Chapter 6: The Man Who Knew the Truth
I read Daniel's message until the words blurred.
*Because I was there the night you lost your first baby.*
My fingers locked around the phone.
The hospital room suddenly felt too small.
“Dad,” I whispered.
He looked at me.
“He says he was there.””
My father's face went pale.
“He was.””
I stared at him.
“You knew?””
“I knew he was present.””
“Why?””
My father didn't answer.
I pushed myself higher against the pillows.
“I need to know.””
“Claire, you're exhausted.””
“I don't care.””
The monitor beside me continued its steady rhythm.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
I held the phone up.
“He says he agreed to become my baby's father. Why would a stranger do that?””
“He wasn't a stranger.””
“Not to you.””
My father looked toward the window.
“He came to me after your miscarriage.””
I felt a chill.
“What did he say?””
“He said he knew what Eric was planning.””
“What was Eric planning?””
My father's silence answered before his words did.
“To use you.””
I shook my head.
“I need more than that.””
“I know.””
“Then tell me everything.””
My father sat beside me.
For a moment, he looked less like my father and more like a man carrying a weight he could no longer hold alone.
“The night of your miscarriage,” he said, “Eric didn't take you to the hospital.””
My stomach tightened.
“I remember waking up there.””
“I took you.””
My eyes widened.
“Why?””
“Because Eric called me.””
“What did he say?””
“He said you were bleeding and that you were being dramatic.””
My jaw dropped.
“He said what?””
“He said you were making a scene.””
I stared at the blanket.
“That sounds like him.””
My father continued.
“I drove to your house. You were on the bathroom floor.””
Images flashed through my memory.
Cold tile.
Blood.
A towel.
Eric standing there.
A voice telling me not to panic.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Then Daniel came.””
“Why?””
“He had followed Eric.””
“Why would he follow him?””
“Because he'd been watching him.””
“Watching him for what?””
My father looked at me.
“To find out what happened to money that belonged to Daniel's family.””
The pieces were beginning to fit.
Eric's company.
The trust.
The house.
The secret accounts.
Daniel.
“But what does that have to do with my miscarriage?””
My father hesitated.
“Daniel overheard Eric talking to Vanessa.””
I stared at him.
“What did they say?””
“They were arguing.””
“About me?””
“Yes.””
My heartbeat seemed louder.
“What did Eric say?””
My father's voice dropped.
“He said the pregnancy wasn't supposed to happen yet.””
I felt sick.
“What?””
“He said you weren't supposed to know you were pregnant.””
I shook my head.
“That makes no sense.””
“It didn't to me either.””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“Daniel told me that Eric and Vanessa had already discussed using an embryo created from Daniel's sperm and your egg.””
I looked at him.
“Before my first pregnancy?””
“Yes.””
“But why would they want to create an embryo with me?””
“Because they needed an heir.””
I covered my mouth.
My child.
My body.
My marriage.
Everything suddenly felt like a transaction.
“They planned all of it?””
“Not all of it.””
“What changed?””
“Your first pregnancy ended.””
I looked down.
“Because I miscarried.””
My father's expression tightened.
“That's what we thought.””
I froze.
“What do you mean?””
He reached for my hand.
“Claire, there was evidence that you were given something.””
My blood ran cold.
“Given what?””
“A medication that shouldn't have been taken during early pregnancy.””
I stared at him.
“No.””
“Your blood work showed traces.””
“Who gave it to me?””
“We never proved it.””
“But you suspected Eric.””
“Yes.””
My breathing became shallow.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because you were already broken.””
“I deserved to know.””
“I know.””
His voice cracked.
“I made the wrong choice.””
I looked away.
For months after the miscarriage, I had blamed my body.
I had blamed stress.
I had blamed myself for not eating enough.
For working too much.
For not being happy enough.
Eric had told me my body had failed.
He'd held my face and said, Maybe you're just not meant to be a mother.
I had carried that sentence like a scar.
Now I realized it might have been a lie.
A knock interrupted us.
Detective Harris stepped inside.
“Sorry to interrupt.””
My father stood.
“What happened?””
“We identified the woman in the photograph.””
“Vanessa?”” I asked.
Detective Harris nodded.
“Vanessa Mercer.””
“Where is she?””
“That's the problem.””
She handed me a sheet of paper.
“We ran her name through several databases. She left the state two days ago.””
“Where did she go?””
“New York.””
My father frowned.
“Why?””
“She purchased a one-way ticket.””
I looked at the detective.
“Does she know about the investigation?””
“We're not sure.””
My phone buzzed.
A new message.
This one was from Daniel.
*Don't trust anything Eric tells you about the first pregnancy.*
Then:
*He wasn't the only person involved.*
I looked at my father.
“He says someone else was involved.””
Detective Harris took one look at the messages.
“Can we preserve these?””
“Yes.””
She photographed the screen.
Then she asked, “Have you spoken to Daniel directly?””
“No.””
“Do you know where he is?””
“No.””
My father's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
His expression changed.
“What?””
He listened.
“Are you sure?””
Another pause.
“Don't touch anything. I'm coming.””
He hung up.
I felt dread settle over me.
“What happened?””
“My accountant found something in the recovered financial records.””
“What?””
“A payment.””
“To who?””
He looked at me.
“Vanessa.””
“For how much?””
“Fifty thousand dollars.””
My stomach dropped.
“When?””
“Three days before you became pregnant.””
Silence.
Detective Harris frowned.
“Do you know what the payment was for?””
“No.””
My phone buzzed again.
Daniel.
*The payment was for me.*
I stared.
Another message.
*Eric paid Vanessa to convince me to participate.*
My heart raced.
Participate in what?
I typed:
*Why would you agree?*
The reply came almost immediately.
*Because Eric threatened to destroy my family.*
I swallowed.
*How?*
Three dots appeared.
Then:
*He had evidence that my father had illegally transferred money from the trust.*
I looked at my dad.
“He says Eric blackmailed him.””
My father nodded slowly.
“That sounds like Eric.””
But Daniel wasn't finished.
*I agreed to the fertility procedure because Eric promised he would leave you alone afterward.*
My eyes burned.
I typed:
*And he didn't.*
The response was immediate.
*No. He became obsessed with the inheritance.*
Another message.
*Then you got pregnant.*
I stared at the screen.
A final message appeared.
*And Eric realized the baby could be worth more than all of us combined.*
I felt the baby move.
Strong.
Almost angry.
I pressed both hands against my stomach.
“What does he mean?”” I whispered.
My father looked at Detective Harris.
“We need to understand the trust.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“Do you have a copy?””
“Yes.””
My father reached for his briefcase.
Before he could open it, another notification appeared.
A voice message.
From Daniel.
I pressed play.
His voice was low and tense.
“Claire, I don't have much time. Eric knows I'm talking to you.””
I looked toward the door.
Daniel continued.
“There are three things you need to understand.””
A pause.
“First, Eric did not leave you today because he was angry.””
My chest tightened.
“He left because he panicked.””
My father exchanged a glance with Detective Harris.
“Second, the baby you're carrying isn't just connected to Daniel Mercer.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
The recording continued.
“There's another genetic connection in the trust.””
My breath caught.
“Third…”
A long silence.
Then Daniel said the words that made the room disappear around me.
“Claire, the man Eric believes is your baby's biological father isn't me.””
The voice message ended.
I stared at the phone.
“No.””
My father didn't move.
Detective Harris looked between us.
I pressed the message again.
Daniel's voice repeated.
“The man Eric believes is your baby's biological father isn't me.””
I stopped the recording.
“Then who?””
My father closed his eyes.
“Claire…”
“Who?””
He looked at me.
And for the first time that night, I saw fear in his face.
“There's one person Daniel never told you about.””
“Who?””
My father opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, the hospital lights flickered.
The door swung open.
A nurse rushed in.
“Claire, we have a problem.””
“What?””
“Your husband is downstairs again.””
My heart lurched.
“How did he get in?””
“He didn't.””
The nurse's face had gone pale.
“He's not alone.””
My father's phone rang again.
He answered.
I watched his expression change.
He whispered one sentence.
“Oh God.””
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Eric brought someone with him.””
“Who?””
May you like
My father's fingers tightened around the phone.
“Daniel.””
