Chapter 5: My Husband's Mother Had Another Granddaughter
I didn't remember leaving the medical office.
I remembered Michael speaking to Rachel.
I remembered Patricia handing over copies of the documents.
I remembered the cold air hitting my face.
But everything else seemed to disappear behind one sentence.
Your mother-in-law has been raising her.
Evelyn Carter.
The woman who had brought me ginger tea during my first trimester.
The woman who had knitted tiny white blankets for my daughter.
The woman who had once told me that family was the only thing worth protecting.
She had another granddaughter.
A granddaughter born from my husband's affair with my closest friend.
A granddaughter whose existence had been hidden from me.
And she had apparently been raising that child while smiling at me across our dinner table.
Rachel drove us back to her house.
Michael followed behind.
I sat in the passenger seat, holding the photograph of Damon outside Northbridge.
"Are you going to confront her?"" Rachel asked.
"Yes.""
"Not alone.""
"I know.""
"Emily, I'm serious.""
I looked out the window.
"I know.""
My phone rang.
Evelyn.
I stared at her name.
Rachel glanced over.
"Don't answer.""
I answered.
"Hello, Evelyn.""
"Oh, sweetheart."" Her voice was warm.
"I've been trying to reach you.""
"Why?""
"I heard you've been upset.""
I almost laughed.
"Who told you?""
"Damon.""
"Of course.""
She paused.
"Emily, I think we should have a little conversation.""
"About what?""
"About family.""
I looked at the photograph in my lap.
"Which family?""
Silence.
Then she said, "Come to my house tomorrow. We can talk privately.""
"I'll come today.""
"Oh, no. You're pregnant. You should rest.""
"I'm fine.""
"Emily, darling, don't make this harder than it needs to be.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Is your granddaughter at home?""
The silence that followed was different.
Longer.
Heavier.
Then Evelyn said:
"Who told you?""
I closed my eyes.
"That's not an answer.""
She exhaled.
"Come tomorrow.""
"Is she there?""
"Emily—"
"Is the little girl there?""
Finally, she whispered:
"Yes.""
I ended the call.
Rachel pulled into her driveway.
Neither of us spoke for several seconds.
Then she turned off the engine.
"Do you want me to come with you?""
"Yes.""
The following morning, we arrived at Evelyn's house shortly after ten.
It was a large colonial home with white shutters, a manicured lawn, and a red brick walkway.
I'd spent countless weekends there.
I'd helped decorate the Christmas tree.
I'd celebrated birthdays in the dining room.
I'd once stayed overnight when Damon and I had a fight because I thought Evelyn would understand.
Now I was looking at the same front door wondering how many lies had been spoken behind it.
Evelyn opened it before we knocked.
She wore a pale blue cardigan and pearl earrings.
Her expression was carefully composed.
"Emily.""
She looked at Rachel.
"I wasn't expecting you.""
"She's not coming alone," Rachel replied.
Evelyn stepped aside.
"Come in.""
We entered the living room.
A small pink backpack sat beside the sofa.
A child's drawing was attached to the refrigerator.
There were toys in a basket near the fireplace.
And on the mantel stood a framed photograph.
A little girl with dark curls smiled at the camera.
The girl from the yellow dress.
My knees weakened.
Evelyn noticed.
"Would you like some tea?""
"No.""
She nodded and sat down.
"Then let's talk.""
I remained standing.
"How long have you had her?""
Evelyn folded her hands.
"Since she was six weeks old.""
"Why?""
"Because Claire wasn't able to care for both children.""
I looked at the toys.
"Both children?""
"Yes.""
"She had twins.""
Evelyn nodded.
"I know.""
"And you took one.""
"I didn't take her. I helped raise her.""
"Without telling me.""
Evelyn's expression hardened slightly.
"That was Damon's decision.""
I laughed.
"You're blaming your son?""
"I'm explaining what happened.""
"Then explain.""
She looked toward the staircase.
"Her name is Lily.""
I stared.
"Lily?""
"That's what we call her.""
"Does she know who her mother is?""
Evelyn looked down.
"She knows Claire.""
"And her father?""
"She knows Damon.""
I felt sick.
"So everyone knows except me.""
"Not everyone.""
"Who else?""
Evelyn hesitated.
Then she said:
"Your father-in-law knew.""
I turned toward her.
"Frank?""
She nodded.
Frank Carter had died eleven months earlier.
He'd been kind to me.
Quiet, gentle, and always ready with a joke.
He had held my hand at our wedding reception and told me he was happy Damon had found someone who loved him.
"Frank knew?""
"Yes.""
"How?""
"He helped arrange the temporary guardianship.""
I sat down.
Rachel moved closer.
Evelyn continued.
"Claire was overwhelmed. She had two babies and a marriage she was trying to save. Damon was trying to protect everyone.""
"By giving one child to you?""
"By ensuring she had a stable home.""
"Why wasn't I told?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"Because you had already been through so much.""
I stared.
"What does that mean?""
She looked uncomfortable.
"Your marriage wasn't perfect.""
"Neither is anyone else's.""
"You and Damon were struggling to conceive.""
I went still.
"Who told you that?""
"Your husband.""
"My doctor told me I was healthy.""
Evelyn sighed.
"Emily, there were complications.""
"Stop using that word. What complications?""
She didn't answer.
I leaned forward.
"Did you know about the egg retrieval?""
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
"Yes," she whispered.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"You knew?""
"Yes.""
"And you let me believe I had only undergone cyst surgery?""
"I thought it was better.""
"Better for whom?""
Evelyn looked away.
"Everyone.""
I stood.
"Everyone except me.""
She rose too.
"Emily, please. You have no idea how difficult this was.""
I looked at her.
"Then tell me.""
She pressed her lips together.
"Claire wanted a family. Damon wanted a child. I wanted my son to be happy.""
"And what did you want for me?""
She didn't answer.
I pointed toward the photograph.
"Did you ever look at that little girl and think about me?""
Evelyn's eyes filled.
"Every day.""
"Then how did you sleep at night?""
She began crying.
But I felt nothing.
Not yet.
"Can I see her?""
Evelyn hesitated.
"She's at nursery.""
"Then I'll come back when she's home.""
"Emily—"
"I want to meet her.""
She nodded reluctantly.
Rachel touched my arm.
"We should leave.""
Before we reached the door, Evelyn spoke again.
"There's something you need to understand.""
I turned.
"Go on.""
"Claire wasn't the one who arranged everything.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"She didn't come up with the plan.""
"Then who did?""
"Damon.""
I shook my head.
"Why?""
Evelyn wiped her cheeks.
"Because he believed you would never agree to another pregnancy attempt after what happened.""
"What happened?""
She stared at me.
Then she said:
"The first embryo transfer failed.""
I felt cold.
"Which embryo transfer?""
"The one before Claire.""
I stared at her.
She continued.
"Your husband had already arranged a surrogate once. The first woman miscarried.""
My mouth went dry.
"How many times?""
Evelyn lowered her voice.
"Twice.""
I looked at Rachel.
She looked equally stunned.
Damon hadn't simply arranged one secret pregnancy.
He had arranged multiple attempts.
And Evelyn had known about them.
"How much did you pay?"" I asked.
Evelyn frowned.
"What?""
"The women. The clinic. Northbridge. How much money did you spend?""
She looked away.
"That's not important.""
"It is to me.""
"Emily, you need to stop thinking about money.""
I laughed.
"Why? Because you've already taken enough of mine?""
Her face changed.
"What are you talking about?""
I opened my phone and showed her the bank transfers.
The $86,000 inheritance.
The payments to Claire.
The remaining balance.
Evelyn stared at the screen.
Then she sat down.
"That money wasn't supposed to come from your account.""
I froze.
"What?""
She looked up.
"Damon told me he had arranged a separate fund.""
"Using my inheritance?""
"I didn't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
I took a step toward her.
"Did you know about the forged signature on the property authorization?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"Emily, I swear.""
I studied her face.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely frightened.
Not of me.
Of something else.
She reached for a drawer beside the sofa and pulled out a small envelope.
"I was going to give you this eventually.""
I didn't take it.
"What is it?""
"Something Frank left.""
She held it toward me.
"Your father-in-law discovered what Damon was doing before he died.""
I stared at the envelope.
Frank had been dead for nearly a year.
"What did he discover?""
Evelyn's voice trembled.
"He found out the money wasn't being used for fertility treatment.""
I took the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
The first line read:
Emily, if you're reading this, then Damon has finally gone too far.
I sat down.
The letter was dated three weeks before Frank's death.
He wrote that he had discovered irregular transfers from a family business account.
The payments had gone to Northbridge Family Center.
He had confronted Damon.
Damon claimed the money was for a private adoption.
Frank didn't believe him.
He had hired an accountant to investigate.
The accountant discovered that some payments had been routed through a company registered in my name.
Carter Medical Consulting.
The company Damon controlled.
But the final paragraph was what made my hands shake.
I believe Damon and Claire are not acting alone. Someone has been helping them create false medical records. I have the name, but I am afraid to confront that person without evidence.
Below the paragraph was a handwritten name.
Margaret Hale.
I looked up.
"Where is she now?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I looked back at the letter.
There was a second page.
It contained a short note.
If anything happens to me, look inside the blue toolbox in the garage. The key is taped beneath the bottom drawer.
I looked at Evelyn.
"Why didn't you give me this before?""
She lowered her eyes.
"Because Damon told me Frank had become confused near the end.""
I felt anger rising.
"He was investigating his own son.""
"I know.""
"And you let Damon convince you he was imagining things?""
Evelyn began crying again.
I put the letter into my bag.
"Where is the toolbox?""
"In the garage.""
"Take me there.""
She hesitated.
"Emily, I don't think—"
"Now.""
The blue toolbox was beneath a workbench.
Rachel found the key taped under the bottom drawer.
Inside were several envelopes, a USB drive, and a small notebook.
Michael had warned us not to remove anything that might be relevant to an investigation without documenting it.
So Rachel photographed everything.
The notebook contained dates, account numbers, and names.
One entry had been underlined three times.
*Northbridge — transfer of child — final payment pending.*
Beneath it was a date.
And beside the date was a name.
*Owen Bennett.*
I stared.
"Owen?""
Rachel looked over my shoulder.
"Why would Owen be involved?""
I turned the page.
There was a handwritten note from Frank.
Claire's husband may know more than he admits. He has been paying someone to locate the missing child.
My phone vibrated.
Owen.
I answered immediately.
"Emily?""
"Where are you?""
"At home.""
"Can you come to Rachel's?""
There was a pause.
"Why?""
"I found something with your name on it.""
He went quiet.
Then he said:
"Don't come looking for me.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"Emily, I need to tell you something.""
"Then tell me.""
He took a shaky breath.
"I've known about the twins for six months.""
I closed my eyes.
"What?""
"And I've been trying to find the second one.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
His voice broke.
"Because I think Claire and Damon were planning to give her to someone else.""
"Who?""
He hesitated.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"Your husband wasn't the only man who wanted that baby.""
