Chapter 5: The Person I Trusted Most
For several minutes, I convinced myself there had to be another explanation.
There had to be.
Because the alternative was impossible.
Dr. Helen Walsh had been with me through my entire pregnancy.
She was the person who held my hand during my first ultrasound when I cried after seeing Grace’s heartbeat for the first time.
She was the person who reassured me when I was terrified something would go wrong.
She was the person who told me, “Ava, your instincts are already making you a good mother.””
And now her name was attached to a request questioning whether I was capable of caring for my own daughter.
I stared at the email again.
My eyes moved across the words.
*Updated Medical Access Request.*
*Reason: Concern regarding patient’s ability to safely care for newborn.*
My hands started shaking.
Not from exhaustion.
Not from pain.
From betrayal.
I called Sarah immediately.
She answered after one ring.
“What happened?””
I didn’t waste time explaining.
“Someone requested access to my medical records.””
“Who?””
I swallowed.
“Dr. Helen Walsh.””
The silence on the other end was immediate.
“That’s your doctor?””
“Yes.””
“Did she tell you she had concerns?””
“No.””
“Did she speak to you about your mental or emotional condition after delivery?””
“No.””
“Did she document anything unusual during your pregnancy?””
“No.””
My voice became quieter.
“Sarah, she was the person I trusted most.””
“I understand.””
“No, I don’t think you do.””
I looked at Grace sleeping beside me.
“She knew everything. Every fear. Every appointment. Every moment I was vulnerable.””
Sarah’s voice softened.
“And that’s exactly why we need to understand what happened before assuming why she made the request.””
I knew she was right.
But knowing something logically didn’t make it hurt less.
“How do I find out?””
“Ask her.””
“Just like that?””
“Yes.””
“What if she’s working with Daniel?””
“Then you need to know.””
I looked at the hospital phone on the bedside table.
The thought of calling Dr. Walsh made my stomach twist.
Because if she had truly betrayed me, I needed to hear it from her.
And if she hadn’t…
I needed to understand why her name was there.
“I’ll call her.””
“Before you do, remember something.””
“What?””
“Don’t accuse. Don’t argue. Ask questions.””
“Why?””
“Because if someone is hiding something, they reveal more when they think they’re safe.””
I wrote that down.
Ask questions.
Stay calm.
Collect information.
The same way Daniel had planned against me.
Except I wasn’t trying to destroy him.
I was trying to protect myself.
A few minutes later, I called Dr. Walsh’s office.
The receptionist answered.
“Dr. Walsh’s office.””
“Hi, this is Ava Carter. I need to speak with Dr. Walsh.””
“Of course. One moment.””
The hold music played.
Each second felt longer than the last.
Then I heard her voice.
“Ava?””
My chest tightened.
“Hi, Doctor.””
“Are you okay? How is Grace?””
“She’s good.””
“That’s wonderful. I was hoping to stop by later today.””
I froze.
“You were?””
“Yes. I wanted to check on you both.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Doctor, I received an email.””
A pause.
“What kind of email?””
“A request for access to my medical records.””
Another pause.
Longer this time.
“Okay.””
“Your name was attached to it.””
Silence.
Then:
“Ava, I can explain.””
Those words hurt more than anger would have.
Because they confirmed something.
She knew.
“What is there to explain?””
“I didn’t submit that request because I believe you are an unsafe mother.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Then why did you submit it?””
She took a breath.
“Because someone asked me to review concerns.””
“Who?””
“Ava—”
“Who?””
Another pause.
Then she said,
“Your husband.””
The room felt colder.
“Daniel asked you?””
“Yes.””
“And you agreed?””
“It’s not that simple.””
“Isn’t it?””
My voice cracked.
“You let my husband make a request questioning me as a mother, and you didn’t even tell me?””
“Ava, listen to me.””
“No.””
I looked at Grace.
“You need to listen to me.””
My voice was quiet.
But stronger than I expected.
“I trusted you.””
“I know.””
“No, Doctor. I don’t think you understand.””
I closed my eyes.
“You were there when I was scared. You were there when I was vulnerable. And while I was lying here after giving birth, my husband was using your name to build a case against me.””
“I did not know he was doing that.””
“Then what did you think he was doing?””
She didn’t answer immediately.
That silence told me she had been given a different story.
“What did Daniel tell you?””
Her voice became careful.
“He said you were struggling.””
“Struggling with what?””
“Stress. Anxiety. The adjustment after childbirth.””
I almost laughed.
“After childbirth?””
“Ava—”
“He came here hours after I gave birth and tried to make me sign custody papers.””
“What?””
The shock in her voice sounded real.
“You didn’t know?””
“No.””
I sat back.
For the first time, uncertainty entered the conversation.
“Doctor, did Daniel tell you about the custody request?””
“No.””
“Did he tell you about the legal documents?””
“No.””
“Did he tell you his mother was involved?””
A pause.
“No.””
I looked at the wall.
Maybe she wasn’t part of the plan.
Maybe she was another person Daniel had manipulated.
But I couldn’t ignore what happened.
“Why would you believe him?””
Dr. Walsh sighed.
“Because he showed me messages.””
My heart stopped.
“What messages?””
“He showed me conversations where you appeared overwhelmed.””
“Appeared?””
“Yes.””
“Doctor, anyone can make someone look bad if they only show part of a conversation.””
Another silence.
This one felt different.
Because I knew she understood.
“What did he show you?””
“I can’t discuss private communications.””
“Were they mine?””
“I…”
That hesitation was enough.
“They were mine.””
“Ava—”
“He showed you private messages?””
“I’m sorry.””
The apology sounded genuine.
But it didn’t erase the damage.
“Doctor, I need you to understand something.””
“Yes?””
“My husband is not trying to get help for me.””
“I understand that now.””
“He is trying to create a record that I’m not capable.””
“I understand.””
“And your request helped him do that.””
The silence afterward was painful.
Finally, she said,
“You’re right.””
I wasn’t expecting that.
“I should have spoken with you first.””
“Yes.””
“I made a mistake.””
I looked at Grace.
Mistakes could hurt people.
Even when they weren’t intentional.
“Doctor, can you help me now?””
“How?””
“Tell me everything Daniel told you.””
She hesitated.
“I need to check what I’m allowed to share.””
“Doctor.””
“Yes?””
“My daughter’s future is being discussed without me.””
That sentence changed something.
Her voice softened.
“I’ll call you back.””
“When?””
“As soon as I can.””
After we ended the call, I sat there quietly.
A strange feeling moved through me.
Not relief.
Not yet.
But something close.
Because for the first time, one of Daniel’s carefully placed pieces had started to move against him.
He had convinced Dr. Walsh she was helping protect a baby.
He had convinced Marcus he was building a reasonable case.
He had convinced Evelyn that I would break.
But he had forgotten something important.
People eventually ask questions.
And questions expose the truth.
That evening, Sarah arrived at the hospital.
The moment she entered my room, I saw the seriousness on her face.
She carried a large folder.
Not a small one.
A thick one.
“What happened?”” I asked.
She closed the door behind her.
“Before I answer, I need to show you something.””
She placed the folder on the table.
“What is that?””
“Everything Daniel has submitted so far.””
My heart sank.
“How much?””
“Enough.””
She opened the first page.
I saw my name.
Then I saw the words:
*Temporary Emergency Custody Petition.*
I forced myself to keep reading.
Claims.
Statements.
Allegations.
All written in formal language.
All designed to make me look unstable.
But then Sarah turned to another page.
“This is where it gets interesting.””
“What?””
She pointed to a section near the bottom.
“Daniel included supporting statements.””
“From who?””
Sarah looked at me.
“That’s the problem.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
She turned the paper around.
At the bottom were three names.
Daniel Carter.
Evelyn Carter.
And…
Dr. Helen Walsh.
I stared at the page.
Even after everything she said.
Even after our conversation.
Her name was still there.
“How?””
Sarah shook her head.
“I don’t know yet.””
I looked down at Grace.
The room became silent.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
From Dr. Walsh.
My heart raced as I opened it.
It contained only one sentence.
*Ava, I found out what Daniel actually submitted in my name. You need to see this before he knows I found it.*
Then a photo appeared.
I opened it.
And my blood turned cold.
Because it wasn’t just a medical statement.
It was a document with my doctor’s signature.
A signature she said she never gave permission to use.
And beneath it was one sentence that changed everything:
*Patient demonstrates signs consistent with postpartum instability and may require supervised contact with newborn.*
I looked at Sarah.
She looked back at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Because we both understood.
Daniel hadn’t just convinced people to question me.
May you like
He had forged a version of reality.
And now we needed to find out how far he was willing to go to make it true.
