Chapter 8: The Woman Who Stole the Embryo
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
The message from Vanessa remained open on my screen.
*It was meant to belong to me.*
My father stepped toward me.
“Claire, put the phone down.””
I didn't.
I looked at Eric.
Then Daniel.
Then my father.
“What does she mean?””
Eric's face had gone rigid.
Daniel whispered, “Vanessa.””
My father's voice was low.
“She is lying.””
I turned on him.
“Then explain the picture.””
He stopped.
“Explain the clinic. Explain why Vanessa says she switched the embryo. Explain why every person in this room seems to know more about my pregnancy than I do.””
Nobody answered.
That silence told me enough.
I pushed the blanket away and tried to sit up.
The nurse immediately moved toward me.
“Claire, please don't strain yourself.””
“I need answers.””
Eric stepped closer.
“You're too emotional.””
I looked at him.
“Don't.””
He stopped.
“Don't you dare call me emotional when you spent two years making me question my own memory.””
His mouth tightened.
Daniel moved closer to the foot of the bed.
“You have every right to know.””
Eric turned.
“Stay out of this.””
“No.””
Daniel's voice was calm.
“Not anymore.””
I looked at him.
“You said you were there the night I lost my first baby.””
“Yes.””
“And now Vanessa says the embryo was supposed to be hers.””
“Yes.””
“So tell me everything.””
Daniel glanced at my father.
Then at Eric.
Finally, he looked at me.
“The embryo was created from my sperm and your egg.””
I nodded slowly.
“That part I understand.””
“But you weren't the intended patient.””
My stomach tightened.
“Vanessa was.””
“Yes.””
“Then why was my name on the records?””
“Because your father changed the transfer authorization.””
My father's expression sharpened.
“I didn't steal anything.””
“Then what did you do?”” I demanded.
He looked at me.
“I stopped Vanessa from taking your embryo.””
I stared.
“Why?””
“Because I discovered what she was planning.””
“What was she planning?””
My father hesitated.
“To use the child to gain control of the Mercer trust.””
I frowned.
“But that's what Eric wanted.””
“Yes.””
“So what's the difference?””
My father looked at me.
“The difference is that Eric wanted to control you.””
I swallowed.
“And Vanessa?””
“She wanted to control the child.””
A chill traveled through me.
Daniel took a breath.
“You need to understand how the trust works.””
He pulled a chair closer.
“The Mercer family trust has a succession clause. The next generation receives control through a biological heir.””
“That's what you said before.””
“There are conditions.””
“What conditions?””
“First, the child must be biologically connected to the Mercer line.””
“That would be the baby.””
“Yes.””
“Second?””
“The mother must have legal custody.””
I stared.
“What?””
Daniel nodded.
“That's why your marriage mattered.””
Eric suddenly said, “Don't listen to him.””
I looked at Eric.
“Why?””
“Because he's trying to make himself look innocent.””
“You're the one who brought him here.””
Eric said nothing.
I turned back to Daniel.
“You said the mother must have legal custody.””
“Yes.””
“And I'm the mother.””
“Yes.””
“Then Vanessa could never control the trust.””
“Not directly.””
My father's voice was quiet.
“Unless she became your legal guardian.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
“Or the child was transferred to her through an adoption agreement.””
My breath caught.
“She wanted to take my baby.””
“Yes.””
I looked down at my stomach.
My hand instinctively covered it.
“No.””
Daniel nodded.
“She had legal documents prepared.””
“Before I was even pregnant?””
“Before you knew you were.””
My throat tightened.
“What kind of documents?””
Daniel opened his phone.
“There was an intended-parent agreement. It named Vanessa as the future legal mother.””
I stared at the screen.
It was real.
My name appeared as the genetic contributor.
Vanessa's name appeared as intended parent.
My fingers trembled.
“Why would I ever sign this?””
“You didn't.””
“Then who did?””
Daniel looked at Eric.
Eric's face hardened.
“Don't.””
Daniel answered anyway.
“Eric.””
I stared at my husband.
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You don't understand.””
“You forged my name?””
“I was trying to protect our future.””
“You forged my name?””
“I never intended for Vanessa to take your baby.””
“Then why sign the document?””
Eric's silence was answer enough.
My father stepped forward.
“Because Eric needed the agreement to secure a loan.””
I looked at him.
“What loan?””
“Three hundred thousand dollars.””
My stomach dropped.
Eric rubbed a hand over his face.
“It was temporary.””
“You used my unborn child to secure a loan?””
“I used the contract.””
“What contract?””
“The one Vanessa had.””
My voice rose.
“You're talking about my baby like property.””
“No.””
Eric looked at me.
“I was desperate.””
“And that makes it okay?””
“No.””
He stared at the floor.
For the first time, he looked ashamed.
But I didn't trust it.
Not anymore.
My phone buzzed again.
Vanessa.
*Eric is not telling you the worst part.*
I stared at the message.
Then another appeared.
*The embryo transfer wasn't supposed to happen at the clinic.*
My father went pale.
“Don't read any more.””
I ignored him.
*The transfer happened because Claire's doctor was bribed.*
I looked at my father.
He whispered, “Claire.””
I kept reading.
*And your first miscarriage was part of the same plan.*
The room went silent.
I felt like I couldn't breathe.
My father grabbed the phone.
“No.””
I pulled it back.
“What does she mean?””
“She is trying to frighten you.””
“Was my doctor bribed?””
“Claire—”
“Was he?””
He didn't answer.
I looked at Detective Harris.
“Detective?””
She stepped closer.
“We'll need to verify every claim.””
My father said, “Vanessa is a liar.””
“Then let her be a liar,” I said.
“But we investigate.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“That is exactly what we will do.””
Eric suddenly spoke.
“Claire, you have to understand something.””
I looked at him.
“I didn't hurt you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You left me on the side of the road.””
“I didn't think you were in danger.””
“You knew I was pregnant.””
“I knew.””
“You knew about the contractions?””
“No.””
“You knew about the fertility procedure?””
“Yes.””
“You knew Vanessa wanted my child?””
“Yes.””
My voice cracked.
“And you still married me.””
He looked at me.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He stared at me for several seconds.
Then he answered.
“Because I loved you.””
Nobody spoke.
I felt something inside me twist.
“That's not love.””
“I know.””
His eyes filled.
“I know that now.””
I looked away.
Love had become his excuse for every terrible thing he'd done.
I didn't want it anymore.
The baby moved.
A strong kick.
I pressed my palm against my stomach.
Eric saw it.
His expression changed.
“Claire…”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You don't get to say my name like that anymore.””
He looked devastated.
Good.
Then Daniel stepped forward.
“There is something else.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“The genetic report.””
He lifted the folder.
“You asked who the biological father was.””
“Yes.””
“It's me.””
I frowned.
“You already told me that.””
“No.””
He looked toward my father.
“There's more.””
My father's shoulders dropped.
Daniel continued.
“I'm not just the biological father.””
I stared.
“What do you mean?””
He swallowed.
“My father is Thomas Mercer.””
“I know.””
“He wasn't supposed to be able to have children after an accident.””
I frowned.
“What?””
Daniel looked at Eric.
“Eric is not Thomas's biological son.””
The room went still.
“What?””
Eric's face went white.
“That isn't true.””
Daniel pulled out a genetic report.
“My father had doubts about Eric's parentage for years.””
Eric shook his head.
“No.””
“That's why he never gave Eric direct control of the trust.””
“No.””
“You were never the heir.””
Eric's voice rose.
“Shut up!””
Daniel didn't stop.
“I am.””
Eric lunged toward him.
My father stepped between them.
“Enough!””
Security appeared in the doorway.
Detective Harris ordered Eric back.
He stood there breathing heavily.
I stared at him.
“So you weren't even entitled to the inheritance.””
Eric looked at me.
“Not originally.””
“Then why did you marry me?””
“Because you were connected to it.””
I felt sick.
“And the baby?””
His eyes shifted toward my stomach.
“Because the baby would have been.””
There it was.
The truth.
Not love.
Not marriage.
Not family.
Money.
Always money.
I turned my face away.
Then my phone buzzed.
Another message from Vanessa.
This one was different.
*I can prove everything.*
Then:
*But I need you to know one thing first.*
I read the next message.
*Your father wasn't the one who arranged the transfer.*
My heart stopped.
The final message arrived seconds later.
*Eric was.*
I looked at my husband.
He had stopped breathing for a moment.
And in that silence, I understood.
There was one last secret between us.
One secret big enough to explain every lie.
My father saw my expression.
“Claire…”
I whispered, “He arranged the transfer.””
Eric said nothing.
I looked directly into his eyes.
“Why did you put my name on those documents?””
He opened his mouth.
But before he could answer, the hospital monitor screamed.
The baby's heartbeat dropped sharply.
The nurse shouted, “Doctor! Now!””
Everything exploded into motion.
My father grabbed my hand.
Daniel stepped back.
Eric was pushed away from the bed.
And as doctors rushed in, my phone slipped from my fingers.
The screen lit up one final time.
Vanessa's last message appeared.
*Because Eric needed the baby alive until the trust transferred.*
May you like
Then another line appeared beneath it.
*After that, he planned to make sure you never took your child home.*
