Chapter 14: The Third Baby
Nobody spoke as Detective Morgan opened the medical file.
Lila held Sophie against her chest.
I stood beside them, staring at the folder.
The first page contained a hospital admission form.
The mother's name had been partially obscured.
But the date was unmistakable.
October 14.
The day Amara was born.
The second page contained a delivery record.
*INFANT: MALE.*
**DELIVERY LOCATION: PRIVATE MATERN 14: The Third Baby
Nobody spoke as Detective Morgan opened the medical file.
Lila held Sophie against her chest.
I stood beside them, staring at the folder.
The first page contained a hospital admission form.
The mother's name had been partially obscured.
But the date was unmistakable.
October 14.
The day Amara was born.
The second page contained a delivery record.
*INFANT: MALE.*
*DELIVERY LOCATION: PRIVATE MATERNITY UNIT.*
*BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: VANESSA HART.*
I looked at Morgan.
“That's Vanessa's son.””
He nodded.
“But there's another page.””
He turned it over.
A second child's name appeared.
*INFANT: FEMALE.*
*TRANSFERRED TO: UNKNOWN GUARDIAN.*
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Another girl?””
ITY UNIT.**
*BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: VANESSA HART.*
I looked at Morgan.
“That's Vanessa's son.””
He nodded.
“But there's another page.””
He turned it over.
A second child's name appeared.
*INFANT: FEMALE.*
*TRANSFERRED TO: UNKNOWN GUARDIAN.*
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Another girl?””
Morgan read the next line.
“Biological mother: Unidentified.””
Lila shook her head.
“No. That doesn't make sense.””
She took the file.
Her fingers trembled as she examined the delivery notes.
Then she stopped.
“Daniel.””
“What?””
“Look at the time.””
The record showed that the third infant had been delivered at 11:42 pMorgan read the next line.
“Biological mother: Unidentified.””
Lila shook her head.
“No. That doesn't make sense.””
She took the file.
Her fingers trembled as she examined the delivery notes.
Then she stopped.
“Daniel.””
“What?””
“Look at the time.””
The record showed that the third infant had been delivered at 11:42 p.m.
Amara had been born at 11:39 p.m.
Three minutes apart.
I looked at Lila.
“Were you conscious?””
“Barely.””
“Could there have been another delivery in the same room?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
The supervising woman spoke from behind us.
“Van.m.
Amara had been born at 11:39 p.m.
Three minutes apart.
I looked at Lila.
“Were you conscious?””
“Barely.””
“Could there have been another delivery in the same room?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
The supervising woman spoke from behind us.
“Vanessa told me there had been three babies.””
We all turned.
She wiped her eyes.
“She said one belonged to her, one belonged to her sister, and the third belonged to someone who had disappeared.””
Morgan approached her.
“Who was the third mother?””
“I don't know. But Vanessa kept saying that the child was the key to everything.””
“What child?””
The woman pointed toward the file.
“The girl.””
I felt the room tighten around meessa told me there had been three babies.””
We all turned.
She wiped her eyes.
“She said one belonged to her, one belonged to her sister, and the third belonged to someone who had disappeared.””
Morgan approached her.
“Who was the third mother?””
“I don't know. But Vanessa kept saying that the child was the key to everything.””
“What child?””
The woman pointed toward the file.
“The girl.””
I felt the room tighten around me.
“Where is she?””
The woman lowered her head.
“I was told she had been adopted.””
“By whom?””
“Richard Hayes arranged it.””
Morgan immediately called his team.
Then he turned toward me.
“We're going to need the original hospital records. The information in this building suggests a much larger scheme than a single custody dispute.””
I looked at Lila.
She was staring at the photograph attached to the medical file.
It showed a newborn girl wrapped in a white blanket.
On the back was a handwritten name.
**.
“Where is she?””
The woman lowered her head.
“I was told she had been adopted.””
“By whom?””
“Richard Hayes arranged it.””
Morgan immediately called his team.
Then he turned toward me.
“We're going to need the original hospital records. The information in this building suggests a much larger scheme than a single custody dispute.””
I looked at Lila.
She was staring at the photograph attached to the medical file.
It showed a newborn girl wrapped in a white blanket.
On the back was a handwritten name.
*Mia.*
Lila touched the photograph.
“I've seen this baby before.””
“When?””
“Five years ago. Vanessa showed me this picture and told me it was a photograph of Amara.””
I stared at her.
“Why would she do that?””
“Because she wanted me to believe Amara had been moved to another hospital.””
I looked down at the photograph again.
The baby had a tiny crescent-shaped mark above her left shoulder.
Just like Sophie.
Just like Amara.
And just like Evelyn.
Evelyn arrived atMia.**
Lila touched the photograph.
“I've seen this baby before.””
“When?””
“Five years ago. Vanessa showed me this picture and told me it was a photograph of Amara.””
I stared at her.
“Why would she do that?””
“Because she wanted me to believe Amara had been moved to another hospital.””
I looked down at the photograph again.
The baby had a tiny crescent-shaped mark above her left shoulder.
Just like Sophie.
Just like Amara.
And just like Evelyn.
Evelyn arrived at Greenfield shortly after midnight.
When she saw Sophie in Lila's arms, she began crying.
“Is that her?””
Lila nodded.
“This is Sophie.””
Evelyn approached slowly.
“She looks like you.””
Lila kissed the little girl's forehead.
“She has my eyes.””
Evelyn sat beside them.
For several seconds, the two sisters simply looked at the child.
Then Evelyn spoke.
“I need to tell you something.””
Lila looked up.
“What?””
“When I was pregnant, Vanessa told me she wanted to help me raise my daughter. She said Greenfield shortly after midnight.
When she saw Sophie in Lila's arms, she began crying.
“Is that her?””
Lila nodded.
“This is Sophie.””
Evelyn approached slowly.
“She looks like you.””
Lila kissed the little girl's forehead.
“She has my eyes.””
Evelyn sat beside them.
For several seconds, the two sisters simply looked at the child.
Then Evelyn spoke.
“I need to tell you something.””
Lila looked up.
“What?””
“When I was pregnant, Vanessa told me she wanted to help me raise my daughter. She said we could all live together.””
Lila frowned.
“Why would she say that?””
“Because she knew I was struggling. I was working two jobs, and I couldn't afford a proper apartment.””
Evelyn wiped her cheeks.
“She promised she would never separate me from my baby.””
Lila looked down.
“And then she did exactly that.””
Evelyn nodded.
“But I think she wanted something else.””
“What?””
Evelyn took a folded photograph from her purse.
we could all live together.””
Lila frowned.
“Why would she say that?””
“Because she knew I was struggling. I was working two jobs, and I couldn't afford a proper apartment.””
Evelyn wiped her cheeks.
“She promised she would never separate me from my baby.””
Lila looked down.
“And then she did exactly that.””
Evelyn nodded.
“But I think she wanted something else.””
“What?””
Evelyn took a folded photograph from her purse.
It showed three newborn babies lying side by side.
One was Amara.
One was Sophie.
The third was the little girl from the medical file.
On the back were three names.
Amara.
Sophie.
Mia.
And beneath them was a sentence:
Three daughters. One family. One secret.
I looked at Evelyn.
“What does this mean?””
She hesitated.
Then she said:
“Vanessa told me years ago that she believed one of these girls would eventually inherit a fortuneIt showed three newborn babies lying side by side.
One was Amara.
One was Sophie.
The third was the little girl from the medical file.
On the back were three names.
Amara.
Sophie.
Mia.
And beneath them was a sentence:
Three daughters. One family. One secret.
I looked at Evelyn.
“What does this mean?””
She hesitated.
Then she said:
“Vanessa told me years ago that she believed one of these girls would eventually inherit a fortune.””
I stared at her.
“What fortune?””
Evelyn looked at Lila.
“Your father's estate.””
Lila went still.
“My father died before I met Daniel.””
“Yes. But his will was never settled.””
I remembered Lila mentioning an inheritance once.
She had told me her father owned several properties and a substantial investment portfolio.
But she had also said everything had been left to charity.
“Why would the children matter?”” I asked.
Evelyn opened the photograph again.
“Because.””
I stared at her.
“What fortune?””
Evelyn looked at Lila.
“Your father's estate.””
Lila went still.
“My father died before I met Daniel.””
“Yes. But his will was never settled.””
I remembered Lila mentioning an inheritance once.
She had told me her father owned several properties and a substantial investment portfolio.
But she had also said everything had been left to charity.
“Why would the children matter?”” I asked.
Evelyn opened the photograph again.
“Because your father left the estate to his biological descendants. And the original will included a clause about children born before his death who had not yet been identified.””
Lila shook her head.
“He had no idea I was pregnant with twins.””
“Exactly,” Evelyn whispered.
“Then why would Vanessa care?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“Because she had access to the estate records. And she knew that if the children were legally identified, the inheritance could be divided.””
I turned toward Lila.
“Did your your father left the estate to his biological descendants. And the original will included a clause about children born before his death who had not yet been identified.””
Lila shook her head.
“He had no idea I was pregnant with twins.””
“Exactly,” Evelyn whispered.
“Then why would Vanessa care?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“Because she had access to the estate records. And she knew that if the children were legally identified, the inheritance could be divided.””
I turned toward Lila.
“Did your father have a lawyer?””
She nodded.
“Richard Hayes.””
I felt a cold wave move through me.
The same man who had forged documents, arranged the private adoption, and hidden children was also handling the inheritance.
Suddenly, everything made a horrible kind of sense.
Vanessa hadn't simply wanted my husband.
She had wanted access to Lila's family.
She had wanted control over the children.
And she had used my marriage to create a respectable cover for the entire scheme.
Detective Morgan returned.
“We father have a lawyer?””
She nodded.
“Richard Hayes.””
I felt a cold wave move through me.
The same man who had forged documents, arranged the private adoption, and hidden children was also handling the inheritance.
Suddenly, everything made a horrible kind of sense.
Vanessa hadn't simply wanted my husband.
She had wanted access to Lila's family.
She had wanted control over the children.
And she had used my marriage to create a respectable cover for the entire scheme.
Detective Morgan returned.
“We've located Richard's vehicle.””
“Where?””
“At the private airport.””
“Is Vanessa with him?””
He nodded.
“They're preparing to leave.””
I looked at Sophie.
Then at Lila.
“Can they get away?””
Morgan shook his head.
“Not if we reach them in time.””
He turned toward the officers.
“Let's move.””
Twenty've located Richard's vehicle.””
“Where?””
“At the private airport.””
“Is Vanessa with him?””
He nodded.
“They're preparing to leave.””
I looked at Sophie.
Then at Lila.
“Can they get away?””
Morgan shook his head.
“Not if we reach them in time.””
He turned toward the officers.
“Let's move.””
Twenty minutes later, my phone rang.
It was Rachel.
“Daniel, Amara is asking for you.””
“Is she okay?””
“She woke up crying. She wants to know when you'll bring Mommy home.””
I looked at Lila.
Then at Sophie.
“Tell her we're coming.””
Rachel hes minutes later, my phone rang.
It was Rachel.
“Daniel, Amara is asking for you.””
“Is she okay?””
“She woke up crying. She wants to know when you'll bring Mommy home.””
I looked at Lila.
Then at Sophie.
“Tell her we're coming.””
Rachel hesitated.
“There's something else.””
“What?””
“Amara said Vanessa called the hospital.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did she say?””
Rachel lowered her voice.
“She told Amara that if she ever wanted to see her real father, she needed to remember one name.””
“What name?””
Rachel took a breath.
“Richard.””
I looked toward Detective Morgan.
The officer's phone began ringingitated.
“There's something else.””
“What?””
“Amara said Vanessa called the hospital.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did she say?””
Rachel lowered her voice.
“She told Amara that if she ever wanted to see her real father, she needed to remember one name.””
“What name?””
Rachel took a breath.
“Richard.””
I looked toward Detective Morgan.
The officer's phone began ringing.
He answered, listened, and then turned toward us.
“Mr. Carter, we've got a problem.””
“What?””
“Richard Hayes has just filed an emergency petition claiming that Amara and Sophie are both his biological children.””
May you like
My blood ran cold.
“And he's asking the court to remove them from your custody.””
