Chapter 4: The Child They Stole From Me
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
The photograph on Dr. Bennett's computer showed a frozen embryo storage label with my name printed across the top.
Claire Elizabeth Whitmore.
Underneath it was Grant's name.
And beneath that, someone had written:
*TRANSFERRED — RECIPIENT: EVELYN WHITMORE.*
I read the words again.
Then I looked at the date.
Eleven months ago.
Eleven months ago, I had been sitting in a fertility clinic, crying because another embryo transfer had failed.
Grant had held my hand afterward.
He had told me we would try again.
He had promised that one day we would have a family.
All that time, he had known.
"Doctor," I whispered, "what does this mean?""
Dr. Bennett removed his glasses.
"It means an embryo created from your egg and your husband's sperm was transferred to another patient.""
"Another patient?""
"Yes.""
"Without my permission?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"According to the documentation, the procedure was authorized by your husband.""
I turned toward Daniel.
His face had become dangerously still.
"Who was the recipient?""
Dr. Bennett hesitated.
I already knew the answer.
"Evelyn," I said.
The doctor nodded.
My mother-in-law.
The woman who had spent twelve years calling me incapable of giving her son an heir.
The woman who had watched me inject hormones into my stomach, endure surgeries, and wake up from anesthesia crying.
She had carried my child.
Or at least, she had carried an embryo created from my body.
I gripped the edge of the desk.
"Is the child alive?""
Dr. Bennett looked at the records.
"According to the last documented examination, the pregnancy progressed normally.""
I closed my eyes.
"How far along?""
"Approximately eleven months ago, the transfer occurred. The pregnancy would have been completed by now.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Where is the child?""
Dr. Bennett opened another file.
There was a photograph.
A baby boy, wrapped in a pale blue blanket.
He had dark hair.
And a tiny birthmark beneath his left ear.
I stared at him.
Something inside me cracked.
"His name?""
The doctor looked down.
"According to the hospital discharge papers, his name is Alexander Whitmore.""
I reached for the photograph.
"That's my son.""
Nobody corrected me.
Nobody needed to.
My phone began vibrating.
Grant.
I answered.
"Claire, please listen to me.""
"Your mother stole my baby.""
"That's not what happened.""
"Then explain why my embryo was transferred into her body without my consent.""
He exhaled sharply.
"Mom wanted to help.""
I laughed.
A horrible, empty sound.
"Help?""
"She wanted to give us a child.""
"She wanted to give herself a grandchild!""
"Claire, she was afraid you would never be able to carry a pregnancy.""
I stared at the baby photograph.
"That was my embryo, Grant. My egg. My body. My child.""
He went silent.
Then he said, "The arrangement was temporary.""
"Temporary?""
"Mom intended to raise him with us.""
I could barely believe what I was hearing.
"With us? You mean she was going to pretend she gave birth to my child?""
"Claire, please.""
"Did you sign the consent form?""
He didn't answer.
"Grant!""
"Yes.""
My hand began shaking.
"Then you knew.""
"I thought it was the only way.""
"The only way to what?""
"To give my mother what she wanted.""
I ended the call.
For several moments, I stood motionless.
Then Daniel gently took the photograph from my hand.
"We'll get him back.""
I looked at him.
"Can you promise that?""
"I can promise we'll find out exactly what happened.""
It wasn't enough.
But it was something.
Dr. Bennett cleared his throat.
"There is another complication.""
I turned.
"What now?""
"The medical records indicate that Evelyn Whitmore's pregnancy was not the only pregnancy connected to the transferred embryos.""
My stomach tightened.
"Explain.""
He opened a separate file.
"Your original IVF cycle produced four viable embryos. One was transferred to you. One was transferred to Mrs.
Whitmore. The remaining two were marked for storage.""
"And?""
"One of the remaining embryos was transferred to another recipient.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Who?""
Dr. Bennett looked at the screen.
"Madison Blake.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Madison's twins.
One embryo had split during early development.
That was why there were two babies.
I sank into the chair.
"So both pregnancies came from my embryos?""
"Based on these records, yes.""
I stared at the doctor.
"Why would Evelyn do that?""
Daniel answered before he could.
"Because she wanted children connected to the Hayes family and the Whitmore family. She believed she could control the entire process.""
I looked at him.
"And my father?""
"We need to find him before we understand the rest.""
Dr. Bennett printed several pages.
"There's something else you should know. The transfer to Madison was registered under a false donor identity. The genetic material was apparently taken from an older sample associated with the Hayes research archive.""
"Was my father involved?""
"We don't know.""
I gathered the papers.
"Then we'll find out.""
As we left the consultation room, Daniel received a call.
He answered, listened, and suddenly stopped walking.
"What do you mean he disappeared?""
I turned.
Daniel's face had gone pale.
The caller spoke again.
Daniel ended the call.
"Claire, we have a problem.""
"What?""
"Your father was moved from the medical facility two hours ago.""
"Where?""
"Nobody knows.""
I looked down at the baby photograph in my hand.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*You want your son? Stop asking questions about Robert Hayes. Evelyn is willing to negotiate.*
A second message followed.
*And Claire, don't forget. You signed away your rights to the Whitmore family. That includes the child.*
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Daniel.
"Find Evelyn.""
His eyes narrowed.
"What are you planning?""
May you like
I put the photograph inside my handbag.
"I'm going to meet the woman who stole my child.""
