Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT I GAVE BIRTH
Daniel didn't speak for hours.
My father was in surgery.
Noah and Ethan were staying with Claire.
Evelyn was in custody.
David was being questioned.
And Daniel sat alone in the hospital corridor.
I finally walked toward him.
“You owe me the truth.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
“What happened the night I gave birth?”
He looked at the floor.
“I wasn't there.”
“What?”
“I was there when the baby was born.”
“Then why say you weren't?”
“Because I wasn't supposed to know.”
“Know what?”
He took a breath.
“The baby you gave birth to wasn't the baby you took home.”
I closed my eyes.
I already knew.
But hearing it from him made it real.
“Tell me everything.”
Daniel nodded.
“Seven years ago, your father called me.”
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“He told me there had been a complication.”
“What complication?”
“Two babies had been born.”
I stared.
“And?”
“He told me one was yours.”
“Ethan.”
“Yes.”
“And the other?”
“Noah.”
I felt sick.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I didn't know which was which.”
“What?”
“Your father said there had been a mistake.”
“A mistake?”
“He told me one baby belonged to Sophia.”
I shook my head.
“Then why did I receive Noah?”
“Because Sophia's baby was in danger.”
“From whom?”
“Charles.”
Daniel looked at me.
“He was already trying to locate him.”
“So my father switched them.”
“Yes.”
“And gave me Sophia's son.”
“Yes.”
I covered my mouth.
“What about Ethan?”
“He was taken.”
“By whom?”
Daniel looked toward the hospital doors.
“Evelyn.”
I closed my eyes.
“Where did she take him?”
“I don't know.”
“She raised him?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“The Carters.”
I remembered the name.
Evelyn's family.
“The family who adopted him.”
Daniel nodded.
“But why?”
“To hide him.”
“From Charles?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did they erase his identity?”
“Because if Charles found out who he was, he would have killed him.”
I looked at Daniel.
“Then why did Evelyn later try to steal from Noah's trust?”
Daniel's face changed.
“Because she became obsessed with the inheritance.”
“So it wasn't protection anymore.”
“No.”
“It became greed.”
“Yes.”
I sat beside him.
“What happened to Sophia?”
“She thought her son had died.”
“Who told her?”
“David.”
I froze.
“Why?”
“To make her disappear.”
Daniel continued.
“David wanted Sophia gone because she knew the truth.”
“And my father?”
“He believed he was protecting you.”
“By lying?”
“Yes.”
I looked down.
The family had built an entire life around one decision.
A decision made in a hospital room.
Two babies.
One switch.
Seven years of consequences.
Then Daniel said something that changed everything.
“Emily.”
“What?”
“Your father wasn't the one who ordered the switch.”
I looked at him.
“Who did?”
“Your grandfather.”
“But he was dead.”
“He wasn't.”
I shook my head.
“David said he was alive.”
Daniel nodded.
“But that's not what I mean.”
“What?”
“Your grandfather died twenty years ago.”
“Then who ordered it?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Someone using his name.”
I felt a chill.
“Who?”
Daniel reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a folded document.
“I found this six months ago.”
I opened it.
A signature appeared at the bottom.
Henry Hayes.
My grandfather.
But the date was seven years ago.
Impossible.
I looked at Daniel.
“This is fake.”
“No.”
“Then someone forged it.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Your mother.”
I stared.
“Evelyn?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she wanted to convince everyone your grandfather was still controlling the trust.”
I read the document again.
There was another name.
Charles Bennett.
I looked at Daniel.
“Your father.”
He nodded.
“My father and Evelyn worked together.”
“To switch the babies?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To create two heirs they could control.”
I felt sick.
“They didn't know which baby was which.”
“No.”
“So they took both.”
“Yes.”
“And one became Noah.”
“Yes.”
“And the other became Ethan.”
“Yes.”
I closed the document.
“Then why did Sophia think Noah was her son?”
“Because he was.”
“Then why did she say I wasn't his mother?”
“Because she knew you weren't biological.”
I shook my head.
“I raised him.”
“She knows.”
“She still took him.”
“She thought you would never let her have him.”
“So she kidnapped him.”
“Yes.”
I looked toward the operating room.
“My father knew?”
Daniel nodded.
“He tried to fix everything.”
“But failed.”
“Yes.”
Then a doctor approached.
“Ms. Hayes?”
I stood.
“How is my father?”
“He survived.”
I nearly collapsed with relief.
“But he needs to see you.”
I entered the room.
My father lay beneath white sheets.
He looked smaller than I had ever seen him.
“Dad.”
He opened his eyes.
“Emily.”
I sat beside him.
“Why?”
He knew exactly what I meant.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You switched babies.”
“Yes.”
“You gave me Sophia's son.”
“Yes.”
“You let me lose Ethan.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“I thought I could find him.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Charles threatened to kill both boys.”
I held his hand.
“You should have trusted me.”
“I know.”
He squeezed my fingers.
“I was wrong.”
Then he whispered:
“There is one more thing.”
“What?”
“The fourth heir.”
I stared.
“Margaret?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
He looked at me.
“Your mother.”
I froze.
“My mother?”
“She is the fourth branch.”
I couldn't breathe.
“She wasn't your mother.”
I stared.
“What?”
“She raised you.”
“Then who was my biological mother?”
My father closed his eyes.
“Sophia.”
I felt the world collapse.
I looked at the hospital bed.
Then at him.
“You're saying Sophia is my mother?”
He nodded.
I couldn't speak.
“Noah is Sophia's son.”
“I know.”
“Ethan is mine.”
“Yes.”
“Then how can Sophia be my mother?”
My father whispered:
“Because Sophia had twins.”
I froze.
“Twins?”
“Yes.”
“One was Noah.”
“And the other…”
He looked at me.
“Was you.”
I stopped breathing.
My entire life had been a lie.
I wasn't merely Noah's adoptive mother.
I was his biological sister.
Ethan was my biological son.
Sophia was my biological mother.
And the fourth heir…
was me.
I stood slowly.
My father whispered:
“Now you understand why everyone was afraid of you.”
I stared at him.
“No.”
I shook my head.
May you like
“I don't.”
“Because the final trust belongs to you.”
