Chapter 12: The Woman Who Signed My Death Certificate
The woman behind Victor looked about fifty years old.
She wore a dark blue suit and carried a leather folder.
Her expression was calm, almost emotionless.
Victor placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Emily, I'd like you to meet Dr. Caroline Hayes.""
Eleanor stiffened.
"Caroline?""
The doctor looked at her.
"Hello, Eleanor.""
I glanced between them.
"You know each other?""
Eleanor nodded slowly.
"She was the attending physician at the hospital when Alexander was born.""
Dr. Hayes opened her folder.
"I was also responsible for the records concerning the three children.""
Thomas stepped forward.
"What three children?""
Victor smiled.
"Your sister deserves the truth.""
He gestured toward the doctor.
"Tell them.""
Dr. Hayes looked uncomfortable.
But she opened the folder anyway.
"Twenty-six years ago, Margaret Bell delivered a baby girl. Richard Whitmore was listed as the biological father.""
She placed a document on the table.
"At the same hospital, Eleanor Whitmore delivered a premature baby boy.""
Eleanor's face tightened.
"Alexander.""
"Yes," the doctor replied.
She placed another document beside the first.
"Unfortunately, the infant boy died shortly after birth.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"That's not what Richard said.""
Dr. Hayes continued.
"Margaret's baby survived. But she developed complications and was transferred to another ward.""
I stared at the papers.
"What happened next?""
The doctor hesitated.
Victor answered for her.
"The babies were switched.""
Silence.
Thomas looked at him.
"What?""
Victor shrugged.
"Margaret's daughter was raised as the Whitmore child. Eleanor's son was given to Margaret.""
I felt sick.
"Why?""
"Because Richard had made a promise to Margaret. He wanted his biological daughter raised inside the family. Eleanor wanted a son. It was a convenient arrangement.""
Eleanor slapped the table.
"That is a lie!""
Victor barely reacted.
"Is it?""
He turned toward Dr. Hayes.
"Show them the original records.""
The doctor placed two birth certificates on the table.
The first listed Emily Whitmore Carter.
The second listed Alexander Whitmore Carter.
But the handwritten notes beneath the certificates were different.
One said:
*Female infant — biological mother: Margaret Bell.*
The other said:
*Male infant — biological mother: Eleanor Whitmore.*
My head began spinning.
I looked at Eleanor.
"You're saying I was supposed to be your daughter, but Margaret gave birth to me?""
Eleanor nodded slowly.
"That's what we believed.""
Victor smiled.
"Now we're getting somewhere.""
Thomas stared at the documents.
"So I'm not Alexander?""
Dr. Hayes lowered her eyes.
"You were born to Eleanor and Richard.""
Thomas looked as though someone had struck him.
"Then why was I raised as Margaret's son?""
Victor answered.
"Because Richard wanted to protect the family reputation.""
Eleanor turned toward him.
"Stop.""
Victor ignored her.
"Richard had an affair. Margaret became pregnant. Eleanor gave birth prematurely. The hospital was already dealing with a medical emergency.""
He shrugged.
"One child died. One survived. The family made an arrangement.""
I stared at him.
"You're saying this was all planned?""
"Not initially.""
"Then who switched the babies?""
Victor's smile disappeared.
He looked at Dr. Hayes.
The doctor swallowed.
"Richard requested the arrangement.""
Eleanor stood.
"You're lying!""
Dr. Hayes opened another document.
"This is his signature.""
Eleanor looked at it.
Her face crumpled.
I felt my entire world collapsing.
If Richard had arranged the switch, then why had he written the letter blaming Victor?
Why had he said Margaret took me to protect me?
And why had Victor spent twenty-two years hiding the children?
I looked at the doctor.
"Where does Lily fit into this?""
Dr. Hayes hesitated.
Victor answered.
"Your daughter is the final piece of the arrangement.""
I moved toward him.
"What arrangement?""
He opened his folder.
Inside were medical documents and a photograph of a baby.
The baby looked exactly like Lily.
"Your daughter was born six months ago," he said.
"But her biological father is not the man you believe.""
"I know that already.""
Victor raised an eyebrow.
"Do you?""
He placed another document on the table.
A DNA test.
The results showed a 99.99 percent probability that Alexander Whitmore was Lily's biological father.
Thomas stared at it.
"That's impossible. I thought I was Alexander.""
Victor shook his head.
"You were raised as Alexander, but your real name is Thomas Bell.""
Eleanor looked horrified.
"Then where is the real Alexander?""
Victor slowly smiled.
"That's the question you've all been asking.""
He turned toward the doctor.
Dr. Hayes removed one final document.
It was an old hospital record.
The name at the top was unfamiliar.
*Alexander Richard Whitmore.*
But beneath it was a different date of birth.
Twenty-six years earlier.
And a different biological mother.
I looked at the doctor.
"Who is he?""
She closed her eyes.
"Margaret had twins.""
I felt the room tilt.
"Twins?""
Dr. Hayes nodded.
"One was a girl. One was a boy.""
Thomas looked at Eleanor.
"Then who am I?""
The doctor pointed toward the first birth certificate.
"You are Eleanor's biological son.""
She pointed toward me.
"And Emily is Margaret's biological daughter.""
I looked at Victor.
"Then where is Margaret's other baby?""
Victor's expression finally became serious.
He reached into his folder and removed a photograph.
It showed a young man standing beside a black car.
He looked about twenty-six.
His eyes were identical to mine.
Above his left eyebrow was the same crescent-shaped scar.
I stared at the photograph.
"Who is that?""
Victor placed it in front of me.
"Your twin brother.""
My mouth went dry.
"Where is he?""
Victor leaned closer.
"He's the man who has been trying to destroy this family for the last twenty-two years.""
Eleanor looked at him in disbelief.
"That's impossible.""
Victor smiled.
"Not at all.""
He turned toward the doctor.
"Tell them his name.""
Dr. Hayes whispered:
"Alexander.""
Then Victor placed a final document on the table.
A photograph of the man.
A DNA report.
And a hospital discharge record.
I looked at the name printed beneath the photograph.
*Alexander Bell.*
My twin brother was alive.
And according to Victor, he was the person who had been sending me the threatening messages.
Thomas suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Emily, don't listen to him.""
Victor's smile vanished.
Thomas looked terrified.
"There's something I remember now. Something Margaret told me before they separated us.""
"What?""
Thomas leaned close and whispered:
"Alexander didn't disappear because Victor took him.""
He looked directly into my eyes.
"He disappeared because he saw Victor kill someone.""
The room went silent.
Then the doctor dropped her folder.
A voice came from the doorway.
"That's enough, Victor.""
Everyone turned.
A young man stood there.
He had my eyes.
My scar.
My face.
And in his hand was the original hospital record.
He looked at me.
Then at Victor.
"Hello, Emily.""
May you like
He raised the document.
"Would you like to know who really died twenty-two years ago?""
