Chapter 6: The Baby in the Hospital
The hospital smelled of disinfectant and freshly brewed coffee.
I arrived with Robert just after nine.
Maya stayed with my sister Rebecca, who had driven over as soon as I called.
Vanessa had insisted on coming with us.
I hadn't wanted her there.
But Robert advised against physically preventing her from entering a public hospital, particularly when the legal status of the baby remained unclear.
At the reception desk, I gave Claire's name.
The nurse checked her computer.
“I'm sorry. I can't release patient information without authorization.””
Robert stepped forward.
“We understand. We're here because Ms. Bennett contacted my client and requested an urgent conversation. Could you please pass along that we've arrived?””
The nurse nodded.
“Please have a seat.””
We waited nearly twenty minutes.
Then a woman appeared at the end of the corridor.
It was Claire.
She wore loose gray trousers and a blue cardigan. Her face was pale, and dark circles surrounded her eyes.
She looked exhausted.
But when she saw Vanessa, her expression changed.
“You brought her?””
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
“Claire, we need to talk.””
Claire took a step backward.
“No.””
“Please.””
“You said he would never find out.””
Vanessa looked around nervously.
“Keep your voice down.””
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Now you're worried about people hearing?””
Robert introduced himself.
“Ms. Bennett, I'm Robert Hayes. I'm assisting Marcus with the legal questions surrounding the arrangement.””
Claire nodded.
Then she looked at me.
“You're Marcus?””
“Yes.””
She studied my face.
“I've wanted to meet you for months.””
I swallowed.
“Why didn't you contact me?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because Vanessa told me you knew everything.””
I looked at my wife.
“What?””
Claire continued.
“She told me you had agreed to the arrangement. She said you were uncomfortable with the medical details, but that you wanted the baby.””
I felt sick.
“I never agreed to anything.””
“I know that now.””
Claire looked down at her hands.
“I found out three days after the birth.””
Robert asked gently, “How?””
“Daniel came to the hospital with documents. He told me the baby would be transferred to the intended parents once I signed the final paperwork.””
“And you refused?””
Claire nodded.
“I wanted to speak to my own lawyer first.””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“You knew the agreement.””
“I knew I was carrying a baby. I didn't know you were lying to the baby's intended father.””
Vanessa's mouth tightened.
“You were paid.””
Claire's eyes filled with anger.
“I was paid for medical expenses and lost wages. That doesn't mean you own me.””
A nurse approached.
“Ms. Bennett, the pediatric team is ready to discuss the baby's care plan.””
Claire nodded.
“Thank you.””
Then she turned toward me.
“There's something else.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“What?””
Claire glanced at Vanessa.
“Daniel told me the baby wasn't biologically yours.””
Vanessa immediately interrupted.
“That's private.””
Robert raised a hand.
“Please continue.””
Claire took a deep breath.
“The clinic paperwork listed a sperm donor. But the donor number was changed after the original agreement.””
I stared at her.
“Changed to whose?””
“I don't know the man's name.””
Vanessa looked toward the elevator.
Claire continued.
“But I saw the original paperwork. The donor number didn't match the number in the final file.””
Robert's expression sharpened.
“Do you have copies?””
“I took photographs before Daniel collected the documents.””
Vanessa's face drained of color.
“Claire.””
Claire ignored her.
“I also have messages.””
She opened her phone.
One showed a conversation between her and Daniel.
*Daniel:* The intended father doesn't need to know the donor details.
*Claire:* You told me the husband had consented.
*Daniel:* Vanessa has the authority to manage the arrangement.
*Claire:* That's not what I asked.
The next message was from Daniel.
*Daniel:* Just sign the paperwork. Everyone gets what they want.
I read the messages twice.
Then I looked at Vanessa.
“Who is the biological father?””
She began shaking her head.
“I don't know.””
Claire looked at her.
“You know exactly who it is.””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“Stop.””
“You told me he would never be involved.””
“Claire, please.””
Robert stepped between them.
“Let's keep this conversation factual.””
Claire looked at me.
“I don't know whether the baby is genetically related to you. But I know Vanessa wanted the birth certificate completed before you discovered the arrangement.””
My phone vibrated.
Rebecca.
I answered.
“What's wrong?””
Her voice was urgent.
“Marcus, Maya just told me something.””
I straightened.
“What?””
“She says Vanessa took her to the clinic once.””
My blood went cold.
“When?””
“About a month ago.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She had gone completely still.
“Why would she take Maya to the clinic?””
Rebecca continued.
“Maya said they made her sit in a room while someone asked her questions about her mother.””
I felt a wave of anger.
“What questions?””
“She said they asked whether Emily had ever been sick, whether there were any inherited conditions in the family, and whether you had ever discussed having another child.””
I looked at Robert.
He was listening.
“Put Maya on the phone,” I said.
A moment later, my daughter's small voice came through.
“Dad?””
“Sweetheart, did Vanessa take you to a clinic?””
“Yes.””
“Did she tell you why?””
“She said they needed to check something for the baby.””
“What did they ask you?””
Maya hesitated.
“They asked about Mom.””
“Your mother?””
“Yes. They wanted to know if she had any medical problems.””
I closed my eyes.
“Did you answer?””
“I told them she was healthy.””
Maya paused.
Then she added something that made my blood run cold.
“But Dad, they also asked me to spit into a little tube.””
I stopped breathing.
“What?””
“They said it was just a family test.””
I stared at Vanessa.
Robert's face had changed.
Claire covered her mouth.
I lowered my voice.
“Maya, did you know what they were testing?””
“No.””
“Did Vanessa tell you?””
“She said it was to see if the baby and I could be sisters.””
I looked directly at my wife.
“Why did you test my daughter?””
Vanessa started shaking her head.
“I can explain.””
Robert stepped forward.
“Marcus, don't confront her yet.””
But I couldn't look away.
“What did you do with Maya's DNA?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
She looked toward Claire.
Then toward the hospital corridor.
Finally, she whispered:
“The clinic needed a genetic sample.””
“For what?””
She began crying.
“Because the donor they used had a family history that could affect the baby.””
Robert's expression hardened.
“And you used Maya's sample without explaining the purpose?””
Vanessa covered her face.
Claire stepped closer.
“That's not the only reason.””
I turned toward her.
“What else?””
Claire looked at Vanessa with open disgust.
“She told me Maya was being tested because she might be the baby's half-sister.””
My stomach dropped.
I looked at my wife.
“Half-sister?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Claire continued.
“The donor wasn't anonymous to Vanessa. She knew him personally.””
I felt the hallway spin.
“Who?””
Claire hesitated.
Then she looked straight at me.
“Daniel Brooks.””
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything.
My wife's attorney.
The man who had received our money.
The man who had arranged the pregnancy.
The man who had been calling her before I discovered the truth.
Daniel was the biological father of the baby.
I turned toward Vanessa.
“Were you having an affair with him?””
She shook her head violently.
“No!””
“Then why is his sperm in that child?””
“I wanted a baby!””
“You had a husband!””
“You weren't able to give me what I wanted!””
The words struck harder than a slap.
Robert immediately stepped between us.
“That's enough.””
Vanessa started crying.
“I thought if the baby was born, everything would be different.””
I stared at her.
Then Claire spoke quietly.
“Marcus, there's one more thing.””
I turned.
She was holding a folded document.
“Daniel told me the baby would be registered under Vanessa's name. But I found something in the hospital paperwork.””
“What?””
Claire unfolded the page.
It was a copy of a consent form.
My name appeared at the bottom.
Beside it was a signature that looked almost exactly like mine.
I stared at it.
I had never signed that document.
And beneath the signature was a date from three months earlier.
Robert took the paper from Claire.
His face tightened.
“Marcus, this isn't just a pregnancy dispute anymore.””
He pointed to the signature.
“Someone has forged your consent.””
May you like
Then Claire looked at me and whispered the words that changed everything.
“Daniel didn't just arrange the pregnancy. He told the clinic that you were already dead.””
