Chapter 7: What Happened the Night Elena Was Born
I read the message six times before I called my brother.
If you want the truth about Elena, ask your brother what happened the night she was born.
Nathan answered on the fourth ring.
“Damon?””
“What happened the night Elena was born?””
Silence.
Then I heard him exhale.
“Where did you get that?””
“Answer the question.””
“Damon, I don't think this is a conversation we should have over the phone.””
“Then come to my house.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because people are watching me.””
I gripped the edge of my desk.
“Who's watching you?””
“I don't know. A car has been outside my apartment for three days. Yesterday, someone left a photograph under my windshield wiper.””
“What photograph?””
Nathan hesitated.
“Elena. Outside your house.””
My stomach tightened.
“Get in your car and come here. Don't stop anywhere. Marcus will meet you at the gate.””
“Damon, listen to me. I didn't know what they were planning when I agreed to the payment.””
“But you knew something happened.””
“Yes.””
“Then you have one chance to tell me the truth.””
I ended the call.
Twenty minutes later, Marcus escorted Nathan into the study.
My brother looked terrible. His tie was crooked, his eyes were bloodshot, and he kept glancing toward the windows as though he expected someone to appear outside.
I pushed a glass of water toward him.
“Sit down.””
Nathan obeyed.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I placed the threatening message on the table.
“Start with the night Elena was born.””
Nathan wrapped both hands around the glass.
“Five years ago, Elisa called me at two in the morning. She said Claire was in labor at a hospital in Philadelphia. She wanted me to go there.””
“Why you?””
“She said you were traveling and couldn't be reached.””
“I was in Boston. I could have been there in ninety minutes.””
“I know that now.””
“Did you call me?””
“No.””
The answer landed like a slap.
“Why?””
Nathan looked down.
“Because Elisa told me you already knew about the pregnancy. She said you had decided not to be involved and wanted Claire to sign an agreement before the birth.””
I stood.
“She told you that?””
“Yes.””
“And you believed her?””
“She showed me a document with your signature.””
My hands curled into fists.
“Another forged document.””
“Probably.””
“Probably?””
Nathan flinched.
“I didn't know it was forged at the time!””
I forced myself to sit.
“Continue.””
He swallowed.
“When I arrived at the hospital, Claire was already in labor. Elisa was there with Victor Hale. They told the nurses they were family friends and that Claire had asked them to help.””
“Did Claire ask for them?””
“No. She was frightened when she saw us.””
Nathan's voice dropped.
“She asked where you were. Elisa told her you had refused to come.””
I stared at him.
“What did Claire say?””
“She started crying. She kept asking to speak to you. Elisa told her the phone lines were being monitored because of a supposed legal dispute.””
“Was that true?””
“No.””
I looked away.
Nathan continued.
“After Elena was born, a nurse took her for a routine examination. Claire was exhausted. Elisa went into the hallway with Victor, and they argued.””
“About what?””
“I couldn't hear everything. But I heard Victor say, ‘You promised the child would never become a problem.’”
The room went still.
“What did Elisa say?””
“She told him to keep his voice down. Then she said the plan had changed.””
My pulse hammered.
“What plan?””
“I don't know. I asked, and Elisa told me to stay out of it.””
“And you did.””
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
I stood and walked toward the window.
“You were there when my daughter was born. You knew Claire was frightened. You knew I supposedly wanted nothing to do with them. And you never once thought to call me?””
“I thought I was protecting you.””
I turned so quickly that Nathan recoiled.
“Protecting me from what? Being a father?””
He had no answer.
I paced across the room, trying to keep my voice level.
“What happened after Elena was born?””
“Victor came back into the room carrying paperwork. He told Claire she needed to sign a release before the hospital could discharge her.””
“A release for what?””
Nathan shook his head.
“I couldn't see all of it. Claire refused. She said she wouldn't sign anything until she spoke to you.””
“And then?””
“Then Elisa told me to leave.””
I stared at him.
“You left?””
“Yes.””
“You left Claire alone with them?””
Nathan's face crumpled.
“I know what you're going to say.””
“Good. Then I don't have to waste my breath.””
He put his head in his hands.
“I was a coward, Damon.””
For the first time, I believed him.
That didn't make me forgive him.
It only made his betrayal harder to understand.
“Why didn't you tell me afterward?””
“Because two days later, Elisa sent me the transfer documents. She said the payment was compensation for helping her resolve the situation. I thought she meant the legal dispute.””
“You knew Claire had disappeared.””
“Yes.””
“You knew she had a baby.””
“Yes.””
“And you accepted the money.””
Nathan nodded miserably.
“I convinced myself that if you wanted to find her, you would. I told myself it wasn't my responsibility.””
I looked at him for a long moment.
Then I asked the question that had been eating at me since I read the message.
“Did anyone try to take Elena away from Claire?””
Nathan went pale.
“I don't know.””
“Think.””
He stared at the desk.
“Victor mentioned a private adoption agency. He said there was a family prepared to take the baby if Claire became uncooperative.””
My blood ran cold.
“An adoption?””
“I don't know if they had actual papers. I never saw them.””
“Did Claire know?””
“She must have suspected something. She was screaming when I left. She kept saying, ‘You can't take my daughter. Damon will find out.’”
I gripped the back of my chair.
They hadn't merely wanted to separate Claire and me.
They had apparently considered taking Elena from her mother entirely.
“Who was the family?”” I asked.
Nathan shook his head.
“I don't know.””
“Who ran the agency?””
“I don't know.””
“Then find out.””
Nathan looked up.
“You want me to help?””
“I want you to tell the truth to the investigators. Every detail. Every name. Every document you remember.””
He nodded.
“I will.””
“And if I discover you've withheld anything, there won't be another conversation.””
Nathan rose slowly.
At the door, he stopped.
“Damon?””
I didn't turn.
“I'm sorry.””
I looked at him.
“I'm sure you are.””
He left.
I stood alone in the study until Marcus appeared.
“Sir, there's a call for you. It's Rebecca Shaw.””
I answered.
“Tell me you found something.””
“We identified the adoption agency Nathan mentioned. It closed seven years ago, but we located archived records through a related organization.””
“What records?””
“An inquiry concerning an infant born to Claire Bennett five years ago.””
My chest tightened.
“Who made the inquiry?””
Rebecca paused.
“The paperwork lists a representative of the Rochefort family.””
“Which representative?””
“Richard Rochefort.””
I closed my eyes.
Elisa's father.
The man whose family had controlled the money, the threats, and apparently the plan to keep Elena from me.
“Was an adoption completed?””
“No. The record indicates that Claire refused to sign the required consent forms.””
I released a breath.
“Thank God.””
“But there's something else,” Rebecca said.
“The agency recorded a second contact six months later. Someone asked whether the child could be placed without the mother's consent.””
My blood turned to ice.
“Who?””
“We're still verifying the record. But the signature on the request belongs to a woman named Elisa Rochefort.””
Before I could respond, a small voice came from the doorway.
“Damon?””
Elena stood there in her pajamas, clutching her stuffed rabbit.
I quickly ended the call.
“What's wrong, sweetheart?””
She looked at the papers on my desk.
“Are you talking about when I was born?””
I went completely still.
“Why do you ask?””
She hugged her rabbit tightly.
“Because Mommy told me someone tried to take me away when I was a baby.””
I knelt in front of her.
“Do you remember anything about that?””
She shook her head.
“No. But Mommy keeps a little bracelet in her bag. She says it's the only thing she brought home from the hospital.””
My heart pounded.
“Can you show me?””
Elena nodded.
May you like
Then she whispered something that made the room feel suddenly airless.
“Mommy says the bracelet has the name of the woman who tried to take me.””
