, cooking her breakfast, doing the laundry, scrubbing the floors. Lita’s response? "Who asked you to do that?"
“What a fool are you?” Judge Toller thundered. “You got a man who helps around the house, he does everything he needs to do, you’re sitting on your behind doing nothing at all, and you’re going to talk about who asked you to do that? His dignity asked him to do that, his manhood told him to do that, his love for you required him to do that. You better show up a woman, because you’re just a little girl right now.”
The Judge ruled there would be no financial recovery, effectively dismissing the case and forcing them to confront their relational failures. The paternity crisis was over, but the marriage—plagued by mistrust, gossip, and immaturity—was just beginning its difficult recovery. Frank’s apology was the first step, but Lita’s transformation from "little girl" to "woman" would determine their future. The real solution lay not in a DNA swab, but in finding purpose and trust.
