Chapter 8: The Night My Father Died
Rain poured through the trees as Claire stared toward the house.
“I know who killed your father.””
I couldn't move.
Rachel stood beside me, breathing hard from the run through the passage.
“Then tell us,” she said.
Claire shook her head.
“Not here.””
“Why not?””
“Because if Cole is watching this house, someone else may be watching us.””
I looked at the old farmhouse.
A light still burned in the nursery window.
Cole's silhouette had disappeared.
“We need somewhere safe.””
Claire nodded.
“There’s an abandoned church two miles away.””
Rachel frowned.
“You expect us to hide in a church in the middle of the night?””
“It’s not the church I'm talking about.””
She pointed toward the woods.
“There’s an old caretaker's cottage behind it.””
We hurried through the rain.
My shoes slipped in the mud.
My stomach felt heavy, but I kept moving.
Not because I was brave.
Because I was terrified of stopping.
Ten minutes later, the tiny cottage appeared between the trees.
Claire unlocked the door.
Inside was a single table, two chairs, and an old wood stove.
Rachel shut the door behind us.
Claire checked the windows.
Then the locks.
Only after she was satisfied did she turn around.
“Now I can tell you.””
I held the paternity report in one hand.
The hospital records in the other.
“Start with my father.””
Claire stared at the floor.
“He didn't die from a heart attack.””
“I know.””
“He was poisoned.””
Rachel stiffened.
“Poisoned?””
Claire nodded.
“Someone put something in his whiskey.””
My chest tightened.
“Who?””
“Your mother.””
I closed my eyes.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“She loved him.””
“She did.””
“Then why?””
“Because he was going to expose her.””
“Expose her for what?””
Claire looked at me.
“For switching the babies.””
Silence filled the cottage.
“What exactly did she do?””
“Your mother was supposed to give Victor one child.””
“Why?””
“Because Victor believed his biological heir had died.””
Claire pulled out a folded document.
“He was obsessed with having a child of his own blood. When he learned Darla had delivered twins, he made a deal with her.””
“What deal?””
“She would give him one baby, and in exchange he'd erase a debt your grandfather owed him.””
Rachel stared.
“What debt?””
“Millions.””
I felt sick.
“My mother sold a baby for money?””
“She thought she had.””
“What happened?””
Claire looked down.
“Your father found out.””
I swallowed.
“And he stopped her?””
“He tried.””
“What happened to the other baby?””
Claire looked at me.
“You.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“You were the child your father claimed as his.””
“Then who was Sophie?””
“The other twin.””
“Why was she recorded as dead?””
“Because Victor came looking for the child he believed belonged to him.””
Claire's voice became softer.
“Darla panicked.””
“So she killed the record?””
“She changed it.””
“And gave Sophie away?””
“No.””
I waited.
Claire whispered,
“She gave you away.””
My heart stopped.
Rachel looked at her.
“What?””
Claire turned toward me.
“Your mother told the hospital to place you with a private family under the name Emma Bennett.””
I could barely speak.
“But Richard raised me.””
“Yes.””
“He knew?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“He helped arrange it.””
My knees weakened.
I sat in the nearest chair.
“My father helped give me away?””
“He didn't think he was losing you.””
“What does that mean?””
“Because he believed the child being hidden was you.””
I stared.
Nothing made sense.
Claire continued.
“The hospital had already mixed up the bracelets.””
“So Dad thought I was Sophie?””
“Yes.””
“And Sophie…”
“Was registered under another name.””
I looked at her.
“Claire.””
“Yes.””
“You were raised as Claire?””
She nodded.
“By a couple who were connected to Daniel.””
I stared at the floor.
“Then how did you find me?””
“DNA.””
She touched the bracelet around her wrist.
“My adoptive mother had this.””
She held up the silver star.
“She told me I was adopted but refused to tell me where I came from.””
“Why?””
“She was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Victor.””
“But Victor died.””
“Eleven years ago.””
“And you were already grown.””
“Yes.””
“What changed?””
Claire looked at the window.
“Daniel.””
I went still.
“My biological father?””
“Yes.””
“Where is he?””
Claire hesitated.
“I don't know.””
“You just told me he found Cole.””
“He did.””
“Then where did he go?””
“He disappeared.””
“When?””
“Three days before your wedding.””
I stared at her.
“That was two years ago.””
Claire nodded.
“That's when I started looking for you.””
Rachel stepped forward.
“Wait. If Daniel disappeared two years ago, how did he contact Cole?””
“Through intermediaries.””
“Why?””
“To warn him.””
“Warn him about what?””
Claire looked at me.
“Your mother.””
I closed my eyes.
Again.
Always my mother.
Always another secret.
“What did she know about Daniel?””
“Everything.””
“And Cole?””
“Enough.””
I pulled the paternity report from my pocket.
“Then explain this.””
Claire took it.
Her eyes moved across the page.
“This isn't the original.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“The formatting is wrong.””
She turned the page.
“This lab doesn't issue reports this way.””
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“I worked there.””
Rachel stared.
“You were a genetic counselor?””
“For three years.””
I looked at her.
“Then what does the real report say?””
Claire's expression changed.
“The real report says Daniel is not the biological father of Lily.””
I felt the world stop.
“What?””
Claire looked at me.
“The result on this copy was altered.””
My hands went numb.
“So Lily is Cole's?””
“I don't know.””
“Then whose?””
“I can tell you what the original sample showed.””
She reached into her bag and pulled out a flash drive.
“The fetal DNA was compared against three people.””
“Three?””
“You.””
“Cole.””
Claire nodded.
“And someone else.””
“Who?””
Claire plugged the drive into an old laptop.
A file opened.
There were laboratory charts, names, dates.
Then I saw it.
*REFERENCE SUBJECT: RICHARD CARTER.*
My father's name.
I stared.
“That can't be.””
Claire's voice was quiet.
“That's why your mother panicked.””
Rachel leaned over the screen.
“Why?””
“Because the fetal DNA showed a match to Richard.””
I almost laughed.
“My father is dead.””
“Yes.””
“Lily can't be related to him like that.””
Claire nodded.
“Not unless the sample was manipulated.””
I looked at the date.
The test had been processed three months ago.
“Where did the sample come from?””
“That's the problem.””
She pointed to a line on the screen.
*SPECIMEN SOURCE: PRIVATE COLLECTION.*
“What does that mean?””
“Someone submitted preserved DNA.””
“Whose DNA?””
“Richard's.””
My heart hammered.
“My father had preserved DNA?””
Claire nodded.
“Your mother had it.””
I looked away.
My mother had kept my father's DNA.
Why?
For years?
For what?
Rachel suddenly pointed to another line.
“What's that?””
I leaned closer.
*SECONDARY MATCH: UNKNOWN MALE — 99.7%*
I frowned.
“Unknown male?””
Claire shook her head.
“No.””
Her face had gone pale.
“What?””
She enlarged the report.
The reference identifier appeared.
*SAMPLE H-017.*
I felt a chill.
“Who is H-017?””
Claire whispered,
“Victor Hale.””
The cottage went silent.
I stood abruptly.
“That means Lily is related to Victor.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Claire looked at me.
“That's what we've been trying to figure out.””
I stared at the data.
Victor Hale was not my father.
He wasn't supposed to be.
Then why did my unborn daughter share his DNA?
Claire lowered the laptop.
“There’s one more thing.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“The report wasn't altered to make you believe Daniel was Lily's father.””
“Then why alter it?””
Claire met my eyes.
“To make you look in the wrong direction.””
My phone buzzed.
All three of us froze.
The screen showed an unknown number.
A message appeared.
*Ask Claire what happened to the real Lily.*
I stared at it.
Then at Claire.
Her face had gone white.
“You know,” I whispered.
Claire shook her head.
“I don't.””
Another message arrived.
*The baby you're carrying isn't Lily.*
My stomach turned.
Rachel grabbed my hand.
“Emma, don't read any more.””
I couldn't stop.
A photograph appeared.
A newborn baby in a hospital bassinet.
A tiny silver bracelet around her wrist.
The name card beside her read:
*LILY CARTER.*
I stared.
The date was the day I gave birth according to the future hospital schedule printed in my prenatal file.
But there was one impossible detail.
The photograph had been taken *yesterday*.
My phone slipped from my fingers.
“No.””
Claire picked it up.
She looked at the image.
Then at me.
“This is impossible.””
“What is?””
She zoomed in on the baby.
“This baby is already born.””
My heart raced.
“That's Lily?””
Claire shook her head.
“No.””
She looked at the bracelet.
“That bracelet was made for the other twin.””
My blood ran cold.
“Then whose baby is she?””
Claire stared at the photograph for several seconds.
Then she whispered,
“Emma…”
“What?””
“That hospital where this picture was taken…”
She turned the phone toward me.
“It’s St. Vincent’s.””
My doctor’s hospital.
The same hospital where I was supposed to deliver.
I couldn't breathe.
“Someone has already registered my baby.””
Rachel's eyes widened.
“Before she's born?””
Claire nodded.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression changed immediately.
“Who?””
She didn't answer.
“Claire?””
Slowly, she handed me the phone.
The caller ID displayed a name I'd never seen before.
*Darla Bennett.*
I answered.
“Mom?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then my mother's voice came through, shaking.
“Emma, listen to me.””
I pressed the phone to my ear.
“Where are you?””
“I don't have much time.””
“What is happening?””
My mother took a breath.
Then whispered the sentence that shattered the last piece of certainty I had left.
May you like
“Your baby wasn't supposed to survive tonight.””
The line went dead.
