Chapter 7: The Daughter They Tried to Give Away
"Noah Reed.""
The doctor's words kept repeating inside my head.
I stood in Laura Mitchell's office, holding Piper against my chest while my mother sat with both hands covering her mouth.
Poppy was asleep in her stroller.
Or at least, the baby I'd been calling Poppy for three months was asleep in her stroller.
I looked down at her.
She had the same little nose I'd kissed every morning. The same tiny fingers that wrapped around mine during nighttime feedings. I'd memorized the shape of her ears, the way she frowned when she was hungry, and the soft noise she made when she finally settled.
She was my daughter.
She had to be.
"Doctor," I whispered into the phone, "are you telling me I brought home another woman's baby?""
Dr. Mitchell took a breath.
"I'm telling you that the archived identification records don't match the discharge paperwork. We cannot establish the children's identities conclusively until the investigation is complete.""
"Then tell me who my daughters are.""
"We need to verify that.""
I pressed my eyes shut.
"No. You don't understand. I gave birth to twins.
I watched them come into the world. I held them both. I know what my babies look like.""
"I understand, Mrs. Hayes.""
"Then why does your hospital have another name on my daughter's record?""
Laura took the phone gently.
"This is attorney Laura Mitchell. I represent Emily Hayes. We need an immediate preservation order for every original delivery record, identification band log, nursery transfer record, and available security recording.""
"Of course," Dr. Mitchell replied.
"I'll notify our legal department.""
Laura paused.
"And please confirm that no one has accessed or amended these records since the initial discrepancy was discovered.""
"I'll verify that.""
Laura ended the call.
Nobody moved.
Then my mother whispered, "I am so sorry.""
I turned toward her.
"Don't.""
"Emily—"
"Not another apology. Not until you tell me exactly what you signed.""
She began crying.
"I was at the hospital because Tyler called me. He said one of the babies had been incorrectly registered.""
"Which baby?""
"Poppy.""
"Why did he say that?""
"He told me there had been a problem with the identification bands. He said the hospital had mixed up two records and that a temporary correction was necessary.""
"Did you see Poppy?""
My mother nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you see the other baby?""
Her silence answered before she did.
"No.""
I felt something break inside me.
"You signed a declaration about a baby you hadn't even seen?""
"I trusted him.""
"And you didn't tell me?""
She lowered her head.
"I thought I was helping you.""
I stared at her.
"How could taking my daughter away from her own identity possibly help me?""
My father put his hand on her shoulder.
"She made a terrible mistake, Emily.""
I turned toward him.
"And what did you know?""
He looked startled.
"Nothing.""
"Nothing about Tyler's visit? Nothing about the trust? Nothing about the money?""
He shook his head.
"Your grandfather's estate was handled by attorneys. I never knew Tyler was involved.""
Laura raised her hand.
"Let's not assume the hospital records establish what happened. We need the original documentation and independent DNA testing.""
She looked at me.
"Emily, I recommend that you and both babies remain together until the identities are confirmed. Do not let anyone take either child without proper legal authority.""
I nodded.
I wasn't letting anyone take them.
Not Tyler.
Not Vanessa.
Not even the hospital.
My phone began ringing.
Tyler.
I answered and put him on speaker.
"What did you do?""
He sounded exhausted.
"Emily, thank God. I've been trying to reach you.""
"What happened to my daughter?""
A pause.
Then he said, "I can explain.""
"Which daughter is mine, Tyler?""
"Both of them.""
"Then why does the hospital have a record saying Poppy was originally registered as Noah Reed?""
He went silent.
I heard something moving in the background.
Then a woman's voice.
Vanessa.
"Tyler, don't tell her anything!""
I closed my eyes.
"You're with Vanessa?""
"Emily, listen—"
"Did you switch our babies?""
"No.""
"Did you use my mother's signature to change my daughter's identification?""
"Your mother agreed to the correction.""
My mother began crying again.
I looked at her.
"She didn't understand what she was signing.""
Tyler sighed.
"You're making this much more complicated than it needs to be.""
I almost dropped the phone.
"Complicated? You are talking about our children!""
"Both babies are safe.""
"That's not an answer.""
He lowered his voice.
"Emily, the hospital made an error. I was trying to protect the trust.""
"What trust?""
"The family trust.""
I looked at Laura.
She was writing everything down.
Tyler continued.
"Your grandfather left money for his grandchildren. There were certain conditions. I was trying to make sure the children were properly registered.""
"Why was Vanessa involved?""
"She had a baby.""
"That I know.""
"Then you understand.""
"No, Tyler. I don't understand why you needed to change my daughter's identity.""
He became impatient.
"Because the paperwork was wrong!""
"Then why did you forge my signature?""
Silence.
I heard Vanessa again.
"Just tell her!""
Tyler snapped, "Shut up!""
The sound of something hitting a table followed.
Then he spoke to me.
"Emily, we need to meet. There are things you don't know about your grandfather's estate.""
"Tell me now.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because people are listening.""
I looked at Laura.
She mouthed two words.
Keep talking.
I took a breath.
"Who is listening?""
Tyler didn't answer.
Then he said something that made my skin crawl.
"Emily, if you love those girls, stop asking questions.""
The call disconnected.
Laura immediately picked up her phone.
"That was a threat.""
Daniel stood near the window.
"He's panicking.""
I turned toward him.
"How much do you know about the trust?""
He rubbed his face.
"Not everything. But I know your grandfather placed a substantial amount into a family trust before he died.""
"How substantial?""
"Approximately four million dollars.""
My mother gasped.
"What?""
Daniel nodded.
"Tyler discovered it while reviewing old estate documents. He realized the children would qualify as beneficiaries if their biological identities were properly established.""
I stared at him.
"Then why would he want to change the babies' names?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Because the trust had a clause limiting how much any one household could receive.""
Laura looked up.
"Explain.""
Daniel pulled out his phone.
"If the children were registered as members of separate households, the distributions could be structured differently. Tyler believed he could control the money through the guardianship arrangements.""
I felt sick.
"So he wanted to divide the children to get more money?""
Daniel nodded.
I looked at Piper.
She was awake, staring at me.
I kissed her forehead.
"Your father put a price on your identity.""
Daniel's phone vibrated.
He glanced at it.
Then his face changed.
"What?""
He turned the screen toward me.
It was a message from an unknown number.
*Stop helping Emily. You don't know what happened to the first baby.*
I looked up.
"Who sent that?""
Daniel shook his head.
Then another message appeared.
This one contained a photograph.
A hospital corridor.
A woman standing outside the nursery.
I recognized her immediately.
Vanessa.
She was wearing the same cream-colored outfit she'd worn at the cruise terminal.
The photograph was dated September twelfth.
The night my daughters were born.
I looked at Laura.
"That's her.""
Laura enlarged the image.
In Vanessa's hand was a small hospital identification bracelet.
And beside her stood a nurse holding a newborn.
Daniel whispered, "Oh, no.""
I turned toward him.
"What?""
He pointed at the nurse.
"That's Margaret Ellis.""
The notary.
The woman whose name appeared on the forged guardianship document.
Laura immediately saved the photograph.
"Where did this come from?""
Daniel checked the message.
No sender information.
Then my phone rang again.
Dr. Mitchell.
I answered.
"Mrs. Hayes, we've located the original nursery transfer ledger.""
My heart began pounding.
"What does it say?""
"According to the ledger, two babies were admitted to the nursery under different maternal records. One was assigned to Emily Hayes. The other was assigned to Vanessa Reed.""
I gripped the phone.
"Then what happened?""
A long pause.
"At 2:47 a.m., both identification bands were recorded as replaced.""
"By whom?""
"That's the problem.""
Her voice lowered.
"The person who authorized the replacement was not a nurse.""
"Who was it?""
Dr. Mitchell hesitated.
May you like
Then she said:
"It was your husband, Mr. Tyler Hayes.""
