Chapter 13: The Child Hidden in the Hospital Records
Daniel stared at the handwritten note.
Ethan was not the only child born that night.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Marcus grabbed the medical record.
"Give me that.""
Daniel pulled it away.
"Don't touch it.""
"You're telling me I'm connected to this family, and now there's another secret child?""
Margaret was crying so hard she could barely breathe.
"Please. You don't understand.""
I turned toward her.
"Then explain it.""
She shook her head.
"Not here.""
"Where, Margaret? In another eighteen years?""
Thomas tried to move toward the exit, but the investigators blocked him.
"You're not leaving," one said.
Thomas looked at me.
"Your father has been feeding you lies for years. Don't let him turn you against your own family.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You mean the family that buried him alive?""
Thomas's jaw tightened.
Daniel opened the medical record again.
"There's a problem with this document.""
He pointed to the bottom corner.
"The hospital's original seal is missing. This is a reconstructed copy.""
Robert stepped forward.
"Where did you get it?""
"From my mother's belongings. She gave it to me before she died.""
"Then we need the original.""
Daniel looked toward Margaret.
"Do you know where it is?""
She closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
Marcus grabbed her arm.
"Mom, don't.""
She pulled away.
"You've spent your entire life demanding that I protect you. I'm finished.""
She looked at me.
"The original records are in a storage unit outside Philadelphia. Thomas kept them there because he believed they could be used if anyone challenged the inheritance.""
Daniel wrote down the address.
"Who is the child?""
Margaret looked at him.
Then she looked at Marcus.
"Your father's name was Edward Hayes.""
Daniel went pale.
"Edward was my adoptive father.""
"Yes.""
"But you said—"
"I said he was your father. I never said he was your biological father.""
Daniel swallowed.
"Then who was my mother?""
Margaret looked toward the floor.
"Your mother was my younger sister, Catherine.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Daniel took a step backward.
"My aunt?""
"She gave birth to you when she was very young. Edward raised you as his own because Catherine couldn't.""
I watched Daniel absorb the information.
"Then why does this record say William Reed was my biological father?""
Margaret's eyes filled.
"Because someone changed it.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Who?""
"Thomas.""
Thomas gave a sharp laugh.
"She's lying.""
Margaret turned toward him.
"You took the hospital records. You changed the names. You made everyone believe William had fathered children he never knew existed.""
I felt a cold sensation creep through me.
"Why?""
Margaret looked at me.
"Because William's estate had a clause protecting any biological child he had. Thomas needed to create confusion about who qualified.""
Daniel slowly lowered the record.
"Then my biological father wasn't William?""
"No.""
"Who was?""
Margaret's voice broke.
"Edward Hayes.""
Daniel looked stunned.
I glanced toward Marcus.
"Then Marcus and Daniel share the same father?""
Margaret nodded.
Marcus shook his head.
"No. Thomas is my father.""
Margaret stared at him.
"Thomas raised you. Edward was your biological father.""
Marcus looked as though someone had struck him.
Thomas stepped forward.
"That's enough!""
Margaret continued.
"Edward and I had a relationship before I married Thomas. When I discovered I was pregnant, Edward wanted to raise the child. Thomas offered to help conceal everything.""
Daniel's face tightened.
"You knew?""
"I was young. I was frightened.""
"You let me believe Edward was my father.""
"He was your father in every way that mattered.""
"Except the truth.""
Margaret began crying.
Thomas laughed coldly.
"Edward was a weak man. He never should have been involved with you.""
Daniel turned toward him.
"And you used his identity to manipulate the hospital records?""
Thomas said nothing.
I looked at Marcus.
"That means you and Daniel are half-brothers.""
Marcus stared at the floor.
Then he shook his head.
"No.""
He looked at Margaret.
"You're saying the man I called Dad for thirty-five years wasn't my father?""
Margaret nodded.
"Thomas loved you.""
Thomas snapped, "Don't speak for me.""
Marcus looked at him.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear in my husband's eyes.
"Did you know?""
Thomas didn't answer.
"Did you know Edward was my father?""
Thomas finally spoke.
"Biology doesn't make a man a father.""
Marcus took a step toward him.
"Answer me!""
Thomas looked away.
Daniel closed the folder.
"There's still another child.""
Margaret nodded.
"Ethan.""
I turned toward her.
"He's William's son.""
"Yes.""
"But you said the hospital records were changed.""
"They were. Thomas altered the records to make it appear William had fathered several children. Ethan was the one he couldn't erase completely because Elena had already taken him home.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"So Ethan is William's biological son. Daniel and Marcus are Edward's sons. And I'm William's daughter.""
Margaret nodded.
For the first time, the family tree made sense.
But I wasn't finished.
"Then who was the child born that same night?""
Margaret looked toward Robert.
He removed a second envelope from his jacket.
"William found the original record before the accident.""
He handed it to Daniel.
Inside was a birth certificate for a baby girl.
The name of the mother was Catherine Hayes.
The father's name was Edward Hayes.
And beneath it was a second notation.
Twin delivery. One infant transferred to private care.
Daniel's hands began to tremble.
"That means...""
Margaret nodded.
"You had a twin sister.""
Daniel stared at her.
I looked at him.
"Daniel?""
He couldn't speak.
Robert continued.
"Her name was Grace. Edward believed she had died during the transfer. But William discovered she had been taken to another facility.""
Daniel looked up.
"Where is she?""
Margaret whispered:
"She was raised under another name.""
Thomas suddenly laughed.
"You think finding her will save you? She's the reason this entire mess happened.""
I turned toward him.
"What are you talking about?""
Thomas looked at me.
"Your father didn't hide that child to protect her.""
He smiled.
"He hid her because she knew who actually ordered his murder.""
Before anyone could respond, Daniel's phone rang.
The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number.
He answered.
A woman's voice came through.
"Daniel?""
He went completely still.
"Who is this?""
"My name is Grace.""
Daniel gripped the phone.
"Grace Hayes?""
A pause.
Then the woman said:
"Your sister.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
She continued.
"I've been trying to reach you for months. I have the original hospital ledger, and I know what happened to William Reed.""
Daniel opened his eyes.
"Where are you?""
"Outside the building.""
I turned toward the ballroom doors.
A woman stood beyond the glass.
She looked about Daniel's age, with dark hair and a silver pendant around her neck.
Then she lifted a folder.
And held it against the glass.
On the front was a photograph of my father.
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Underneath, someone had written:
*THE NIGHT WILLIAM REED WAS KILLED.*
