Chapter 6: The Daughter Who Knew Too Much
I didn’t sleep that night.
Not because of Vanessa.
Not because of Ethan.
Because of Claire.
Because of one sentence.
Ask your wife what happened the night Lily was born.
I sat in the dark living room while rain hit the windows.
Three years ago, I would have given anything to hear Claire’s voice again.
Now that she was beside me, I felt like I was losing her all over again.
Because I realized something terrifying.
Everyone had been hiding something.
Vanessa.
Ethan.
Claire.
Maybe even me.
Claire walked into the room around four in the morning.
She looked exhausted.
“You heard her.””
I didn’t look up.
“Yes.””
She sat across from me.
“I knew she would say something like that.””
My chest tightened.
“What does it mean?””
She was quiet.
Too quiet.
“Claire.””
She looked at me.
“The night Lily was born…”
She stopped.
I waited.
Finally, she whispered:
“She almost died.””
I frowned.
“I know.””
“No.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You know the hospital version.””
“What does that mean?””
She looked toward the stairs.
Where Lily was sleeping.
“The truth is different.””
My hands clenched.
“Tell me.””
Claire took a deep breath.
“Lily wasn’t supposed to survive.””
The words made no sense.
“What?””
“She was born early. She had complications.””
“I know that.””
“But there was a mistake.””
“What mistake?””
Claire looked at me.
“A doctor changed her records.””
I stood.
“Why?””
“Because someone paid him.””
The room felt colder.
“Who?””
Claire didn’t answer.
I already knew.
“Vanessa?””
She nodded.
“Why would Vanessa care about Lily’s birth?””
Claire looked away.
“Because Lily wasn’t the only baby born that night.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Claire’s voice shook.
“There was another child.””
I stared.
“I don’t understand.””
“Neither did I.””
She looked at me.
“Until I found the records.””
“What records?””
“The hospital records.””
A terrible thought entered my mind.
“Claire…”
She whispered:
“Daniel, Lily may not be the daughter you think she is.””
I stepped back.
“No.””
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“That’s impossible.””
Claire started crying.
“I wanted it to be impossible too.””
I looked upstairs.
At my little girl.
The child I had raised.
The child I loved more than anything.
“What are you saying?””
Claire wiped her tears.
“I’m saying Vanessa knew something about Lily.””
The front door suddenly opened.
We both turned.
Detective Harris stood there.
“Mr. Reed.””
He looked serious.
“We found Vanessa.””
I stood.
“Where?””
He hesitated.
“In a car outside the city.””
“Is she okay?””
“She’s alive.””
Claire looked relieved for half a second.
Then Detective Harris continued.
“But she wasn’t alone.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who was with her?””
He looked at me.
“A man.””
“Ethan?””
“No.””
He opened his notebook.
“Someone else.””
“Who?””
Detective Harris stared at the page.
Then said:
“Someone named Michael Reed.””
My blood ran cold.
Because that was my father’s name.
And my father had been dead for twelve years.
I looked at Claire.
She looked as shocked as I was.
Then my phone buzzed.
A new message.
From Vanessa.
One photo.
I opened it.
And every part of me went numb.
It was a picture of a newborn baby.
With a hospital bracelet.
The name written on it was:
*Lily Reed.*
May you like
But the date was not the day my daughter was born.
It was the day Claire disappeared.
