Chapter 11: The Two Babies and the Missing Medical Record
Daniel drove.
I sat beside him, holding Dr. Reed's letter so tightly that the paper had begun to crease.
The road to the old Reed property ran through a quiet residential neighborhood lined with bare trees and brick houses.
I had been there once before.
Vanessa had taken me to the property after we married. She had told me her father had left the house to her, but that she planned to sell it because the memories were too painful.
Apparently, she had never sold it.
When we arrived, the gate was open.
A black sedan was parked beside the garage.
Vanessa's car.
Daniel stopped behind it.
"She's inside.""
I got out.
The front door was unlocked.
"Vanessa?""
No answer.
We entered the house.
Dust covered the furniture, but the hallway lights were on.
I noticed several cardboard boxes stacked against the wall.
One was labeled MEDICAL RECORDS.
Another had my mother's handwriting.
*NOAH AND ETHAN.*
I walked toward it.
Daniel followed.
"Marcus, wait.""
He pointed toward the study.
The door was slightly open.
We heard Vanessa speaking.
"No, I haven't destroyed it.""
A man's voice answered.
"You were supposed to bring the file to me.""
I recognized him.
Adrian Cole.
I pushed the door open.
Vanessa stood beside an old desk.
Adrian was near the window, holding a leather briefcase.
Both turned.
"Marcus," Vanessa whispered.
Adrian closed his briefcase.
"This is a private matter.""
I stepped inside.
"Not anymore.""
Daniel moved beside me.
"What are you doing here?"" he demanded.
Adrian gave him a cold smile.
"Making sure a financial arrangement is completed.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Give me the file.""
She held up a thick folder.
"This?""
"Yes.""
She shook her head.
"You need to understand what's inside.""
"I've heard enough explanations.""
Adrian stepped forward.
"Mr. Hayes, I strongly advise you not to interfere with a matter that has already been legally settled.""
I laughed.
"Legally settled? You forged my signature, transferred my son's inheritance, and followed him to school.""
Adrian's smile disappeared.
"Those are serious accusations.""
"Then stay here and explain them to the police.""
I pulled out my phone.
Adrian immediately looked at Vanessa.
"Tell him.""
She lowered the folder.
"Marcus, your mother didn't want Noah to die.""
I stared at her.
"Then why did she give an instruction that could have killed him?""
Vanessa began crying.
"Because she believed the baby wasn't yours.""
"That's not an excuse.""
"She thought Emily had been unfaithful. She believed that if Noah wasn't your biological son, there was no reason for him to inherit the family estate.""
I shook my head.
"The paternity test proved I was his father.""
"She didn't trust the first test.""
"Because she didn't like the answer?""
Vanessa looked away.
Adrian interrupted.
"Mrs. Hayes, this is becoming unnecessary.""
I turned toward him.
"Stay out of this.""
Vanessa opened the folder.
Inside were copies of two newborn medical records.
One belonged to Noah.
The other belonged to Ethan.
I looked at Daniel.
He moved closer.
"Why are there two records?""
Vanessa placed them on the desk.
"Because both babies were delivered at the same hospital.""
I read the dates.
Ethan had been born two years before Noah.
His medical record showed a serious complication immediately after delivery.
But the document also contained a reference to a blood sample.
I looked at the result.
Then at Noah's file.
Something didn't match.
"Why are the blood types different from the original records?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"They aren't different. The records were corrected.""
I frowned.
"Corrected how?""
She pointed to the handwritten notes.
"Your mother believed there had been a mistake with Noah's identity. She asked my father to compare the newborn records.""
I looked at Daniel.
He was reading the second page.
Suddenly, he stopped.
"Vanessa.""
She looked up.
"Why does Ethan's file say his father is unknown?""
Vanessa's face crumpled.
"Because my father never registered Daniel as his father.""
Daniel stepped back.
"What?""
"I was young. Dad told me Daniel wasn't ready to be a parent.""
Daniel's voice rose.
"I raised Ethan!""
"Not at first.""
"That's not what happened.""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"After Ethan was born, Dad told me Daniel had abandoned us. He said I needed to protect my son.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Vanessa, you know I was there. I signed the hospital paperwork. Your father refused to let me take Ethan home.""
Adrian cleared his throat.
"Perhaps we should focus on the matter at hand.""
I turned.
"What exactly are you protecting?""
He closed his briefcase.
"The trust.""
I stepped toward him.
"How much did you take?""
"Nothing.""
"Then show me the account records.""
He smiled.
"Those records are confidential.""
I held up my phone.
"I've already contacted the police.""
For the first time, Adrian looked nervous.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed my sleeve.
"Marcus, listen to me. There's another page.""
She pulled a folded sheet from the folder.
It was an original medication instruction.
The date matched Noah's birth.
The document showed that an emergency medication had been ordered for the wrong newborn.
But the name at the top had been crossed out.
Beneath it was Noah's name.
I stared at the handwriting.
It was my mother's.
I recognized it immediately.
She had written the instruction.
Then I noticed the doctor's initials beside it.
Richard Reed.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Did my mother give this instruction?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She came to the hospital because she knew Emily was in labor. She wanted to see Noah before anyone else.""
"Why?""
"She was worried about the paternity rumors. She wanted to know whether the baby had the family medical characteristics.""
I frowned.
"What characteristics?""
Vanessa pointed to the next page.
A genetic screening result.
It showed that Noah had inherited a rare blood disorder marker that appeared in my family.
My mother had seen it.
She knew I was his father.
Yet she had still ordered the wrong medication.
"Why?"" I whispered.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"Because she wanted the records to show that Noah had suffered a medical complication. She thought it would make Emily look negligent.""
I felt sick.
"She risked his life to frame his mother?""
Vanessa nodded.
But Daniel suddenly grabbed the paper.
"Wait.""
He read the bottom section.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
"This isn't Noah's original medication chart.""
"What?""
"This is Ethan's.""
I stared at him.
Daniel pointed to the patient reference number.
It matched Ethan's original hospital file.
The medication instruction had been written for Ethan two years earlier.
Someone had copied it into Noah's records.
The wrong patient identification number had been used.
I looked at Vanessa.
"How?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Daniel examined the documents again.
Then he whispered:
"Because the two boys had the same doctor.""
Adrian moved toward the desk.
"That's enough.""
I stepped in front of him.
"No.""
He looked at me coldly.
"Mr. Hayes, you have no idea what you're dealing with.""
"Then enlighten me.""
Adrian stared at the two medical records.
Finally, he spoke.
"Your mother discovered that Richard had made a serious mistake when Ethan was born. He administered the wrong medication and concealed it.""
Daniel went pale.
"That's why Ethan was sick?""
Adrian nodded.
"Your mother knew. She used that information to force Richard to cooperate when Noah was born.""
I felt my stomach twist.
"So the altered records were meant to hide two separate incidents?""
"Yes.""
"And the trust?""
Adrian smiled faintly.
"Your mother wanted both boys financially protected.""
I shook my head.
"She wanted control.""
He said nothing.
I reached for the folder.
Vanessa held it out.
But before I could take it, Adrian grabbed the final page.
He tore it in half.
Then he threw the pieces into the fireplace.
"Stop!"" Daniel shouted.
I lunged forward, but Adrian pushed past me.
He ran toward the hallway.
Daniel chased him.
I stayed beside the desk, staring at the burning paper.
Vanessa was crying.
I reached for the remaining documents.
Then I noticed something written on the inside cover of the folder.
A small handwritten note.
*The original is with the mother who never left.*
I looked at Vanessa.
"Who wrote this?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Then she looked toward the photograph on the desk.
It showed Emily holding newborn Noah.
Her expression changed.
"Marcus...""
I followed her gaze.
There was a second photograph beneath it.
Emily.
Margaret.
And a third woman I didn't recognize.
On the back, in my mother's handwriting, were the words:
*The three women who know the truth.*
Vanessa picked it up.
Her voice trembled.
"The third woman is still alive.""
I stared at her.
"Who?""
May you like
She looked at me.
"Your father's first wife.""
